How to Soothe a Sunburn With Vinegar

Many people treat mild or moderate sunburns with medicated gels, creams and lotions they find in drugstores. But if you don't have those products on hand and you're so sore that you don't even feel like leaving the house, you might find adequate relief by using vinegar from your own pantry. Virtually every type of vinegar, when diluted with a little water, can be used to immediately soothe the heat and pain caused by sunburns.

Things You'll Need

• Vinegar
• Water
• Plastic spray bottle
• Paper towels

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Instructions

• 1

  Find a small plastic spray bottle and clean it out thoroughly. Brand new spray bottles are the best option, but you can also recycle old plastic bottles that contained household cleaners, hair products or other liquid substances. If you do this, though, be sure to clean the bottles extensively by soaking and flushing them with hot, soapy water and rinsing them thoroughly.

• 2

  Fill the bottle a little less than halfway with vinegar. Use white vinegar if you have it, but any type of vinegar will do.

• 3

  Add an approximately equal amount of water to the spray bottle. Screw the lid and nozzle on tightly and shake the bottle well to fully combine the liquids.

• 4

  Hold the bottle about 1' away from your burned skin and spray the skin liberally. You might need a friend to help you spray your shoulders and back, if they are burned as well.

• 5

  Avoid spraying the mixture on or around your face. Instead, spray the mixture onto a folded paper towel and blot your face with the moist side. Don't wipe; any friction may further aggravate the burn.