Can you mix hydrogen peroxide and vinegar?
Hydrogen peroxide and Vinegar
No — it damages something or fails
No — mixed in a bottle it forms peracetic acid, which is corrosive.
What actually happens
Hydrogen peroxide and acetic acid combine to form peracetic acid, an effective disinfectant that is also corrosive to skin, eyes and lungs at the concentrations a home mixture can reach. Industrial peracetic acid is used under controlled ventilation for good reason. Notably, spraying one after the other on a surface — peroxide, then vinegar, each allowed to work and wiped off — has been shown effective and is not the same thing as premixing them in a container.
What to do instead
Use them sequentially on a surface rather than combining them in a bottle. Never store a mixture.
Cleaning products
| Combination | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Bleach and ammonia | Toxic gas | No. This is the classic household poisoning and it produces chloramine gas. |
| Bleach and vinegar | Toxic gas | No. Any acid plus bleach releases chlorine gas. |
| Baking soda and vinegar | Pointless | Safe, dramatic, and it leaves you with salt water. |
| Bleach and toilet cleaner | Toxic gas | No. Most toilet cleaners are acidic, so this is the bleach-and-acid reaction. |
| Bleach and rubbing alcohol | Toxic gas | No. It produces chloroform and other chlorinated compounds. |
| One drain cleaner and a different drain cleaner | Toxic gas | No. Drain cleaners come in strongly acidic and strongly caustic types, and combining them is violent. |
| Bleach and hydrogen peroxide | Do not | No — it is exothermic and destroys both, and can spray hot liquid. |
| Vinegar and castile soap | Pointless | Safe, and it curdles into a white mess that is worse than either. |
| Vinegar and ammonia | Pointless | Not dangerous, and they cancel each other out. |
Common questions
- Can you mix hydrogen peroxide and vinegar?
- No — it damages something or fails. No — mixed in a bottle it forms peracetic acid, which is corrosive.
- What happens if you do?
- Hydrogen peroxide and acetic acid combine to form peracetic acid, an effective disinfectant that is also corrosive to skin, eyes and lungs at the concentrations a home mixture can reach. Industrial peracetic acid is used under controlled ventilation for good reason. Notably, spraying one after the other on a surface — peroxide, then vinegar, each allowed to work and wiped off — has been shown effective and is not the same thing as premixing them in a container.
- What should I do instead?
- Use them sequentially on a surface rather than combining them in a bottle. Never store a mixture.
Related pages
- Bleach and ammonia No — this one produces a toxic gas
- Bleach and vinegar No — this one produces a toxic gas
- Baking soda and vinegar You can, but it achieves nothing
- Bleach and toilet cleaner No — this one produces a toxic gas
- Bleach and rubbing alcohol No — this one produces a toxic gas
- One drain cleaner and a different drain cleaner No — this one produces a toxic gas
- Bleach and ammonia Also produces a toxic gas
- Bleach and vinegar Also produces a toxic gas
- Bleach and toilet cleaner Also produces a toxic gas
- Bleach and rubbing alcohol Also produces a toxic gas
- Hazard symbols What the pictogram on the bottle actually requires
Sources
- US Environmental Protection Agency — EPA (Public domain (US Government))