2uandtrilogy.com

Is it safe to mix baking soda and white vinegar?

Good question ! And many of you ask us!

It is true that recipes for household products that combine these 2 products are common.

But is it really a good idea?

Indeed, what happens if we mixture of baking soda and vinegar which contains acetic acid?

Together we will try to see a little more clearly about the chemical reaction of baking soda and vinegar. Explanations:

How it works ?

When you mix baking soda and white vinegar, the mixture starts to foam.

In chemistry, we can transcribe this reaction by the following equation: NaHCO3 (aq) + CH3 COOH (aq) -> CO2 (g) + H2O (l) + CH3 COONa (aq)

If like me, you forgot everything about your chemistry lessons, the equation can be translated as follows:

Sodium bicarbonate + Acetic acid =

Carbon dioxide + Water + Sodium acetate

These little bubbles that you see when you mix vinegar and bicarbonate are carbon dioxide (or CO2).

Is it dangerous?

Carbon dioxide does not represent any danger since it is naturally present in the air.

The other substance that is also formed is water. Obviously, this does not represent any risk.

On the other hand, sodium acetate is also formed.

What do we know about this chemical compound? Is it dangerous ?

Fortunately, sodium acetate is just as harmless as baking soda and white vinegar!

It should still be noted that it is irritating if you put a lot of it on the skin.

And you should also avoid getting it in your eyes, because it stings as much as vinegar ...

The reaction between bicarbonate and vinegar is a so-called "acid / base" reaction.

Note that if you mix baking soda and white vinegar in good amounts, all of the baking soda will react.

Take a vinegar with 8% acidity: this means that there is 80 g of natural acetic acid per liter of vinegar.

In order for there to be a complete reaction, it all depends on the dosage. Mix 45 ml of vinegar (about 1/3 of a glass) with 5 g of baking soda (i.e. a teaspoon).

If there is more bicarbonate, there will be some left over at the end of the reaction. And if you add more vinegar, then there will be vinegar left.

On the other hand, if you make the right mixture, there will be nothing left, except water and acetate.

Should you make your household products with baking soda and vinegar?

Many recipes recommend mixing vinegar and baking soda to clean the house, do laundry, wash floors or descale ...

But is it a good idea since the 2 mixed products neutralize each other?

It all depends on the acetate and its properties created during this reaction.

There is no real proof of the cleaning, degreasing or descaling effectiveness of acetate.

On the other hand, the testimonies attesting to the effectiveness of the bicarbonate + vinegar duo in water are very numerous.

So are we to believe that this effectiveness would be due to a bad dosage of the mixture of baking soda and white vinegar?

It's possible ! If there is any baking soda left, this may have an advantage, because the baking soda is slightly abrasive.

And if there is still white vinegar, it may be of interest, because the vinegar is acidic.

Surprising, isn't it?

Uses Bicarbonate + White vinegar

Even if we can doubt the effectiveness of acetate ...

... what is certain is that the vinegar + bicarbonate mixture creates an effervescence that is very useful for cleaning.

Indeed, this mechanical efficiency is very practical in several cases, in particular for:

- Unclog the pipes of the sink or the toilet. Find out how here.

- Clean oily or burnt surfaces. Find out how here.

- Whiten the tile joints. Find out how here.

- Descale the toilet bowl. Discover the trick here.

Your turn...

And you, what do you think of the baking soda + white vinegar mixture? Is it really effective? Share your experience in the comments. We can't wait to read you!

Do you like this trick ? Share it with your friends on Facebook.

Also to discover:

White Vinegar + Baking Soda: 10 Uses Of This Magic Mix.

Bicarbonate + White Vinegar: The Multi-Purpose Cleaner For A Nickel Chrome Home.