Wash with vinegar: Home remedies can replace mild detergents

Created: 05/19/2022, 14:01

By: Anna Katharina Kusters

Vinegar is a well-known household remedy that is also used as a cleaning agent.

But you should also consider vinegar as a detergent.

Dessau-Roßlau – If you have a bottle of vinegar at home, you have brought a true all-rounder into your home.

Because vinegar not only makes salads tastier, but can also be used in other places in the household.

For example when washing.

However, caution is called for, because vinegar does not always keep the promises that self-sufficient people like to attribute to it.

Wash with vinegar: Home remedies can replace mild detergents

Vinegar can replace detergent in the household.

(Iconic image) © Monkey Business 2/Imago

Vinegar is such a well-known foodstuff that cooking fans rarely question its origins.

Manufacturers obtain the liquid from an alcoholic drink to which they add acetic acid bacteria.

For example, there is wine vinegar, which is based on wine, or brandy vinegar, which originates from brandy.

With fruit vinegar, however, the whole thing looks a little different.

When it comes to apple cider vinegar, cider is the basis.

With raspberry vinegar, however, raspberry wine does not necessarily have to be the basis, as the Federal Center for Nutrition states.

Often it is also a mixture of white wine to which raspberry juice concentrate is added.

You can find even more exciting health topics in our free newsletter, which you can subscribe to right here.

Vinegar can be used in the household as a cleaning and washing agent

Since vinegar is not only suitable for consumption, but also has cleaning properties, it has become increasingly popular in the household as a cleaning or washing agent in recent years.

When washing, for example, it should fulfill the following functions:

also read

Putin seriously ill?

Oligarch fuels rumor of blood cancer

Back problems?

Mobilize the straight back muscles with two simple exercises

• Replace fabric softener

• Replace detergent

• Remove gray haze from laundry

• get colors

• Remove odors from laundry

• reduce the risk of allergies

Vinegar seems like a panacea when it comes to washing.

However, it is worth taking a more differentiated look at the possibilities of vinegar when washing.

Washing with vinegar: goodbye to fabric softeners and mild detergents?

Fabric softeners and mild detergents are a burden on the environment that has increased more and more in recent decades.

The detergent puts a strain on the sewage treatment plants, which can hardly get rid of the detergent residues from the increasing amount of wastewater.

Vinegar seems to be a natural and good alternative.

This is due to its acidic pH value, which, for example, normal wool detergent also has.

However, treatment with curd soap before washing is also necessary, otherwise heavily soiled areas will not get clean.

If you want to try a wash with vinegar, buy table vinegar with a five percent acidity and add 1/2 cup of vinegar to the main wash compartment next time.

When it comes to fabric softener, however, we have to dampen the hope of a good substitute with vinegar.

The Federal Environment Agency points out that the laundry stiffness after the wash cycle is not due to limescale deposits, but to roughened cotton surfaces.

Fabric softener can prevent this, unfortunately vinegar cannot.

The Federal Environment Agency therefore recommends using fabric softener as seldom as possible and only in small quantities.

Wash with vinegar: gray haze, odors and allergy

However, vinegar can still help in a few places when washing.

For example, with the gray haze that settles on white laundry after a few washes.

To do this, it is best to soak very gray parts in vinegar overnight before washing them.

Vinegar can also counteract the smell of sweat.

Luckily, your clothes don't smell like vinegar after washing, but smell neutral.

People who struggle with allergies and cannot use regular laundry detergent can also try vinegar.

Vinegar contains no added fragrances or other chemicals, so it can reduce allergic reactions.

This article only contains general information on the respective health topic and is therefore not intended for self-diagnosis, treatment or medication.

In no way does it replace a visit to the doctor.

Unfortunately, our editors are not allowed to answer individual questions about clinical pictures.