People have been using white vinegar since ancient times. The first mention of this product came from Babylon. Its inhabitants used vinegar not only as an additive in food, but also as a preservative.
White vinegar and its features
Vinegar is a product that is used to make sauces, pickles, marinades. But the scope of its application is not limited to this. In ancient times, people noticed that grape wine, if not corked after preparation, tends to turn sour and turn into a product with a pungent odor and a pungent sour taste. This method of producing vinegar is still used today. The product is especially popular among the French, who call it "vinaigre", which means "sour wine" in French.
By origin, vinegar is divided into 2 types: natural and synthetic. A synthetic product is often made using flavors. Natural vinegar is more valuable and has a higher cost. Acetic acid bacteria ferment foods, resulting in the formation of a caustic substance with a pungent odor. Apples, grapes, malt can be used as raw materials. The result is apple, wine, malt, balsamic vinegar. Rice, reeds, fruits and berries can also be used as raw materials for the production of a natural product.
White vinegar is a popular type of vinegar and is a product of microbiological synthesis. It is obtained during the fermentation of beer wort. But in order for it to acquire transparency, it is subjected to multi-stage purification. A type of product is white wine vinegar, which is obtained by fermenting dry white wine. During the manufacturing process, it is important to avoid complete oxidation. Otherwise, there will be a complete decomposition of alcohol into water and carbon dioxide.
White vinegar has a pungent odor and a sour taste. It is transparent, but may have a slightly yellowish tint. After cleaning, its appearance differs little from the usual table vinegar, but these are different products. Table vinegar is obtained by diluting concentrated vinegar essence, and white vinegar is obtained by fermenting natural raw materials. Unlike essences in pure or diluted form, white vinegar can contain, in addition to acetic acid, compounds such as:
- citric, malic, lactic acids;
- aldehydes;
- esters.
All these substances give the product a specific flavor.
Applying white vinegar
White vinegar is used in cooking, but not as widely as apple cider vinegar or table vinegar. This product has a specific taste, so it cannot always be added to salads and other dishes. White vinegar works well for preserving fruits and vegetables. In this case, it is important to observe the proportions. If the recipe involves the use of a product of a certain concentration, a simple calculation must first be performed and only then add the right amount of white vinegar.
The substance helps to solve some household problems. Mixed with soda, it perfectly cleans the surface of the stove, ceramic tiles. White vinegar can help keep your plumbing in top condition by wiping it down from time to time.
The product has bleaching and disinfecting properties. It helps eliminate unpleasant odors. You can dampen a small piece of cloth with it and wipe down cutting boards and other problem surfaces. So you can even get rid of the obsessive smell of fish in the room.
White vinegar is used to remove stains and lightly bleach clothes. You can mix it with water in a 1: 1 ratio and apply on the stain for 10-15 minutes, or soak the item in it and then wash it. This mixture helps to eliminate unpleasant sweat odor, sweat stains on blouses and shirts. You can add a little vinegar to the washing machine with every wash. It returns brightness to things and acts as an antistatic agent. You can add vinegar every time you rinse your laundry. This will preserve the color of the fabrics and get rid of unpleasant odors. The product is also used for painting natural materials at home. In this case, it acts as a fixer, fixing the dye in the fibers of the fabric.
To make the kettle cleaner and shine, you can pour water into it, add a little white vinegar, put it on fire and bring to a boil. The product is used to descale the iron. You can pour vinegar into the water compartment, turn on the steaming mode and put the iron in an upright position for 10 minutes, then pour out the liquid from the tank. But the use of a natural fermentation product for economic purposes is not advisable. You can replace it with cheaper synthetic vinegar and the effect will be the same.
White vinegar can be used medicinally. Nutritionists recommend drinking it diluted if you follow certain diets and in the process of cleansing the body. Natural diluted vinegar can be used to wipe the body when the temperature rises. The product has a number of useful properties:
- reduces the concentration of sugar and cholesterol in the blood;
- helps to reduce body weight;
- is a good antiseptic.
White vinegar can be used to treat warts, fungal infections of the skin. It is used for salt deposits, gout, and chronic fatigue. But any use of the product for medicinal purposes requires prior consultation with a doctor. This is especially true with regard to internal reception. Incorrect calculation of the concentration of the solution or non-compliance with the recommendations can lead to unpleasant consequences. There are also contraindications for use. Vinegar should not be taken by people with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, with stomach ulcers. The product has a negative effect on the tooth enamel, therefore, after using it, it is imperative to rinse the oral cavity.
White vinegar is used in cosmetology, adding it to lotions for problem skin, but in small quantities. The product can be used as an effective hair rinse. First, you need to dilute it with water in a ratio of 1: 1 and rinse your hair after shampooing to give it a beautiful shine.
How to replace white vinegar
If white vinegar is not on hand, you can substitute other products for it, focusing on the application and the expected result. For the preparation of marinades, salad dressing, you can use synthetic table vinegar or diluted essence. Pre-dilute the product with water. The concentration of acetic acid in white vinegar is only 4-5%, so 9% table vinegar must be diluted with water in a 1: 1 ratio before use.
Lemon juice can be used to remove stains or unpleasant odors. This product can be added to salads instead of vinegar. In cooking, you can extinguish soda with lemon juice or kefir instead. Citric acid can be used as a substitute for vinegar for household needs. It removes limescale well.
Storing white vinegar
In order for white vinegar to retain its properties for a long time, the following conditions must be met:
- close the bottle with the product as tightly as possible;
- store vinegar in a cool dark place, but not in the refrigerator;
- give preference to the product in glass containers, since plastic bottles can deform over time, and metal cans can oxidize.
White vinegar is relatively safe as its acetic acid concentration is only 4-5%, but the product must be kept out of the reach of children. If over time it acquired a sharp unpleasant aftertaste, changed color, it should be discarded from its use for food or medical purposes.
