What not to mix:
Vinegar and Hydrogen Peroxide = Paracetic Acid
These two ingredients are commonly touted as natural cleaning methods, but combining the two in the same container could result in a corrosive acid.
Why: You can use them on the same surface separately while cleaning, but don’t mix them in the same container. You’ll create paracetic acid which, despite being an effective sanitizer, is potentially corrosive and irritating.
The worst that could happen: The health risks aren’t well-known, but in high enough concentrations, paracetic acid “is very irritating to the skin, eyes, nose, throat, and lungs, with the potential for causing permanent scarring of the skin, cornea, and throat.”
How to use Vinegar and Hydrogen Peroxide as disinfectants
Baking Soda and Vinegar = Ineffective Cleaning Solution
How many times have you seen an ingenious solution on Pinterest touting the magical cleaning properties of baking soda and vinegar? The key is to use these two agents separately, not together — or you’ll end up with nothing.
Why: Baking soda is basic, vinegar is acidic. When you put them together you get mostly water and sodium acetate. But really just mostly water.
The worst that could happen: you could waste your time cleaning your entire kitchen or bathroom using a solution that doesn’t do anything at all.
Castile Soap and Vinegar = Ineffective Cleaning Solution
Similar to Baking Soda and Vinegar, Castile Soap and Vinegar are often combined in green cleaning recipes. Again, used separately these two agents are very effective.
Why: Castile Soap is basic, vinegar is acidic. The vinegar "unsaponifies" the soap, which means the vinegar reduces the soap back to its original oils. The result is an oil, curdled, white substance that will not clean and will end up on anything you're trying to clean.
More information about Castile Soap and Vinegar
Sources:
Buzzfeed
Lisa Bronner
