How to Pour Vinegar Into Baking Soda

Vinegar poured into baking soda and water created a foaming chemical reaction.

It is common knowledge that mixing common household vinegar and baking soda, another common household item, will cause a chemical reaction. The weak acid in the vinegar combines with the basic bicarbonate in the baking soda to produce carbon dioxide and water. Because the vinegar and soda are inexpensive and non-toxic, and the resulting substances are also safe, these two ingredients can be combined to fill a variety of roles, such as household cleaning, and creating science projects for children.

Things You'll Need

• Baking soda
• Vinegar
• Water
• Bucket
• Measuring cup and spoon
• Plastic water bottle
• Large, flat baking pan
• Clay
• Dish-washing detergent
• Food color

Instructions

1. Make a general household cleaner. In a gallon bucket, dissolve 1/4 cup baking soda in 1/2 gallon of water. Slowly add 1/2 cup of vinegar. Mix well. Make sure to use a bucket that is much larger than the amount of ingredients to prevent the foaming action from overflowing. Once the foaming is done, you can seal this cleaner in a bottle for later use.

   Use this as an all-purpose cleaner to remove coffee and tea stains from cups, to clean stainless stainless steel or enamel sinks, and to remove hard-water spots from shower enclosures. It is safe to use on just about any surface.

2. Clean and deodorize kitchen and bathroom drains. Pour one cup baking soda down the drain. Follow this with one cup of hot vinegar. Let sit for five minutes then run hot water down the drain. The chemical reaction will help dissolve any buildup in the pipes. This method can also be used to clean and deodorize a garbage disposal.

   If the drain is clogged, remove any standing water before pouring in the baking soda. Monitor the drain closely as you pour in the vinegar. Do not pour in more vinegar if the foam produced by the reaction reaches sink level.

3. Teach children about chemical reactions by making an erupting volcano that uses baking soda and vinegar to create the eruption. Sculpt clay into a volcano around an empty plastic water bottle with the cap removed. Make this sculpture in a large, flat baking pan. Pour warm water into the bottle until it is 3/4 full. Add 2 tbsp. of baking soda and a few drops of dish-washing detergent. Add some food color if you want colored lava. Slowly pour in vinegar. The eruption will occur almost immediately.

Tips & Warnings

• Always dissolve the baking soda in water before combining with vinegar. Also, always pour the vinegar slowly into the baking soda solution. Pour slowly and observe the reaction it causes to make sure there will be no overflow or explosion. Never pour the baking soda into the vinegar because it is harder to control the reaction.

• Use caution when combining vinegar with baking soda. There is a natural chemical reaction that will release gases. This is what causes the foaming action. If this reaction takes place in a small or enclosed container, it can cause the enclosure to explode. In addition, even if the container is open, the reaction may cause the contents to overflow.

References

• Apple Cider Vinegar Benefits: Baking Soda and Vinegar Reaction and Demonstrations
• Earth Easy: Non-Toxic Home Cleaning
• Vinegar Tips: 1001 Uses for White Distilled Vinegar

Resources

• The Vinegar Institute