Lavender vinegar and 9 ways to use it

This easy-to-make lavender vinegar is a versatile herbal formula that supports healthy skin, softens your laundry, cleans your kitchen, or makes a great addition to your meals. Discover all of its uses and recipes. 

Whether you grow your own lavender or you simply buy dried, I am sure this recipe will make its permanent place in your pantry. 

What is lavender vinegar?

Made of two ingredients only, lavender vinegar is a potent herbal formula obtained by 4-6 weeks infusion of lavender buds in vinegar.  It is an easy and affordable way to extract the medicinal benefits of lavender and use it later in the kitchen, for cleaning, or for cooking purposes.

Ingredients to make lavender vinegar

Select vinegar of your choice

depending on your intention of use you can select various kinds of vinegar for your project.

White wine vinegar

I used white wine vinegar which is light flavor vinegar that is perfect for cleaning, cooking, laundry or as deodorizer. It consists of 4–7% acetic acid and 93–96% water and is  also the most cost effective solution.

Apple cider vinegar

If you intend to use this scented vinegar for hair rinse or as an addition to your bath, select apple cider vinegar that is a natural tonic.

Made by combining apples with yeast, Apple cider vinegar contains except for acetic acid other acids, vitamins, and minerals that are beneficial for your skin and hair. It also possess antibacterial properties and is great to use for irritated skin, yeast infection not only for people but also for dogs. It also help to remove bad odours from pets.  

White balsamic vinegar

White balsamic vinegar would be my choice if I intend to use this floral vinegar as a part of salad dressings or marinades.  

Fresh or dried lavender?

Fresh lavender is more scented so if you manage to get freshly cut lavender you will benefit from its intensive scent, however, dried will work effectively too. 

When it comes to infused oils, I strongly recommend using dried lavender as the fresh buds contain moisture that can cause mold and result in the oil going rancid. When it comes to vinegar, it has antibacterial properties that should keep the bacteria at bay.

You can use leaves and stems if your lavender is not blooming yet, though the infusion will be a bit less potent.

How to make lavender vinegar

first step

Gather 2 handfuls of lavender buds and rub them into a jar. You can use pestle and mortar to crush the petals into smaller pieces to allow better maceration

second step

Pour over the vinegar of your choice in the ratio 1 part of flowers to 3 parts of vinegar.

third step

Cover the jar with a plastic lid or use parchment paper in between the metal lid and a jar to avoid ay corrosion

fourth step

Let the mixture infuse out of direct sunlight for 4 weeks, shaking occasionally

fifth step

Strain the mixture and label it

sixth step

Keep in the cold place

Notes: some recipes use a heating method to speed the process of maceration however I prefer to extract the medicinal properties of lavender with this traditional method. With boiling, you might lose some of the its benefits. 

How to use lavender vinegar?

Lavender vinegar possesses antibacterial properties and may help with fungus, warts or ear infection if used on skin in a bath.

1. Vinegar laundry rinse with lavender

Go natural and replace expensive fabric softeners packed with chemicals with this lavender scented vinegar. Just a quarter cup of lavender vinegar added to the final rinse cycle makes wonders. It not only give a nice smell to your laundry but it also removes any soap residue and minerals in hard water leaving your cloth soft and fluffy.

If you feel the scent is not quite strong you can add a few drops of lavender essential oil to boost it.

For ironing on the other hand I use this lavender water instead of distilled water. As a result, I have beautifully steamed laundry with a nice subtle smell.

2. Lavender cleaning vinegar

Antimicrobial properties of lavender vinegar are useful in disinfecting and cleaning the kitchen or bathroom. Moreover this floral vinegar has also fabulous scent that adds additional benefits to cleaning and is significantly cheaper to other commercially sold cleaning agents. When I am using it for home cleaning I use a 50/50 ratio of lavender vinegar to distilled water.

I use it as a universal cleaner for cleaning  shower and bathtub, kitchen countertops, toilets and even the floor.

3. as a Glass Cleaner

Since I discovered this scented cleaning vinegar I no longer use the over the counter glass cleaners as this natural alternative smells better, is free of any chemicals  and doesn’t leave any streaks. I just simply mix 1 cup of lavender vinegar with 1 cup of rubbing alcohol and 2 cups of distilled water. I just pour everything into a 16 oz spray bottle and shake it before use. 

4. Use it as a Flea repellant

Lavender when infused in vinegar (ACV works the best) repel fleas, mosquitoes, bed bugs and even ticks. While it won’t kill them, its odor drives the insect away. I put 1 part of lavender vinegar and 1 part of water into a spray bottle. It works also on pets. 

5. Lavender Hair Rinse

Lavender vinegar calms the scalp, strengthens the hair shaft, and makes your hair grow thicker. 

This floral vinegar rinse makes your dull, brittle, or frizzy hair look pretty and healthy again. It tends to lower the hair pH and bring your hair back into balance. If you use ACV instead of white vinegar for the infusion you will also benefit from vitamins C and B as well as minerals that help exfoliate scalp skin, and help with dandruff.

When using lavender vinegar as a hair rinse start with 1 cup of lavender vinegar and 2 cups of water and see how your hair reacts. Depending on the type of your hair you can increase the amount. 

You can add various essential oils to the mixture to boost your hair health and scent. For a similar effect, you can also use this rosemary hair rinse that leaves your hair soft and shiny.

6. Lavender bath soak

Calming and soothing lavender vinegar is very effective for aching, healing and disinfecting of acne or eczema. It helps to soothe away worries and nourish the skin.

I like to relax and soothe my muscles with 1 cup of lavender vinegar and 1 cup of Epsom salt to drive away any pain or aches. 

Make sure you spot  test before soaking your body in the lavender bath soak

7. Lavender vinegar as a toner

If you dilute it with distilled water, lavender hydrosol or with witch hazel in 1:1 ratio you will get very effective toner that reduces the redness or your skin tone. It will fade away dark acne scars and lighten the skin.

8. as a sore throat remedy

Thanks to its antibacterial properties, lavender vinegar makes an excellent sore throat spray. Just simply fill the clean spray bottle with 2 tablespoons of lavender vinegar, 2 tablespoons of raw honey or Manuka honey and 1 tablespoon of warm water. Mix it well and store it in the refrigerator. Shake it before use and apply three times a day with 2-3 sprays in affected areas. 

Alternatively you can use this sore throat spray or yarrow tincture as a homemade sore throat remedy.

9. for culinary purposes

This easy to make lavender vinegar makes a great addition to any pantry. I like to turn in into vinaigrette and use it in the salad dressing. It carries the flavor and fragrance of lavender and makes a great gift too. 

Lavender vinaigrette recipe

Whisk together 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons of lavender vinegar, 2 tablespoons of honey, 1 garlic clove minced,  1 teaspoon of grain mustard and sprinkle over your favorite salad mix. You can also drizzle it on rice or quinoa dishes

Other floral vinegars to make

Red clover vinegar

Nastrurtium floral vinegar

Rose petals vinegar

Chive blossom vinegar