Although mixing vinegar and baking soda is not considered dangerous, you should still avoid mixing these in a container. Vinegar is acidic and basic soda is basic, so the by-products are sodium acetate, carbon dioxide, and water that are not toxic.
When baking soda is mixed with vinegar, something new is formed. The mixture quickly foams up with carbon dioxide gas. If enough vinegar is used, all of the baking soda can be made to react and disappear into the vinegar solution.
Baking soda is a base, and vinegar is an acid. When they're combined, acids “donate” protons to bases; in this case, it's acetic acid lending a hydrogen proton to the bicarbonate. When bicarbonate gains a hydrogen proton, it forms carbonic acid (or H2CO3) which is unstable and eventually decomposes.
When baking soda is mixed with vinegar, the acid breaks down baking soda, releasing carbon dioxide gas that can help lift dirt from the surfaces being cleaned. Here are some recipes to try. Freshen your sink by mixing one part of baking soda with two parts of vinegar.
In our case, baking soda is sodium bicarbonate (a base) and vinegar is diluted acetic acid. When they react to release the OH and H to become water, they also release carbon dioxide. This makes the reaction bubble and expand, just like when you shake up a can of soda and open it!
Adding vinegar to baking soda gives you an immediate reaction. Adding baking soda to vinegar, the reaction is delayed, but then fizzes the same amount. More vinegar is better. A 12 to 1 ratio of vinegar to baking soda caused a fizzing explosion!
"Baking soda is basic and vinegar is acidic," says Bock. "When you put them together you get mostly water and sodium acetate. But really, just mostly water." Plus, vinegar causes baking soda to foam up. If stored in a closed container, the mixture can explode.
You should use a ratio of 1:2 baking soda to vinegar. In other words, if you're using ½ cup of baking soda, use 1 cup of vinegar, or if you're using a cup of baking soda, use 2 cups of vinegar.
Wet the sink, sprinkle baking soda over the surface, and scrub, then rinse. Use a soft-bristled toothbrush and the same paste on the rim and caulk. Line the sink with paper towels that you've soaked in white vinegar. Leave them there for 20 minutes.
It is safe to leave baking soda (and vinegar) to work overnight to unclog a drain. Always flush this mixture down with boiling water—no matter how long you leave it sitting in the drain.
Both baking soda and vinegar are highly caustic. They are, in fact, able to dissolve certain materials that one would not normally think of as being dissolvable. However, the extreme amounts of acid in vinegar, along with its acidic nature, are what cause the drain to become blocked.
There's one very important caveat, she notes: “Both vinegar and baking soda can be used to clean your washing machine and clothing, but they should not be mixed together because they neutralize each other.”
For instance, vinegar is potent at fighting mold while baking soda is great at fighting wine and coffee stains. The former is a better disinfectant but the latter is a phenomenal deodorizer.
Vinegar. Vinegar is both safe and beneficial to pour down your drain. It acts as a natural cleaning solution and can remove blockages and harmful bacteria that cause foul odors.
Baking soda, vinegar and boiling water can help clean drains naturally, but you may need something stronger, like Liquid-Plumr, to fully unclog those really tough drain clogs.
If a kitchen or bathroom sink drain still smells after removing trapped hair and using the baking soda and vinegar, there may be something caught in the p-trap that's causing the odor.
Baking soda is a safe deodorizer, whitener, and household cleaner—and it's an effective natural grout cleaner. Because baking soda is also a mild abrasive, using it for cleaning grout lines gives you extra firepower without the risk of scratching your tile.
Use distilled white vinegar to clean shower glass before trying heavy-duty products with chemicals. Heat 1/2-cup undiluted vinegar in microwave for 30 seconds. Pour warm vinegar into a spray bottle. Mist the area to be cleaned and allow to soak for five minutes.
Pour 1 cup of baking soda into the drain, then add 1 cup of distilled white vinegar. Let it foam and fizz for at least 10 minutes. Flush the drain. Pour hot water down the drain to clear it.
If your drain smells like rotten eggs, you must disinfect the pipes to get rid of the odor. You can eliminate the bacteria by pouring a ½ cup of bleach down your drains. However, if you would like an alternative, pour down ½ a cup of baking soda and 1 cup of vinegar.
A slow-draining sink clogged with ordinary hair and soap scum can build up bacteria in the P-trap until your bathroom sink smells like rotten eggs. This smell can also happen in sinks that haven't been used for a long time. Clear the clog by using a combination of baking soda, white vinegar and hot water.