Active Ingredients

Bleach:  Bleach has a primary active ingredient of Sodium Hypochlorite

Vinegar:  Vinegar has an active ingredients of 5% Acetic Acid.

Chemical Formula

Bleach: NaClO

Vinegar: CH3COOH

Average Concentration as a Household Disinfectant

Bleach: The average concentration was  5.25% – 6.15% to be concidered a household disinfectant

Vinegar: The average concentration of this ingredient was 5% to be concidered a household disinfectant.

Ionic or Molecular?

Vinegar: The main ingredient in vinegar, Acetic Acid, is Molecular.

Bleach: The main ingredient in bleach, Sodium Hypochlorite is Ionic.

Harm on the Environment and Human Health

Bleach: In the air, bleach contributes to air pollution. Which can cause severe long and short-term respiratory irritation when inhaled. They may also contribute to problems with the immune system, blood and heart. Chlorine bleach is also linked to ozone depletion, which has huge environmental effects.

Bleach has been linked to cancer in laboratory animals as well. Also bleach continues to reduce the number of fish and bird species near the Great Lakes. One of the most significant problems with chlorine bleach is its persistence. Even low levels released into air and water supplies will accumulate over time, and may lead to long-term health concerns.

Vinegar: Vinegar can lower the pH of soil and prevent plants from growing. The low pH levels are not suitable for many plants to grow. However, if the soil happens to have a high level pH it can become suitable for plants to grow.

When consumed, drinking a small amount of vinegar will not harm you, however it is highly acidic, which can cause tooth enamel erosion and throat irritation if consumed in high quantities.

Effectiveness as a Disinfecting Agent

Vinegar: As a disinfecting agent, vinegar is an ecofriendly alternative. This is because vinegar is capable of doing many different jobs all in one. For example

Laundry: Vinegar is capable of removing tough stains, brighten fabric colors , deodorizers, and kills germs.

Kitchen: Vinegar cleans, disinfects, and deodorizes almost everything like your coffee pot and the kitchen sink.  It’s great for killing germs and bacteria on countertops, cutting boards, and the microwave.

DID YOU KNOW: Only a 5% solution of vinegar kills 99% of bacteria, 82% of mold, and 80% of germs.

Bleach: Is a much more powerful solution to use while cleaning, bleach has the ability to kill 99.9% of germs as well as the ability to remove harmful mold and mildew.

Laundry: In your laundry bleach plays a major role of keeping your whites, white. While adding bleach to your laundry it has the ability to clean white clothing very effectively. But keep in mind not to bleach coloured clothing.

Vinegars Risks and Benefits

Vinegar’s Risks: Environmentally, The only substantial risk that vinegar causes is that it can cause the pH level of soil to increase. If a plants soil has a high enough pH level, the plant will not to grow. However if vinegar is added to a soil that has a low level pH, it will enhance the soil, making the plant have better growing conditions.

On humans, Vinegar doesn’t oppose as great of a risk compared to bleach, however vinegar does have some risks if too much is ingested. For example, drinking too much vinegar will cause tooth enamel erosion, aswell as throat irritation, due to vinegar’s high acidity.

Vinegar’s Benefits: Environmentally, vinegar is very ecofriendly. This is because vinegar does not harm wildlife, or pollute our air quality

On humans, vinegar is endlessly beneficial. Vinegar is able to eliminate fatigue in only 2 hours of use. Also, vinegar is completely harmless when you put it on your skin, aswell as it is harmless to ingest in moderate quantities.

Bleach’s Risks and Benefits

Bleach’s Risks: Environmentally, when bleach reaches a bodie of water, it could react and become host to very dangerous toxins, which can harm fish and bird species.

Human risks associated with bleach is when it reaches 3-6 (ppm) in the air, bleach causes irritation in the eyes. Exposure to 430 ppm for 30 minutes, bleach will cause death. Finally when bleach is ingested, it can cause nausea, vomiting, stomach irritation and dizziness.

 

Bleach’s Benefits: As a disinfectant, bleach has the ability to kill 99.9% of germs and bacteria. As well as kill harmful molds and mildew.

Environmentally, a very small amount of bleach (approximatly 1/4 tsp) added to a liter of vase water helps fresh cut flours keep their colour

Recommendation

In my opinion, between bleach and vinegar, I would choose vinegar. This is because there are many risks while using bleach that are very harmful to people and the environment that out weigh the risks of vinegar. For example, bleach is very harmful environmentally because once bleach enters a bodie of water it could react with the minerals and become host to very harmful toxins, killing fish and bird species. Studies show that once chlorine bleach is added to a tank of water filled with fish, the fish died within a months time. On humans, bleach is very harmful because if you are exposed to 430 ppm of bleach for only 30 minutes you will die. Also if bleach is ingested it will cause nausea  vomiting and throat irritation, since vinegar is unable to do this damage it is much more eco and human friendly.

Even though bleach is a very effective cleaner and disinfectant, vinegar is just as capable of doing just as good of a job than bleach. This is because vinegar has the ability to kill 99% of bacteria, 82% of mold, and 80% of germs. Also vinegar is much more affordable than bleach making it ideal. As well as much more eco and human friendly

Resources

Kanade S. (10/6/11). Active Ingredients in Bleach. Buzzle. Sept 28. http://www.buzzle.com

N/A. (N/A). Chemical Formula of Vinegar. chemicalformula.org. Sept 28. http://www.chemicalforumla.org

Karthink N. (N/A). White Vnegar Ingredients. Buzzle. Sept 28. http://www.buzzle.com

N/A. (N/A). What is the Chemical Formula for Bleach. Powellfab. Sept 29. http://www.powellfab.com

Emily Beach. (6/15/11). Effects of Chlorine Bleach. LiveStrong. Oct 1. http://www.livestrong.com

N/A. (3/2/10). The Perfect Houshold Cleaner. Vinegar Works Wonders. Oct 2. http://www.vinegarworkswonders.com