Fill a wash-and-drain basin (like this one) with equal parts water and vinegar. Let your clean dishes soak in the vinegar-and-water solution for at least 30 minutes to ensure the microbes can't survive. Then rinse the dishes with water. And that's how you sanitize dishes with vinegar.
The Bottom Line. While vinegar is a cheap, effective, and non-toxic solution to breaking down grease and grime, it's not a disinfectant. If you're trying to kill harmful bacteria and viruses, refer to the EPA's list of registered disinfectants.
Use hot soapy water, as hot as you can comfortably stand. Clean the dishes thoroughly with a sponge, a cloth, a scourer and a brush, as appropriate for each item. When you are satisfied that it is clean, rinse and place in a drying rack. Air drying is much more hygienic than drying with a cloth.
The health standard for cleaning any dishes or small wares or anything else that touches food is to wash it in water with dish detergent to make it clean (without debris), then to rinse the detergent off, and then to sanitize it in water with sanitizer in it.
Yes, you can use white vinegar on dishes that are going into the dishwasher. It can help to remove odors, cut through grease, and prevent hard water spots on glassware. However, it's best to use it in moderation. Here are a few tips:
The acidity or sourness of vinegar brightens the flavor of food and adds balance to a rich dish. It is found in popular kitchen staples like salad dressings, marinades, sauces, mayonnaise, and ketchup.
Chlorine and quaternary ammonium (quat) are commonly used as chemical sanitizer solutions in food service operations, but other suitable sanitizers are detailed in 4-501.114 of OAR 333-150 (the Oregon food code). **Note: Ensure that your bleach is safe to use for food contact surfaces.
Studies confirming vinegar's antibacterial properties: Household natural sanitizers like lemon juice and vinegar reduced the number of pathogens to undetectable levels. Vinegar can inhibit growth of and kill some food-borne pathogenic bacteria. Plus, vinegar's bactericidal activity increased with heat!
Washing dishes can eliminate visible dirt, but it's not enough to kill bacteria like salmonella. To sanitize dishes and food containers, rinse them with a bleach and water solution after washing.
You can effectively clean and sanitize dishes in the dishwasher or with hand washing. Most experts say you don't need to stress about sanitizing your dishes with a chemical solution because hot water and soap do a good job of removing most of the germs.
The Bottom Line
One easy way to minimize bacterial growth is to use a dish brush instead of a sponge when hand-washing dishes. Be sure to regularly clean and replace your dish brush.
What should you use to wash your body in the shower or bath? This all depends on personal preference, but from a dermatologist's point of view, using bare hands or a soft cloth or flannel is best. "Ensure the cloth is washed and fully dried after each use," says Dr Nazarian.
Vinegar has a very low pH level which means it's very acidic, so it can corrode some surfaces over time. For example, using vinegar on natural stone like granite or marble can dull and scratch the surface and it can corrode surfaces like unsealed grout, window seals, and fridge and dishwasher gaskets.
Some species produce pigments on solid growth medium and can produce different types of polysaccharides. These bacteria are found in substrates containing sugar and/or ethanol, such as fruit juices, wine, cider, beer, and vinegar.
However, it's important to note that while vinegar has disinfectant properties, it is not a registered disinfectant with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and there are certain pathogens it cannot kill. For those cases, following up with an EPA-registered disinfectant is recommended.
Fill a wash-and-drain basin (like this one) with equal parts water and vinegar. Let your clean dishes soak in the vinegar-and-water solution for at least 30 minutes to ensure the microbes can't survive. Then rinse the dishes with water. And that's how you sanitize dishes with vinegar.
Vinegar can kill some germs when it is on an item's surface for a long enough time, but it does not kill all germs. This is why CDC recommends using soap or detergent for removing dirt and disinfectants for killing germs.
Fill a bucket with 1 gallon of warm water and 1/2 cup cleaning vinegar. Use a sponge or microfiber mop, wringing well to prevent over-wetting the floor. Rinse the mop head often. There's no need to rinse the floor; the solution will not leave residue or streaks.
Immerse glass, porcelain, china, plastic dinnerware and enamelware for 10 minutes in a disinfecting solution of 2 tablespoons of chlorine bleach per gallon of hot water. Disinfect silverware, metal utensils, and pots and pans by boiling in water for 10 minutes.
Alternatives to chemical sanitizing include using methods such as placing items in 171 degree F water for 30 seconds, or in an oven for five minutes, both of which effectively reduce microbial loads.
Vinegar can kill microorganisms such as bacteria and viruses and treat yeast infections. Due to its antimicrobial properties, vinegar has been used for the treatment of ear infections, warts, and nail fungus. It has also been used to treat certain skin infections and burns.