Why I Ditched Soap and Started Showering with Apple Cider Vinegar (Yes, Really)

Let’s just get this out of the way: yes, I shower with vinegar.

Specifically, Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV). And no, I don’t smell like a pickle. In fact, I’ve never felt or smelled cleaner.

It sounds kind of wild, I know. I used to be someone who wouldn’t leave the house without industrial-strength deodorant. The girl who bought every “clean,” “natural,” and “dermatologist-recommended” body wash under the sun. I took my showers religiously, sometimes twice a day, and still… B.O.

Nothing worked. It was like my body just rebelled.

I remember feeling so frustrated. I was doing everything right. I was clean, but my body just wasn’t responding to all the traditional products the way I hoped. My underarms especially were the biggest source of embarrassment. I’d be fine in the morning, but by afternoon? Game over.  The worst part? My skin was always reacting. Red bumps on my legs, itchy arms, random flare-ups, especially after shaving. I started realizing that maybe it wasn’t me. Maybe it was the stuff I was putting on me.

One night, I was scrolling through natural remedy threads (like we all do when we’re desperate for solutions), and I saw a random comment that stopped me in my tracks. This woman casually said that she used vinegar on her armpits to prevent body odor and it worked like magic.

I sat there, reading it twice.

Vinegar? Like… what I clean my floors with?

But the more I thought about it, the more curious I got. I already drank apple cider vinegar in the mornings for gut health, and I knew how powerful it was for internal detoxing. So why not try it topically?

From Curiosity to Game-Changer

The next morning, I grabbed a spray bottle, filled it with distilled vinegar and stepped into the shower. My skin was already wet, I knew vinegar and ACV could sting on dry skin and I sprayed it on my arms, legs, chest… every inch of my body, one area at a time. I used a soft washcloth to gently scrub, rinsed, and hoped for the best.

When I stepped out of the shower, I did what every curious (and slightly skeptical) girl would do: I sniffed myself.

Nothing. No smell. No weird funk. No vinegar either.

Just… freshness. Real, natural, clean freshness.

But that was only the beginning. I even made my husband smell my arm, slightly nervous he’d say I smelled like a pickle but instead he said I smelled so fresh!

The Surprise Side Effects

Over the next few days, I kept up the vinegar showers, and the results shocked me.

• My red bumps? Gone. My legs had been irritated for years from razors and soaps. The inflammation just... disappeared.

• My skin was soft. Not just a little soft—like, baby-smooth soft. My husband even noticed. “Babe, your skin feels amazing!” he said one night, wide-eyed.

• I didn’t stink. Not in the morning, not in the evening, not after sweating or working out. ACV seemed to reset my skin’s microbiome and natural pH.

• My acne started clearing up. I had always had hormonal breakouts, especially on my face and jawline. After a couple weeks of vinegar showers, they started to fade.

• My mood and hormones started balancing. This one surprised me most. I began feeling lighter, less bloated, more stable emotionally and even lost a little weight without changing anything else. I suffered with PCOS and endometriosis for years and all symptoms disappeared.

That’s when I knew: this wasn’t just a skincare trick. It was a whole-body shift.

I Shared It Online… and the Stories Rolled In

At first, I didn’t plan on sharing it. Let’s be honest it’s kind of awkward to tell people, “Hey, I spray vinegar on my body instead of using soap!” But something in me knew that someone out there needed to hear it. So I made a quick video on TikTok explaining what I did and how it helped me.

And then… the comments started.

People from all over started trying it—and it worked for them too.

Men and women alike shared their personal stories: “B.O. gone!” “My skin hasn’t looked this good in years.” “I’ve struggled with body acne forever, and this actually helped.” “I feel more balanced, inside and out.”

The most shocking comments were from women that struggled with PCOS and menstrual cycles saying they were getting lighter, cramps disappearing!

I was overwhelmed in the best way. Something so simple, so inexpensive, so natural… was transforming lives. And that’s how the “Crazy Vinegar Lady” was born.

So Why Does It Work?

I’ll save the deep science for another post, but here’s a quick breakdown:

• ACV is antibacterial + antifungal – It helps kill odor-causing bacteria without disrupting your skin’s healthy microbiome.

• It balances your skin’s pH – Most soaps are too alkaline, which can strip and irritate the skin. ACV supports your acid mantle, the skin’s natural protective barrier.

• It reduces inflammation – That means fewer bumps, rashes, and flare-ups.

• It supports detoxification – Especially when used regularly, ACV can gently encourage your body’s natural cleansing processes through the skin (your largest organ).

And best of all? It’s about as low-tox and budget-friendly as it gets.

How to Start Showering with Vinegar

Wanna give it a try? Here’s my exact method:

The Crazy Vinegar Lady’s Shower Routine:

🧴 What you need:

• A clean spray bottle

• Raw, unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar (strain out “the mother” with a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth so it doesn’t clog the spray tube)

• Optional: Add a little distilled water if your skin is sensitive

🚿 In the shower:

1. Make sure your skin is completely wet

2. Spray one area at a time (start with arms or legs)

3. Gently scrub with a washcloth or exfoliating glove

4. Repeat for the rest of your body

5. Rinse thoroughly

6. Moisturize if needed (I love jojoba oil or whipped tallow for afterward)

🎥 And if you’re a visual learner, I made a (somewhat awkward, very real) tutorial video a couple years ago to walk through the process. You can watch it here:👉 Vinegar Shower Tutorial on TikTok

Final Thoughts

It’s been years now, and I can’t remember the last time I bought soap from a store.

My skin is happier. My hormones are more balanced. My confidence is higher. And I get to share this wild little vinegar journey with so many beautiful people who are finally finding relief, naturally.

So if you’re sitting there thinking, “There’s no way that works…”—I get it. I was there too. But what do you have to lose?

Just try it. One spray bottle. One shower. One step closer to a cleaner, healthier you.

Stay fresh, stay simple, and stay glowing.

Rachel (aka The Crazy Vinegar Lady)

Core Living 🌿

Because of so many questions on to how to get started, I created Core Living so I know that I had clean ingredients in everything I was recommending. Start your journey today!

The Crazy Vinegar Method Starter Kit (Comes with ACV)

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