Have you ever wondered what happens if you boil vinegar and whether this is safe to do? Most liquids can be boiled, but they release fumes while boiling, and this might not seem very safe with a strong acid.
Can you boil vinegar? You can boil vinegar, but you should exercise some caution when you do so, as vinegar releases fumes when boiled, and these can be dangerous. You should only boil vinegar in a well ventilated space that you can step out of at any time if the fumes get too strong.
Can You Boil Vinegar?
You can boil vinegar, either mixed with water or neat, if you put it on the stove over a medium heat and wait. It will boil at 213 degrees F, or closer to the boiling point of water if you dilute it. Adding other substances can also alter the boiling point.
If you want to boil vinegar, you can also do so in the microwave. Add it to a mug or glass or bowl, and place it in the microwave for several minutes. The amount of time it takes to boil will depend on how much vinegar you add, so microwave it in short bursts until it reaches boiling temperature.
Is Boiling Vinegar Dangerous?
You may have heard that boiling vinegar can be dangerous, and it’s true, but usually it’s only a problem if you boil a lot of vinegar in an unventilated space. Boiling vinegar will release fumes into the air, and this could make it difficult to breathe in some circumstances.
You should also be cautious if you have heated the vinegar to very high temperatures. It is made up of mostly water, with a small percentage of acid (usually around 5 percent). When you heat it, the water will start to vaporize, turning into steam, and leaving behind a more concentrated acid.
This concentrated form is known as acetic acid. When very hot, acetic acid is corrosive enough to burn through metal, so treat hot vinegar with care.
In general, however, boiling vinegar is safe, and many people do boil vinegar when cleaning and de-scaling their kettles. As long as the space is open and well-ventilated, this should not cause any issues.
If you do find that the vinegar is creating a bad scent and irritating your lungs, make sure you open the windows and doors to ventilate the space, and leave the room until the air has cleared.
What are the Advantages of Boiling Vinegar?
There are many reasons to boil vinegar, but the commonest is to use it for cleaning. Because it is an acid, vinegar is a good way to get rid of limescale buildup. Many people also use it to clean and sterilize surfaces.
Often, people boil a mixture of vinegar and water in the microwave to clean the inside of the microwave. The steam from the boiling water will help to loosen up splatters of food, and the steam from the vinegar will sterilize the insides of the microwave, because it is strongly acidic.
Some people use boiled vinegar as a means of combating bad smells. Boiled vinegar itself has an extremely strong and quite unpleasant scent, but this will not last for long,
The acetic acid that is produced in the vapor will bond with any volatile molecules that are in the air, neutralizing the smells. Boiled vinegar can therefore work pretty well for getting rid of lingering scents, as long as you can tolerate the scent of vinegar while it lasts.
Does Vinegar Kill Bacteria?
Vinegar is a powerful cleaner and it can be used to sterilize surfaces. Its strong acidity will kill off germs and bacteria, even if it is not heated. Many people use it to wipe down counters and door handles as a natural way of cleaning them.
If you want to use vinegar to kill bacteria, simply pour some onto the surface and allow it to sit for a while. Estimates vary and the science on this is still limited, but it is thought that you need to expose a surface to vinegar for around 15 minutes or half an hour before the vinegar will have killed the germs.
Vinegar may make a good alternative to stronger chemical cleaners, but you do need to give it time to work properly. Don’t mix vinegar with standard household cleaners or other chemicals, because it can cause dangerous reactions. For example, vinegar combined with bleach will create chlorine gas, which could be deadly.
Does Boiling Vinegar Kill Airborne Bacteria?
It’s unlikely that boiling vinegar will kill bacteria in the air, even if it is capable of killing germs when applied to your surfaces. Most of the vapor will be water, and it will quickly disperse throughout the room.
There are many stories that suggest boiling vinegar can be used to prevent flu and other diseases, but no scientific research supports this idea at present. It does not seem likely that the small amount of acid released when vinegar is boiled would kill off airborne bacteria.
This idea may have originated from the vinegar’s ability to neutralize odors and its ability to clean surfaces, or it may just be because it produces such a powerful scent that it seems believable. Either way, it is highly unlikely that boiling vinegar will reduce your risk of catching diseases from the air.
Instead, you should use it to wipe down your surfaces if you are concerned about bacteria settling there, and clean your microwave with it. Be cautious when boiling vinegar, and never leave it unattended while it is boiling.
Final Thoughts
You can safely boil vinegar as long as you are working in a space with good ventilation and you don’t boil large quantities at once. When it boils, vinegar will create a strong smell in the air, and the vaporized acid could make it difficult to breathe in an enclosed space.
However, many people do boil vinegar for cleaning, and as long as you do so carefully, this should be reasonably safe.