Can you mix vinegar and ammonia?
Vinegar and Ammonia
You can, but it achieves nothing
Not dangerous, and they cancel each other out.
What actually happens
An acid and a base neutralise to produce ammonium acetate and water. It is not a hazardous reaction — this is the rare case where two cleaning products meet and nothing bad happens — but both are consumed and neither cleans afterwards. Ammonia is an excellent glass cleaner and vinegar an excellent descaler, and the mixture is neither.
What to do instead
One or the other, chosen for the job.
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. |
| Hydrogen peroxide and vinegar | Do not | No — mixed in a bottle it forms peracetic acid, which is corrosive. |
| 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. |
Common questions
- Can you mix vinegar and ammonia?
- You can, but it achieves nothing. Not dangerous, and they cancel each other out.
- What happens if you do?
- An acid and a base neutralise to produce ammonium acetate and water. It is not a hazardous reaction — this is the rare case where two cleaning products meet and nothing bad happens — but both are consumed and neither cleans afterwards. Ammonia is an excellent glass cleaner and vinegar an excellent descaler, and the mixture is neither.
- What should I do instead?
- One or the other, chosen for the job.
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
- Hydrogen peroxide and vinegar No — it damages something or fails
- 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))