Baking Soda and Vinegar Isn’t an Effective Cleaning Combo—Here’s Why

Vinegar and baking soda are both effective household cleaners when used correctly. Combined, they create an impressive foaming action—but unfortunately, the combo offers little cleaning power other than clearing a slow kitchen drain.

We talked to an expert about why combining the two products neutralizes their effectiveness and the best ways to use baking soda and vinegar to clean your home.

What Happens When You Mix Baking Soda and Vinegar?

Baking soda is a base and vinegar is an acid, so when combined, a chemical reaction occurs and a fun, bubbling foam is formed. But, this quickly decomposes, leaving you with just liquid.

According to Dr. Pamela Turner, the cleaning effectiveness of the combination is not much stronger than plain water. However, combining the two helps open a slow kitchen or bathroom drain because the foaming action helps loosen clogs and stuck-on grime in pipes.

It’s also good to know that unlike combining some cleaning products (like ammonia and chlorine bleach), mixing baking soda and vinegar is non-toxic.  

Want more cleaning and organizing tips? Sign up for our free daily newsletter for the latest hacks, expert advice, and more!

When to Use Baking Soda and Vinegar to Clean

Baking soda and vinegar should only be combined when trying to break apart grime. Besides drain clogs, combine baking soda and vinegar to loosen baked-on food on oven racks and burnt cookware.

Once the foaming stops, the gentle abrasive action of baking soda is helpful in the final cleaning, but you will need to add a degreasing agent like dish soap to get the surface clean.

Used separately or in the right sequence, baking soda and vinegar have multiple uses from cleaning bathroom surfaces to laundry stain and odor removal to descaling appliances.

6 Ways to Use Baking Soda and Vinegar Around Your Home

1. Clean toilet bowls. Mix baking soda and tea tree essential oil in a glass container. When ready to clean the toilet bowl, add one tablespoon to the toilet bowl and then pour in two cups of distilled white vinegar. Let the combo work for 15 minutes and scrub the bowl with a toilet brush.
2. Make an all-purpose cleaner. Combine distilled white vinegar, water, essential oils, and a small amount of baking soda to add some abrasive action to make an all-purpose cleaner for kitchens and bathrooms.
3. Clean and deodorize appliances. To clean and freshen the inside of the refrigerator or microwave, mix one cup of baking soda and two cups of water to remove stains and odors.
4. Descale coffee makers and tea kettles. Whether you have a single-serve coffee maker, larger coffee maker, or tea kettle, remove mineral deposits by running equal parts distilled white vinegar and water through the system.
5. Get rid of wall scuffs. Sprinkle a dab of baking soda on a microfiber cloth to gently remove scuffs from wallpaper, painted walls, and woodwork.
6. Clean sputtering showerheads. If your showerhead is clogged, remove it and soak it overnight in undiluted distilled white vinegar to remove mineral deposits. If it can’t be removed, pour vinegar into a heavy-duty plastic bag and tape it onto the showerhead.

4 Other Items to Mix With Vinegar for Cleaning

• Dishwashing liquid. Add dishwashing liquid to vinegar and water to create an effective solution for washing painted walls, vinyl and ceramic tile floors, shower stalls, and bathtubs.
• Essential oils. Add about 10 drops of your favorite essential oil into a water and vinegar solution in a glass spray bottle and shake to mix. Some oils, like orange or lavender, have disinfecting qualities.
• Citrus peels or herbs. Add lemon, orange, or lime peels or springs of rosemary or mint to the vinegar and water mixture in a spray bottle to create a scented vinegar cleaner.
• Rubbing alcohol. Add a splash of vinegar to rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol to make an excellent, streak-free window cleaner.