Removing the smell of vinegar in 3 simple steps

Everyone knows the power of white vinegar.

It is cheap, environmentally friendly, and amazingly useful.

But there is one big downside.

Nobody likes the smell of vinegar. 

As a result, we put up with it because it can also used to:

• Disenfect bacteria
• Deodorise
• Remove mould
• Dissolve soap scum
• Remove stain

… and much more.

But what if there are ways to reduce and possible eliminate the smell altogether? Wouldn’t that be nice?

Vinegar is a solution that’s around 95% water and 5% acetic acid.

It is the acetic acid that is responsible for such a pungent smell of vinegar that we all dislike.

But even with only 5% concentration, it has enough acidity to achieve what most standard cleaning agents can’t.

White vinegar has a pH of about 2. For general purpose cleaning around the house, this level of acidity is unnecessary.

As a result, we would recommend diluting it in equal parts water and equal parts of vinegar. This saves cost as well as reducing smell.

Also, when applied undiluted, there is a higher chance of doing damage to our furniture, or create discolouration.

Here is a simple 3 step process to reduce as much smell as possible.

Step 1: Masking the Smell of Vinegar

Masking the smell is the first and easiest step. We would recommend every vinegar solution to start with this step.

All you need is to add half a lemon to a solution that’s equal parts vinegar, and equal parts water. Best to leave the skin on.

If you like the smell of lemon, please feel free to add more.

But lemons aren’t the only things you can use.

You can consider other essential oils such as:

• Rosemary
• Eucalpytus
• Tea Tree leaves

Step 2: Neutralising the Smell of Vinegar

You can neutralise the smell by applying baking soda.

Our infographic shows cleaning stains on a piece of clothing. But this step is not limited to only clothing.

You can apply this on:

• Carpet
• Furniture
• Sinks
• Toilets
• Showers

The primary effect of the baking soda is to react with the acetic acid. Once complete, it produces water, carbon dioxide and a salt.

You can see this happening when bubbles start appearing.

Once the acetic acid is gone, the smell of vinegar goes as well.

Step 3: Removing the Smell of Vinegar

It is impossible to remove the smell completely in a short span of time. Vinegar evaporates into air.

The smell hits our nose as soon as we open the bottle.

Also, it is colourless and is invisible to our eyes.

Fortunately, we know how to solve this.

Creating air flow is the simplest and most easy way to push the airborne acetic acid molecules out.

You may not have a fan in the room, but it is critical to have your windows open at least to create natural ventilation.

This will cut the period of smell greatly.