Vinegar

[Lois]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acetic_acid

Vinegar (Acetic acid) is as old as civilization itself, perhaps older. Acetic acid-producing bacteria are present throughout the world, and any culture practicing the brewing of beer or wine inevitably discovered vinegar as the natural result of these alcoholic beverages being exposed to air.

The use of acetic acid in chemistry extends into antiquity. In the 3rd century BC, the Greek philosopher Theophrastos described how vinegar acted on metals to produce pigments useful in art, including white lead (lead carbonate) and verdigris, a green mixture of copper salts including copper(II) acetate. Ancient Romans boiled soured wine in lead pots to produce a highly sweet syrup called sapa. Sapa was rich in lead acetate, a sweet substance also called sugar of lead or sugar of Saturn, which contributed to lead poisoning among the Roman aristocracy. The 8th-century Persian alchemist Jabir Ibn Hayyan (Geber) concentrated acetic acid from vinegar through distillation.

Solvent

Liquid acetic acid is a hydrophilic (polar) protic solvent, similar to ethanol and water. With a moderate dielectric constant of 6.2, it can dissolve not only polar compounds such as inorganic salts and sugars, but also non-polar compounds such as oils and elements such as sulfur and iodine. It readily mixes with many other polar and non-polar solvents such as water, chloroform, and hexane. This dissolving property and miscibility of acetic acid makes it a widely used industrial chemical

Other applications

Dilute solutions of acetic acids are also used for their mild acidity. Examples in the household environment include the use in a stop bath during the development of photographic films, and in descaling agents to remove limescale from taps and kettles. The acidity is also used for treating the sting of the box jellyfish by disabling the stinging cells of the jellyfish, preventing serious injury or death if applied immediately, and for treating outer ear infections in people in preparations such as Vosol. Equivalently, acetic acid is used as a spray-on preservative for livestock silage, to discourage bacterial and fungal growth.

On this page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinegar

Vinegar (from Old French vinaigre, meaning "sour wine") is a sour-tasting liquid made from the oxidation of ethanol in wine, cider, beer, fermented fruit juice, or nearly any other liquid containing alcohol. It can also be made by certain bacteria operating on sugar-water solutions directly, without intermediary conversion to ethanol (see acetic acid).

Cleaning

Vinegar can be a potent, inexpensive and environmentally friendly cleaning agent. White vinegar is generally recommended when vinegar is being used as a cleaning fluid.

For example, a few tablespoons of white vinegar mixed with a few teaspoons of common table salt makes an excellent cleanser for cleaning badly-stained stainless cookware. Likewise, this vinegar and salt mixture will remove oxidation from copper clad cookware and make it shine with practically no rubbing required.

Likewise, one part white vinegar to four parts water (for a stronger solution, one part white vinegar to one part water works) makes a fine window-washing fluid, substituting for Windex. If windows appear streaky after washing with vinegar, add a half-teaspoon of liquid soap to the mix—this removes the waxy, streak-causing residue left over by commercial window cleaners.

Drains can be cleaned by using a combination of vinegar and baking soda. Pour one-half cup baking soda down the drain, followed by half a cup of white vinegar. Cover the drain while it works, then rinse with several gallons of water.

Vinegar also works well as a fabric softener; just add half a cup to the rinse cycle.

Weak solutions of vinegar or acetic acid in water are used for douches.

Vinegar is a folk medicine used in China to prevent the spread of virus such as SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) and other pneumonia outbreaks:

"On February 13, 2003 news of a type of atypical pneumonia that appeared in six cities of south China's Guangdong province has been brought under control, with no cases reported since Monday. According to press conferences held by the Guangdong and Guangzhou governments, local governments at various levels have taken emergency measures to control the prices of isatis root, vinegar and other related anti-virus medicines, which saw soaring prices due to their effectiveness in curing this disease." Source Unknown

Vinegar along with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is used in the livestock industry to kill bacteria and viruses before refrigeration storage. A chemical mixture of peracetic acid is formed when acetic acid is mixed with hydrogen peroxide. It is being used in some Asian countries by aerosol sprays for control of pneumonia. A mixture of five-percent acetic acid and three-percent hydrogen peroxide is commonly used.

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For a list of household uses go here:

http://www.vinegarbook.co.uk/vinegar_book_...es_page_1.shtml

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Want to make your own vinegar?

http://www.vinegarman.com/VinegarMaking.shtml

This comes from a copyrighted site so just go there and read or print for your own edification.

Here is a snippet:

Making vinegar is so easy it can be done by accident. We could even say that most of it is made without our cooperation or awareness. Making good vinegar, consistently, is another story. That requires a little effort. But the effort pays well.