White vinegar, sometimes called distilled or spirit vinegar, has been a mainstay in households worldwide for thousands of years. It’s easy to understand why.
This versatile liquid presents a treasure trove of uses for cleaning, gardening and cooking. It even has medicinal applications, too.
This article discusses some of the most popular applications for white vinegar and the safest, most effective ways to use it in your home.
What Is It and How Is It Made?
Standard white vinegar is a clear solution generally containing 4–7% acetic acid and 93–96% water
Some types of white vinegar can contain up to 20% acetic acid, but these are strictly for agricultural or cleaning purposes and not intended for human consumption.
Historically, white vinegar has been produced from the fermentation of foods such as sugar beets, potatoes, molasses or milk whey. Usually, the specific recipe depended on which food item was most readily available in a particular region
Today, most white vinegar is made from the fermentation of grain alcohol (ethanol). This kind of alcohol doesn’t naturally contain many nutrients, so other ingredients such as yeast or phosphates may be added to kickstart the bacterial fermentation process.
