Vinegar as a Disinfectant

Vinegar is a product of alcoholic fermentation. It is prepared by fermenting ethanol with the help of bacteria known as acetobacter. This bacteria converts alcohol or ethanol to acetic acid, which is its main constituent. Though vinegar is basically acetic acid, it can also contain a small amount of citric, tartaric and other acids. It can be prepared from a variety of substances, including rice, wine, fruits and grains. The concentration of acetic acid in vinegar usually varies from 4 to 8%. It is more commonly used for salad dressing, marinating and meat tenderizing. However, many may not be aware of the fact that it can be used as a disinfectant for cleaning household items as well.

Disinfecting Quality of Vinegar

Its use can be traced back to the times of the ancient Romans, where vinegar was used mainly to disinfect drinking water. The middle ages witnessed this amazing natural disinfectant being used for preventing the spread of several diseases, including the bubonic plague. Even during the first world war, vinegar was used widely for disinfecting wounds. The fact that it has antibiotic properties has been perhaps known since the ancient times, and this is the reason why it has been used for ages for making pickles in order to preserve food items for a long time.

Modern studies have also pointed out that it is one of the most effective, yet all natural and safe disinfectant. Unlike many commercial disinfectants, it is eco-friendly and non-toxic, and hence, safe to be used in disinfecting household items. It is found to have antimicrobial properties. It can basically kill germs and microorganisms, due to its high acidity level. It becomes more effective when combined with salt or hydrogen peroxide. When used along with hydrogen peroxide or salt, white vinegar can kill mold and inhibit the growth of E. coli bacteria.

How to Use Vinegar?

The vinegar that is most commonly used for disinfecting purposes is the white distilled vinegar, as it smells less pungent than the other types of vinegar. White vinegar is generally used along with hydrogen peroxide and baking soda. In this way, it can be used to disinfect your entire house, especially the kitchen. It can be used to clean and disinfect the kitchen counter tops and cutting boards, which are more likely to harbor food-borne bacteria and germs. To clean cutting boards, you can use it alone or mix it with a small amount of salt or hydrogen peroxide. However, be sure to not use it on marble products.

Diluted vinegar can also be used for tiles and floor cleaning. For cleaning and deodorizing a stinking drain, you can mix it with baking soda. Mix almost equal parts of baking soda and white or distilled vinegar, and put the mixture on the drain. Let it sit for a few minutes, after which flush it out with hot water. Similarly, vinegar along with baking soda can be used to deodorize your garbage disposal. Apart from these, you can use it to clean, deodorize and disinfectant your dishwasher, microwave, refrigerator, coffee maker, glassware, faucets and sink. Like the kitchen, you can use it to clean and check the population of disease-causing germs in your bathroom. The bathtub and even the toilet bowl can be cleaned and disinfected with vinegar.

Generally, the 5 percent vinegar, which is available in almost all grocery shops, can be used for cleaning and disinfecting your house and household items. The advantage of using this type of vinegar as disinfectant is that, it smells less pungent, and therefore it is easier to get rid of the smell. To sum up, it can be termed as one of the most readily available, natural, eco-friendly and effective disinfectant, which can be safely used in place of the artificial disinfectants and cleaning products, many of which contain toxic and harsh chemicals.