Bar Keepers Friend is one of the most popular cleaning products in the world. It is appreciated for being refined, easy to use, and ideal for a long list of surfaces.
Keeping this in mind, it’s common to want to optimize your cleaning solution. You might want to use another ingredient and mix it with Bar Keepers Friend.
In most cases, this is not a good idea.
One option people often talk about is mixing Bar Keepers Friend and vinegar. Is this a good idea?
It is not recommended to start mixing Bar Keepers Friend and vinegar. This does not create a stronger cleaning solution, the oxalic acid in Bar Keepers Friend will not react with the vinegar, and Bar Keepers Friend is already more potent.
A general rule of thumb is to avoid mixing Bar Keepers Friend and vinegar. it’s also recommended to avoid mixing this cleaning agent with any other ingredient.
It won’t offer the benefits you think it will.
Here is a detailed look at some of the reasons why mixing Bar Keepers Friend and vinegar is not a good option.
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Reasons To Not Start Mixing Bar Keepers Friend And Vinegar
1. No Reaction Between Bar Keepers Friend And Vinegar
As you are looking at mixing vinegar and Bar Keepers Friend, the primary reason is to create a stronger cleaning solution.
It’s common to expect the combination of these ingredients to create something robust, effective, and ideal for harsher messes.
While these ingredients might serve a good purpose on their own, they will not work the way you expect them when combined. This is a myth.
The reason comes down to there being no reaction between the two ingredients when they are mixed. In essence, you are going to be mixing ingredients that will turn into an impotent cleaning agent that takes away from both ingredients.
Why is this the case?
The reason you should not mix vinegar with Bar Keepers Friend has to do with the chemical structure of both ingredients.
Bar Keepers Friend has oxalic acid, which does not bind well with vinegar.
This means mixing the two ingredients is a waste of time.
2. Doesn’t Make A Better Cleaning Solution
What is the sole purpose of doing this in the first place?
You will want to consider mixing Bar Keepers Friend and vinegar to get something that is far more potent.
This is unfortunately not going to happen as you want it to.
Instead, you are going to create a slush that doesn’t work well and will take away from the Bar Keepers Friend you’re hoping to use.
If the main goal is not being met, why look at this combination?
3. Bar Keepers Friend Is Already Potent
Potency is an essential component.
You have to look at how strong Bar Keepers Friend is as a cleaning agent. This is one of the more potent options available on the open market.
This is great for those who want to clean stains and other messes. If that is true, why mix vinegar with it?
You won’t need the vinegar because the Bar Keepers Friend solution will work like a charm on its own.
This keeps things simple and also saves you a lot of time.
All you are going to have to do is use the Bar Keepers Friend product and know you are on the right path.
4. Can Lead To Dangerous Experimentation
A lot of people don’t realize this but mixing chemicals is a bad idea.
You might think these are harmless chemicals but one day you are going to make a mistake and it can easily be fatal.
Chemicals spread into the air and you can create chlorine gas or other harmful gases that can ruin lives.
It’s highly recommended to avoid this type of experimentation even if it seems like a good idea at first.
While mixing vinegar with Bar Keepers Friend is not a big deal as nothing will happen, it is not a habit you want to get used to.
Final Thoughts
Is it wise to start mixing Bar Keepers Friend and vinegar?
You should not be mixing Bar Keepers Friend and vinegar. There will be no reaction, the oxalic acid in Bar Keepers Friend does not react to vinegar, and Bar Keepers Friend is already a potent cleaning solution in comparison to vinegar.
This shows why it’s best to look at only using Bar Keepers Friend at home.
This will work well on a wide array of surfaces and you are not going to end up wasting vinegar during the process.
Stick to the Bar Keepers Friend at home and know it is going to work out as expected. It will be more than strong enough to offer long-term value.
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