What vinegar can and can't do

[MrNoodly]

I couldn't figure out whether to put this under cook or hygiene, so it's here.

There are people who claim vinegar is a great all-purpose cleaner. But I'm the skeptical type. So I googled around and learned that vinegar is a good cleaner for SOME things, but not others. Because, you know, science. Here's a good article:

http://www.household-management-101.com/uses-for-vinegar.html

 

[Richard]

I found these useful:

Antibacterial action of vinegar against food-borne pathogenic bacteria including Escherichia coli O157:H7.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9713753

Antimicrobial activity of home disinfectants and natural products against potential human pathogens.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10656352

 

[TrainChaser]

E. coli (any type) is not the only type of food poisoning, but it's what is used for most research because it's common.  One of the links says that a combination of vinegar, salt and an elevated temperature (which wasn't specified) should kill E. coli. 

Fine.  BUT are the people who are so fond of using vinegar to wash their dishes going to bother to heat it, or just use the vinegar and salt, or just the vinegar?  I get the impression that the main reason people are spraying their used dishes with vinegar is either they're trying to save water, or they're just lazy.  Personally, I don't really care.  i'm fine with them doing it that way, as long as it doesn't affect me.

As one of the links mentioned, vinegar does not cut or clean grease or oil.  Detergent and warm water do.  I've had food poisoning twice (both from commercially prepared food), and I hope to never have it again -- especially in a remote campground with no one around.

But if a person is going to the trouble of mixing vinegar and salt and then heating it in a non-emergency situation, why not just use detergent and warm water?  [where's the head-scratching smilie?]

 

[ccbreder]

Vinegar was used for cleaning food preparation areas until we started to "Live Better with Chemistry". Humans lived through the 18th century open central markets using vinegar. Along with soap. They did use soap.

 

[frater secessus]

As one of the links mentioned, vinegar does not cut or clean grease or oil.  Detergent and warm water do.  I've had food poisoning twice (both from commercially prepared food), and I hope to never have it again -- especially in a remote campground with no one around.

Right, the cleaning and sanitation steps are separate and in that order. 

Vinegar can be part of a safe, powerful no-rinse sanitizer when used to adjust the pH of a weak bleach solution.  Moving down to prime germ-killing 7.0 +/- 0.5 pH range is highly effective and reduces the chlorine requirement.

 

[steamjam1]

Rust removal.. :-D

 

[Vanholio]

Vinegar was used for cleaning food preparation areas until we started to "Live Better with Chemistry". Humans lived through the 18th century open central markets using vinegar. Along with soap. They did use soap.

They also used salt and/or wood ashes to scrub (plus probably sand and clay), and they used homemade lye directly for laundry.

 

[Vanholio]

I couldn't figure out whether to put this under cook or hygiene, so it's here.

There are people who claim vinegar is a great all-purpose cleaner. But I'm the skeptical type. So I googled around and learned that vinegar is a good cleaner for SOME things, but not others. Because, you know, science. Here's a good article:

http://www.household-management-101.com/uses-for-vinegar.html

Yeah, vinegar is the hot hippie item now for an all-purpose cleaning and health tonic, esp. apple cider vinegar. Vinegar is awesome for certain things (besides salads), but they're overblowing the claims. I bet there's someone out there who claims apple cider vinegar enemas will cure cancer! I'm being obnoxious, sure, but dammit, I'd take that bet.

 

[Wanderer]

I couldn't figure out whether to put this under cook or hygiene, so it's here.

There are people who claim vinegar is a great all-purpose cleaner. But I'm the skeptical type. So I googled around and learned that vinegar is a good cleaner for SOME things, but not others. Because, you know, science. Here's a good article:

http://www.household-management-101.com/uses-for-vinegar.html

I just use it for my fungus on my feet. Now I shower with flip flops....

 

[ccbreder]

17 & 18 Century, Salt was too valuable to use much for cleaning. Wood ash was used to make lye and the lye was used to make soap from various fats. Soap was used for cleaning. Food handling surfaces were cleaned with water and soap if necessary, then sanitized with vinegar.

 

[SoulRaven]

I use vinegar almost exclusively and it serves me well.  My son likes the Bragg's vinegar drinks that are flavored and expensive, I don't know how he can stand them since all I taste is vinegar!  He has chemical sensitivities which has actually served us well with the whole family avoiding unnecessary chemicals.  I also use a LOT of baking soda for cleaning, laundry, carpet...........

 

[Vagabound]

New vinegar related questions:

I have not yet read all the articles that were linked to in this thread. I'd like to do that, but it may have to wait a bit. In the interim, there's something I'd like to know about how people are using vinegar for washing their dishes, etc.

These questions relate to vinegar itself. After a little investigation and discussion, I am still confused. 

It seems as if people are pouring some amount of vinegar in a spray bottle and then filling the rest of the bottle with water and using that to wash dishes or clean counters.  When I read the vinegar bottle labels carefully, I noticed that vinegar from the store is not pure to begin with. It has somewhere around 3% to 6% of the real stuff in it, and the rest is water.

My questions:

1. What exactly is the chemical name and common name of the real stuff in vinegar in the grocery store? I'm talking about whatever that 3% to 6% is.

2. Considering that vinegar from the store is only 3% to 6% potent, how can any homemade solution which drastically dilutes store vinegar be effective for anything? It seems that there could not be enough active ingredient in there to be useful.

I know things like this are some people's religion. Not trying to tilt anybody's world. Just trying to understand, and hopefully base that understanding on facts.

Tom

 

[Gunny]

I have some prescription drops for my ears, Acetic Acid 2% is what the label reads and it smells exactly like vinegar. Also has some sort of aluminum in it but that don't count. That's the two main ingredients, there's a lot more stuff but it is too many big words after my sleeping potions have been taken.

Rob

 

[Spirituallifetime]

At 3-6% vinegar is strong. Mixed with water i use it to clean van windows. And have used braggs apple cider vinegar full strength for skin problems (rashes fungus and a wort ).

 

[eDJ_]

In the kitchen I'd be inclined to use a strong Chlorine Bleach solution as opposed to Vinegar/acetic acid.   You may notice in stores in the cleaning supplies....."Cleaning Vinegar".

25 Tips for Cleaning with Vinegar

http://naturehacks.com/heinz-cleaning-vinegar/

 

[Vagabound]

...  You may notice in stores in the cleaning supplies....."Cleaning Vinegar".

...

Without getting into too much detail that's probably covered on some of those web pages, any idea what the basic difference is between cleaning vinegar versus ordinary white distilled vinegar from the grocery store?

Tom

 

[Queen]

Without getting into too much detail that's probably covered on some of those web pages, any idea what the basic difference is between cleaning vinegar versus ordinary white distilled vinegar from the grocery store?

Tom

From what I saw at the store yesterday... about a buck and a half. 

 

[Wabbit]

I do a shot of apple cider vinegar in my 32oz water bottle. Started of as a tip for appetite suppressant, but now i like the flavor. kinda like coffee sux at first or the taste of beer isnt great until you grow to like it. Now I drink it because it cleanses my palet and its almost like a "tea" to me.

 

[eDJ_]

Cleaning Vinegar is a little less acid.   Some surfaces like Granite counter tops etc can be harmed from too acid of a cleaner.  Thus the Cleaning Vinegar is generally safe for most surfaces.

 

[TrainChaser]

It's all vinegar/acetic acid, at a slightly different dilution. The only difference that I can see is that Apple Cider Vinegar is made from apples, regular White Vinegar is made from corn, and the Cleaning Vinegar says it's made from grain. But isn't corn a grain?

I really think it's just a new label on an old product.