You’ve probably used vinegar in the kitchen to dress a salad or prepare a quick pickle. If you’re particularly environmentally conscious, you might have also used it to clean your counters.

You’ve probably used vinegar in the kitchen to dress a salad or prepare a quick pickle. If you’re particularly environmentally conscious, you might have also used it to clean your counters.

But have you ever thought about putting it in your laundry? Vinegar is a low-cost option that is better for you, your family, and the environment.

When used in your regular laundry regimen, distilled white vinegar can erase stains, soften stiffened towels, and eliminate odors.

How Does Vinegar Function as a Cleaner?
Vinegar is highly acidic, which accounts for its effectiveness as a cleaning agent. The white distilled material, with a pH of 2.5, is most suited for domestic cleaning, and its acidity may remove soap scum, hard water stains, and even adhesive left behind by stickers [1,2].

It should be noted that the pH will vary depending on the kind used. Cleaning vinegar, for example, with concentrations of up to 10% acetic acid, has a pH of about 2.0 [3]. It is advisable to stay with a standard 5% solution for laundry.