Study: Vinegar Kills Germs Just as Well or Better than Top 6 Commercial Cleaners

Baking soda and vinegar will get anything cleaner for cheaper without the toxic chemicals

The article has been updated below.

Baking soda and vinegar are the only products you’ll ever need to clean just about anything from your bathroom, kitchen, floors and windows to peed mattresses.

Below are 5 reasons you’ll never want to waste your money on commercial cleaners again.

Baking soda and vinegar:

1. Kill Germs (if you’re concerned about them)

One study found vinegar was just as effective as 6 top commercial disinfectants at killing bacteria.

Another study showed vinegar was effective at denaturing flu viruses.

And most recently, a study showed vinegar was an effective killer of the tuberculosis. Because tuberculosis is hard to kill, researchers say it indicates vinegar should kill most other bacteria as well.

2. Non-Toxic

Commercial cleaners are loaded with cancer-causing, horomone-disrupting, DNA-mutating chemicals, many of which manufacturers hide under the word “fragrance” on the ingredient label.

Baking soda is a simple, chemical compound of sodium and bicarbonate. It is also found in nature.

It is such a pure and harmless substance, some people even drink small amounts to calm upset stomachs.

Distilled white vinegar, made from fermented grain, is also obviously a natural and non-toxic.

3. Clean Better

Baking soda and vinegar might be harmless to humans, but when combined, they make a mean cleaning machine.

The same chemical reaction that can create a science-fair volcano can do wonders in your kitchen and bathroom, cutting grease, grime, mold and mildew, and even unclogging drains.

Plus the abrasive, grittiness of the baking soda gives you extra scrubbing power and less need for elbow grease.

When I first saw how quick and easy it got my sink and tub sparkling clean, with so little effort on my end, I wondered why anyone ever bought anything thing else.

4. Cheaper

44 ounces of Lysol bathroom cleaner with a toxic “spring breeze” scent costs $17 on Amazon.

A 32-ounce bottle of Lysol’s kitchen cleaner will set you back another $8.

Meanwhile you can buy a 13.5 pound bag of baking soda for $10 and a gallon of distilled white vinegar for $10, which will clean your whole house for nearly forever.

5. More Environmentally Friendly

The chemicals in most commercial cleaners are common pollutants that contribute to smog, reduce the quality of drinking water and are toxic to animals.

Volatile organic compounds such as nitrogen, phosphorus and ammonia are not removed in waste water treatment facilities and contribute to algae blooms, de-oxygenated water and large die-offs of aquatic life.

Here’s a great set of instructions for how to use various combos of baking soda, vinegar and lemon for various jobs.

UPDATE: Since originally publishing this in 2018, I have been convinced by Dr. Thomas Cowan’s book The Contagion Myth that it’s actually toxins, not germs that cause illness… germs are actually just trying to help us get rid of toxins.

Still, nothing feels cleaner and less toxic to wipe away dust and grease than vinegar, which comes with its own beneficial bacteria to keep things balanced!