Don't worry about the odor; it's never long lasting since vinegar evaporates once it dries. If you're really sensitive to the scent, you can also mix-in a few drops of essentials oil for a fresh boost of fragrance.
There's no set time that the vinegar smell will linger. It depends on the air flow in the space. However, vinegar actively looks for things to bind to. In most cases, it won't take more than 5-15 minutes for the smell to go away.
But there's one thing we're a little less crazy about: that smell. Yeah, vinegar can be seriously pungent, and even if the smell does dissipate over time (which it totally, totally does), we very much understand that you might not have the time to wait, or might just not want to.
“Set time,” or the time a disinfectant must rest on a surface in order to work effectively, is also important. The set time for vinegar can be up to 30 minutes.
While vinegar is a magical cleaner that you can use on almost any surface, its strong odor can make cleaning a little bit of a challenge. Of course, over time, the smell will dissipate, but you shouldn't have to wait around for the smell to fade.
Don't worry about the odor; it's never long lasting since vinegar evaporates once it dries. If you're really sensitive to the scent, you can also mix-in a few drops of essentials oil for a fresh boost of fragrance.
Try Baking Soda
If you know which surface you cleaned with vinegar, you can try cleaning it again with baking soda to neutralize the odor. Mix 1 teaspoon of baking soda, 1¾ cups of water, and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice in a spray bottle. Spray the vinegar-drenched area with the baking soda solution, and wipe it dry.
Baking soda is often used for this purpose, but there are other ways to neutralize vinegar if you don't have baking soda on hand. One option is to mix the vinegar with water in a 1:1 ratio. This will dilute the acidity of the vinegar and make it safe to pour down the drain.
Mixing baking soda and white vinegar is not the be-all, end-all cleaning solution. Used separately, both substances are great. Together, though, they cancel each other out.
Cleaning Tips for Dealing With the Vinegar Smell
Keep windows and doors open to let fresh air circulate. Light scented candles or incense while you clean. Place a bowl of baking soda near the vinegar smell to eliminate the odor. Turn on a ceiling fan, box fan, or air purifier to move odors out.
As you see, you don't have to worry again if you ever spilled some extra vinegar into your dish. We can actually fix it by adding counteract flavors like sugar, diluting with a liquid, increasing the portion size, or adding a dash of baking soda.
Household ammonia is ideal for attacking vinegar stains: using a sponge, dab the ammonia onto the fabric. Continue dabbing until the stain has lightened in colour—this may take five to 15 minutes of continuous treatment.
Heat won't harm vinegar.
Vinegar: About 3 years, or forever.
Are they still good for cleaning? Should old vinegar be disposed of? Vinegar is a fermented product and has an “almost indefinite” shelf life according to the Vinegar Institute [1]. “Because of its acid nature, vinegar is self-preserving and does not need refrigeration.
Do You Have to Rinse after Cleaning with Vinegar? Rinsing is not necessary! If you're simply using a vinegar and water solution to wipe and disinfect, you won't need to rinse. However, if there's also plenty of dirt and grime you're wiping away, you may also want to rinse with some extra water.
The vinegar will absorb the odor (your room will smell a bit like salad for a few days, but it's worth it) and over time the smell will dissipate.
Pour a generous amount of white vinegar into a spray bottle. Spray the white vinegar onto the carpet. Don't worry – the smell will disappear (and it will actually absorb any other bad odors you're trying to eliminate).
Saturate the stain with white vinegar. Sprinkle dry baking soda over the area, making sure to cover the whole patch. You should begin to hear a fizzing sound which means the reaction is working. Wait until the vinegar has completely dried - preferably overnight.
The Short Answer: I suspect that you are smelling acetic acid being given off by the cut tree. Acetic acid, is, of course, the component of vinegar that gives it both its acidity and its characteristic smell.
Hydrogen oxide (separately, a great cleaning agent and antiseptic), if mixed with vinegar, creates peracetic acid, as vinegar contains acetic acid. This combination of vinegar and hydrogen peroxide is potentially toxic and corrosive, which can break down or damage the surface it is applied to.
To clarify, while the liquid does indeed expire, the expiration date mostly refers to its acidity level decreasing, making it less potent and effective, but not less safe to consume. For this reason, vinegar does not really go bad, per se, and can be used beyond its shelf life without harm.