White vinegar has traditionally been used as a household cleaning product for its antiseptic power. However, today, most recommendations invite us to use cleaning vinegar instead of white vinegar for this purpose. But what are the advantages of white vinegar? Differences between white vinegar and cleaning vinegar?
We often talk about vinegar in a generic way when we talk about allies in cleaning household. Today, however, there are two types of vinegar on the market: white vinegar and cleaning vinegar. It is important to know the qualities of each one to determine which one is the best for you. best option for cleaning our house. ¡Descúbrelo!
The big difference: the degree of acidity
To understand the differences between white vinegar and cleaning vinegar, we will start with their similarities: both are obtained through a Double fermentation (alcoholic and acetic) of glucose derived from sugar cane, corn or malt.
Traditionally used as a condiment in cooking, white vinegar was also gaining popularity as a cleaning product. And in order to provide the market with a product that would be more useful for such tasks, cleaning vinegar was created.
Cleaning vinegar was created to improve the effectiveness of white vinegar in cleaning and disinfecting. For this purpose the acidity level of the vinegar was increased from a percentage of between 3% and 5%, up to around 8%. A characteristic that effectively makes it more effective in cleaning tasks but makes it unsuitable for consumption.
Uses of white vinegar and cleaning vinegar
The degree of acidity makes the difference in the uses we can make of white vinegar and cleaning vinegar. Both can be used in cleaning tasks but only white vinegar can be used for consumption.
But even though both can be used for different tasks, the different degree of acidity can make the use of one or the other more appropriate for different tasks. And what are these? Below we list them for you to use. the vinegar with the greatest effectiveness in cleaning from your home.
Uses of white vinegar
White vinegar is a common product in our pantry, which is why it has traditionally been used to clean surfaces and eliminate bad odors. Our grandmothers already used it and we can continue to do so. Here are some of the uses you can give it in your home:
- Window cleaning: Vinegar is a great ally for cleaning windows, as well as television, computer and mobile screens. To use it, you only have to dilute it in water in equal parts, apply it with a diffuser on the windows and rub them with a microfibre cloth in one direction and then dry with another clean cloth. Make sure to choose a cloudy day for this, because if the vinegar dries quickly due to exposure to the sun, it will be easier for marks to be left on the glass.
- Cleaning tiles: In the same way that you clean glass with vinegar, you can also clean kitchen tiles or the bathroom. Not only will it leave them clean but it will also make them shiny.
- Cleaning the oven and microwave: You can heat water with a tablespoon of vinegar in a container so that the vapours help you clean the inside and eliminate bad odours. But you can also use it after a deeper cleaning with a paste of baking soda and water to finish removing dirt and burns from the inside.
- Cleaning pots and pans: If you have pots or pans with traces of dirt or burns on the bottom, all you have to do to make them look like new is to heat them with water, vinegar and a spoonful of bicarbonate of soda. After a few minutes, the dirt will come off easily.
Uses of cleaning vinegar
A higher degree of acidity causes The disinfection power of cleaning vinegar is also greaterIt is, therefore, a more aggressive product than white vinegar and therefore much more effective for specific uses in home cleaning such as the following:
- Descaling: That extra degree of acidity makes cleaning vinegar effective for getting rid of limescale in shower screens, sinks, washbasins and bathtubs. Spray directly onto these surfaces, let sit for a few minutes, then rinse to remove limescale.
- Disinfection of surfaces in kitchen and bathrooms: It can also be used as a product to disinfect bathroom and kitchen surfaces, although the Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends instead disinfecting these surfaces with diluted solutions of bleach or alcohol that do not exceed 70%, which are much more effective at eliminating bacteria and germs.
- Cleaning the washing machine: Does your washing machine give off a bad smell? Put water and cleaning vinegar in the drawer and set an empty cycle. Not only will this eliminate odors, but it will also prevent black stains from forming on the rubber of the door.
- As a fabric softener:Did you know that you can also add vinegar to the fabric softener compartment when you wash clothes? Add a couple of tablespoons of vinegar and start the washing machine.
- Chewing gum removal: Pour a little boiling water and vinegar over the gum and let it sit for two minutes. Afterwards, the gum will come off more easily.
- Cleaning jewelry and steel utensils: When they become slightly oxidized, you can restore their shine by applying vinegar with a cloth and letting it sit for a few minutes before rinsing them.