There is also little benefit to mixing vinegar with baking soda when your objective is cleaning. The dramatic fizz looks powerful, but vinegar is acidic while baking soda is alkaline, so combining them causes them to react with and partially neutralize each other.
Either ingredient may have particular household cleaning uses on its own, but the bubbles themselves do not make the mixture a superior disinfectant.
Never Mix Vinegar With Chlorine Bleach
This is an important household safety rule.
Do not combine vinegar or other acidic cleaners with chlorine bleach. The combination can release dangerous chlorine-containing fumes.
Bleach should also never be mixed with ammonia or random household cleaners.
If you choose to use a disinfecting product
after cleaning your bin, follow its label directions carefully and use only compatible products.
Do You Need Bleach?
Not necessarily.
For routine garbage-bin cleaning, detergent, water, thorough scrubbing, and drying may be sufficient. If you decide that disinfection is appropriate, use a product intended for the surface and follow the manufacturer’s instructions for dilution, contact time, ventilation, and rinsing.
