That's why ingredients as basic as salt, water & vinegar can be converted into a cleaner & disinfectant as effective as bleach.
Salt Water as a Disinfectant
Salt water, also known as saline, can be used as a natural disinfectant basically for everything. Gargling salt water has many advantages, including directly killing bacteria by osmosis as mentioned above, and temporarily increasing the pH in your mouth.
Use a 1:1 ratio of diluted vinegar and water and store it in a spray bottle. Then you can spritz and disinfect your kitchen sink, counters, or any other spots that you'd normally use bleach but want to be food-safe.
To make your own disinfecting spray that can be safely used on a variety of surfaces around your home, just combine the following ingredients in a large glass spray bottle: 1 cup water, 1 cup white vinegar, 2 tablespoons rubbing alcohol, 20 drops lemon essential oil, 20 drops tea tree essential oil.
Vinegar, be it white or malt or rosemary-infused, is about 5 per cent acetic acid. The acid kills bacteria and viruses, by chemically changing the proteins and fats that make up these nasties and destroying their cell structures.
“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.
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.
Quaternary Ammonium Compounds are widely used as surface disinfectants and can be found in many household cleaners including disinfectant wipes and sprays. Research has shown quaternary ammonium compounds to effectively kill most bacteria, viruses, and fungi.
Here's a different way to sanitize surfaces: Combine 1 cup vinegar, 1 cup club soda, and 2 drops tea tree oil. Spray it onto surfaces and wipe clean. This mixture works to disinfect only if it's made fresh.
Vinegar doesn't sanitize or disinfect
When you're cleaning to eliminate the germs that cause colds, flus & viruses, you'll want to shelve your vinegar mix. The reason is that vinegar is not an EPA registered disinfectant or sanitizer, which means you can't count on vinegar to kill 99.9% of bacteria and viruses.
So, does boiling vinegar actually clean the air? The short answer is no, as far as current scientific research is concerned. Acetic acid, the active component of vinegar, is capable of killing pathogens, but only through direct contact.
Combine 1 teaspoon salt with 1 cup (240 mL) of vinegar. Add ¼ cup (30 g) of flour and stir until a paste forms. Apply the paste to the metal surface and let it sit for about 15 minutes. Rinse it off with warm water and then polish the surface with a clean cloth.
Salt draws water out of the tissues in a process called osmosis- causing a 'drying' effect. When the salt concentration is high enough, salt kills bacteria through effectively sucking the water out of the cell.
Making saline solution
Use 1 quart (4 cups) of distilled water, or boil 1 quart of tap water for 5 minutes. Do not use well water or sea water. Add 2 teaspoons of table salt. Mix the water and salt well until the salt is completely dissolved.
Currently, there are five main EPA-registered chemicals that hospitals use for disinfectants: Quaternary Ammonium, Hypochlorite, Accelerated Hydrogen Peroxide, Phenolics, and Peracetic Acid.
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%.
However, if you don't have access to soap and water, then use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% to 95% alcohol.
To disinfect, use an EPA-registered disinfecting product or a stronger bleach solution. Clean the surface with soap and water first. Always read the label of disinfecting products to make sure the products can be used on the type of surface you are disinfecting (such as a hard or soft surface).
In a jar or spray bottle, combine 1 2/3 cup baking soda with 1/2 cup vegetable oil-based liquid soap. Add 1/2 cup water and 2 tablespoons vinegar. Shake before using. Apply with a cloth or sponge and rinse well.
You can use baking soda instead of harsh chemicals to get grime off your baby's tray, highchair, and toys. Remember that it doesn't kill germs. But you can pair it with vinegar, which works as a disinfectant.
To be used on surfaces contaminated with feces, vomit, urine or blood. Slowly add ½ cup (125 ml) of bleach to 4 ½ cups (1125 ml) of water. (e.g., environmental cleaning, body fluids, etc.). Acetic acid (vinegar) is not a disinfectant.
VINEGAR SOAKS AND DRESSING
1. Add a tablespoon of plain white vinegar to a cup of bottled or boiled water. 2. Soak clean gauze with the vinegar solution then squeeze out the excess fluid so the gauze is wet but not dripping.
What is Apple Cider Vinegar with "Mother"? The unfiltered and unrefined vinegar with cloudy and murky appearance is called apple cider vinegar with "mother". It is used for drinking purposes and has many health benefits due to the presence of beneficial bacteria, yeast and protein.