There are different types of vinegar in the market, and rice vinegar is one of them. Some of you might use it for cleaning fabrics. But is it safe for satisfying laundry needs?
Can you use rice vinegar for laundry? Generally, you shouldn’t pick rice vinegar for laundry purposes. It may stain items because of its colour and sweetness. However, if you still want to use it, dilute it with water before pouring it on clothes. I suggest you pick distilled white vinegar, which doesn’t contain sugar and colour.
Rice vinegar
Rice vinegar is mainly derived from fermented rice. It’s used in some Southeast Asian countries as a sweetener. Rice vinegar is of different types, such as-
- Chinese
- Korean
- Vietnamese
- Japanese
Rice vinegar for laundry
For laundry purposes, you should stick with distilled white vinegar. It doesn’t leave behind any stain on clothes. That’s why you can safely use it to wash any item, from synthetics to delicates. Moreover, it has an acidity level of 5 percent, making distilled white vinegar the ultimate cleaning master.
On the other hand, rice vinegar contains a slight amount of sugar. As a result, it may stain your items if you use it in more significant amounts. Moreover, it has an acidity level of 2 to 3 percent.
Hence, if you want perfectly cleaned items, choose distilled white vinegar. However, if you don’t have distilled white vinegar at home and have rice vinegar only, mix it properly with water before starting the cleaning process.
Some of you might feel uncomfortable with the smell of rice vinegar in your clothes. In such cases, add a few drops of essential oil to vinegar-water solution to mask the foul odour. You may find various types of essential oils at local stores or online. However, choose any of the following for cleaning purposes-
- Peppermint oil
- Lemon oil
- Lavender oil
Will rice vinegar stain clothes?
Sugar and Dyes can leave stains on your items, especially whites. So, it would help if you were careful in choosing cleaning agents.
Most vinegar in the market contains sugar, colour, and dyes in certain amounts. These vinegar are-
- Red wine vinegar
- Rice vinegar
- Red rice vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Apple cider vinegar
- White wine vinegar
- Malt vinegar
So, stay away from those types. Otherwise, you may end up with stained items. To save garments, use just distilled white vinegar. It is known for its excellent cleaning feature. You can use it to clean items as well as to remove wrinkles. Even it makes your fabrics soft too.
Can I use rice vinegar in washing machine?
You can use rice vinegar for cleaning washing machine. However, you shouldn’t overuse it. Remember, vinegar can damage the rubber parts of your expensive washer. So, use it once in a while.
To perfectly clean your washing machine, read its instruction manual and understand the proper cleaning procedures. There are many safe items to clean this high-cost appliance.
Last few words
Rice vinegar is mainly prepared from fermented rice vinegar. It’s delicate in nature and less acidic compared to distilled white vinegar. Most importantly, South Asians mostly use it for culinary purposes.
Therefore, rice vinegar isn’t ideal for fulfilling laundry needs. Instead, pick distilled white vinegar.
