“Vinegar does have disinfectant activity,” Alan Taege, MD, infectious disease expert at the Cleveland Clinic. “Vinegar is acetic acid, which has the ability to destroy bacteria and viruses." But, Dr. Taege notes, "many commercial disinfectants would likely be more effective." (More on that in a minute.)
Vinegar is not safe to use as a disinfectant for any medical equipment. You must follow your physician's advice if you want information on cleaning home healthcare items.
Acetic acid (a.k.a. white vinegar) can act as a disinfectant that can destroy some bacteria and viruses. Studies confirming vinegar's antibacterial properties: Household natural sanitizers like lemon juice and vinegar reduced the number of pathogens to undetectable levels.
“Of course, vinegar does eliminate some things, but it's important to note it's not a complete solution to disinfectant. It is only 90% effective against bacteria and around 80 percent effective against viruses and mold or mildew. Bleach, however, eliminates 99.9% of bacteria, viruses, and mold or mildew.
Currently, there are five main EPA-registered chemicals that hospitals use for disinfectants: Quaternary Ammonium, Hypochlorite, Accelerated Hydrogen Peroxide, Phenolics, and Peracetic Acid.
“The best disinfectants for viruses are alcohol, bleach, hydrogen peroxide, and quaternary ammonium compounds,” says Melissa Homer, Chief Cleaning Officer of MaidPro.
Bleach can damage important equipment.
Unfortunately, bleach can corrode metal and damage electronics. Plus, patient rooms often contain plastic items, including storage containers and chairs. If bleach is used to clean them, it can actually damage the plastic over time.
You can use straight or a diluted vinegar cleaning solution for the bathroom to clean bacteria, especially around the toilet. Cleaning with a mixture of baking soda and vinegar in the bathroom can work really well. To clean your toilet with vinegar, pour a cup of vinegar in the toilet bowl and let sit overnight.
A vinegar mother is just bacteria that feeds on alcoholic liquids, and the fact that one developed in your vinegar just means that there were some sugars or alcohol that weren't completely fermented in the vinegar process.
The high acidity level of vinegar helps loosen mineral deposits (such as lime & rust) and dissolve soap scum, making it perfect for bathroom cleaning! And because it is so acidic, it creates a “hostile” environment for many microorganisms, making it a powerful disinfectant as well.
Vinegar is an excellent substitute for laundry detergent — it's inexpensive, effective, and earth-friendly. It can be used for a range of detergent needs, including as a bleach, deodorizer, and a fabric softener.
Vinegar is an excellent kitchen cleaner because it's both potent and non-toxic. You won't have to worry about food coming into contact with hazardous chemicals, giving you peace of mind as you tidy your floors, counters, and appliances. You can also make a handy glass cleaner for windows and hard water-marked dishware.
Studies show that vinegar does indeed have antifungal and antibacterial properties. This is due to the presence of acetic acid.
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.
Mixing bleach and vinegar creates a harmful chemical reaction that releases chlorine gas.
Without draining out the water, pour white vinegar into the tank, stopping at least an inch below the top rim. Let the vinegar-water solution sit for 12 hours to dissolve mineral deposits, rust, and mildew. Flush the toilet a couple of times to remove the vinegar from the tank.
Using Vinegar as a Mopping Solution
Vinegar is a natural disinfectant that works well as a mopping solution without leaving any chemical residue on your floors. Although some people don't like the scent, this odor is evident only as you mop and clean—it will fade away rapidly as the solution dries.
Vinegar is great for hard tile and solid surfaces. The more acidic it is, the more effective it is at being a disinfectant.
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.
Microfiber Mop System
Used in conjunction with an adjustable handle, swivel head frame, and portable bucket, this mop is used in hospitals and outpatient practices to clean floors at the bacteria level while reducing water and chemical usage by 95%.
Hydrogen peroxide is active against a wide range of microorganisms, including bacteria, yeasts, fungi, viruses, and spores 78, 654. A 0.5% accelerated hydrogen peroxide demonstrated bactericidal and virucidal activity in 1 minute and mycobactericidal and fungicidal activity in 5 minutes 656.