Does vinegar disinfect laundry?

Author: Dr. Kasandra Conn Sr.  |  Last update: Tuesday, August 5, 2025

White Vinegar To use vinegar to disinfect your laundry, try adding 1 cup to the rinse cycle. Not only can it kill germs and bacteria, but it's also a great natural deodorizer. White vinegar can be used on colors and whites, keeping clothes bright, and works as an effective fabric softener, too.

Does vinegar kill germs in the laundry?

Does vinegar disinfect laundry? Vinegar is not an effective disinfectant. It only works on a few strains of bacteria, such as E. coli and Salmonella.

What is the best way to disinfect laundry?

Hot water that's at least 140 °F (60 °C) kills most viruses and bacteria. 1. Wash or soak your laundry in hydrogen peroxide and borax. If you don't want to use bleach to disinfect your laundry, a combination of hydrogen peroxide and borax can also do the trick.

What happens if you use vinegar and laundry detergent together?

Neutralization: Vinegar is acidic, while most laundry detergents are alkaline. When mixed, they can neutralize each other, potentially diminishing the cleaning power of the detergent.

When not to use vinegar in laundry?

Fabric Type: While vinegar is safe for cotton and synthetic fabrics, it can potentially damage delicate fabrics such as silk or lace. Always check care labels before using vinegar on specific garments. Colorfastness: Some dyes may react with vinegar, leading to color fading or bleeding.

Put VINEGAR Into Your WASHING MACHINE and WATCH WHAT HAPPENS! 💥

Can white vinegar damage a washing machine?

Washing Machines

“With continual use, vinegar can literally melt hoses, causing leaks and thereby possibly all kinds of additional damage to the house,” Grayson says. In his experience, front-load washers are especially susceptible to vinegar-related damage.

Is distilled vinegar the same as white vinegar?

White vinegar, also known as distilled vinegar or spirit vinegar, is made by fermenting grain alcohol (ethanol) which then turns into acetic acid. Water is then added to the vinegar, so white vinegar is made of five to ten percent acetic acid and ninety to ninety-five percent water.

Does white vinegar sanitize?

Vinegar has been proven to have some disinfectant properties, however it's not nearly as effective at killing harmful viruses and bacteria as commercial cleaners. And because it does not kill 99.999 percent of bacteria and viruses, it doesn't meet the criteria required to be considered a disinfectant.

How do you make homemade laundry disinfectant?

Essential Oils

Adding 2 teaspoons of 100% tea tree oil is all you need to disinfect your laundry. A few drops of lavender oil act as an antibacterial element for your clothes and thyme oil has been known to kill E. coli and MRSA, so it will certainly remove any foul-smelling odors from your fabrics.

Where to put vinegar in a washing machine?

Using vinegar in laundry is simple. You can add it to the fabric softener dispenser in your washing machine or pour it in during the final rinse cycle. When adding vinegar towards the end of the cycle, manually pause your machine right before the final rinse cycle and add a 1/2 cup of diluted white vinegar to the load.

How do hospitals sanitize laundry?

Hot water washing at a temperature of at least 160°F is advisable. You can use a steam jet during this process.

What is a good laundry disinfectant?

Lysol Laundry Sanitizer is specially designed to sanitize your laundry and to kill 99.9% of bacteria*. It can be used on most washable fabrics including: Baby Clothes, Gym Clothes, Undergarments, Towels, Bedding, and Delicates.

Does vinegar sanitize poop?

White vinegar is used as a cleaning solution all over the house and is also known to neutralize the PH in dog poop as it dries, reducing the stain browning, the odor, and it kills germs!

How to sanitize towels with vinegar?

4) Use Vinegar

Use 1/2 cup of 5 percent white vinegar during your wash cycle. Vinegar helps remove odors and strips away detergent buildup to make your towels as fluffy and fresh as the day you bought them. For a top-loading machine, simply raise the lid and pour in the vinegar.

Does OxiClean disinfect?

OxiClean, containing sodium percarbonate, kills 99.9% of bacteria and viruses, a critical aspect for proper laundry sanitation. Alternatives like bleach also offer strong disinfecting properties but come with harsher chemicals and potential for color damage.

How to sanitize laundry with vinegar?

To use vinegar to disinfect your laundry, try adding 1 cup to the rinse cycle. Not only can it kill germs and bacteria, but it's also a great natural deodorizer. White vinegar can be used on colors and whites, keeping clothes bright, and works as an effective fabric softener, too.

What is a natural disinfectant for washing?

From cleaning to deodorizing, white vinegar is a safe, natural product that has many practical uses around the house—and it's a powerful laundry disinfectant, too.

What's the difference between sanitize and disinfect?

Sanitizing kills bacteria on surfaces using chemicals. It is not intended to kill viruses. Yes, EPA registers products that sanitize. Disinfecting kills viruses and bacteria on surfaces using chemicals.

Can you mix vinegar and laundry detergent?

Adding vinegar directly to the wash with your laundry detergent may compromise its cleaning performance. Laundry detergents are formulated for specific pH levels, which may be disrupted by the acidity of vinegar, leading to less effective cleaning. It's best to avoid mixing them to ensure optimal results.

How do you disinfect laundry?

1 For normal loads, a 3/4 cup of bleach should be enough to disinfect the items, according to the Clorox website. Large or heavily soiled loads might require up to 1-1/4 cup of bleach.

What should not be cleaned with vinegar?

Avoid using white vinegar for cleaning marble, granite, and other natural stones, like slate. This includes countertops, floors, and shower walls with stone finishes, and household goods like tabletops or serving pieces.

Is cleaning vinegar the same as white vinegar for laundry?

Cleaning vinegar, with its higher concentration of acetic acid, can power through soap scum, scale, and eliminate bacteria associated with malodor in laundry, to name just a few uses. It can also be used for cleaning jobs that call for white vinegar.

How to clean a washing machine with vinegar?

Add 2 cups of white cleaning vinegar to detergent dispenser. Run the washer through a complete cycle. Run another cycle on the highest level and at the hottest water temperature, this time adding a 1/2 cup of baking soda to the drum. When the cycle is done, wipe inside drum of washer with a damp microfiber cloth.

How to get rid of mold with white vinegar?

  1. Step 1: Protect Yourself. Direct contact with mold can be dangerous, especially if any spores become airborne during the cleaning process. ...
  2. Step 2: Apply the Vinegar. ...
  3. Step 3: Create a Baking Soda Scrub. ...
  4. Step 4: Scrub Away Remaining Mold. ...
  5. Step 5: Finish with a Final Spray.

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