Cooking, Vinegar, and Baking Soda Don’t Disinfect: False Myths and What Really Works

One of the greatest scientists of the last century, Richard Feynmanin one of his works devoted to the differences between artists and scientists – The first accuses him of being too dry to see the beauty in a flower -, wrote that it is in fact scientific knowledge that extends the sense of wonder, mystery, and admiration that a flower arouses. Science can only add – Feynman wrote, – I really don’t see how and what he can take away. In the same way, I consider chemistry to be the best way to understand and interpret the world around us. We chemists, for example, see it everywhere Atoms, molecules and interactions. And this, of course, helps us not only to go beyond phenomena, to explain them, but also to have the most effective practical tools to live well in everyday life, Because we have to cookfor example, when cleaning the house. kitchen and House keeping It is, for me, in a nutshell, an extension of chemistry into everyday life.

I noticed it for the first time Berkeleyin California, where I was studying for my PhD in Chemistry. University cafeteria restaurants was bad I didn’t go to the restaurant because very expensive. So I started receiving some recipes in the mail from my mom. Which I sometimes found a bit generic. Otherwise, while they fit her well because her experience made up for the inaccuracy, They didn’t work for me. So I started to look at cooking from a chemical standpoint, which is basically what I was studying. And I immediately liked my cloth in the section.

Meat thermometer, microwave for vegetables

However, in recent years I have started to get involved with cleaning chemistry Looking for a treatment to unclog a clogged pelvis. I basically told myself, after years of studying cooking, to always take care of the food, which ends up not in the digestive tract but in the sink, clogging up. And chemistry came to my rescue there too. Moral, let’s use science. Let’s stop thinking that everything in the house can be solved with Vinegar, baking soda, salt and lemon. and keep chemophobia away, Pervasive fear of any substance that has a chemical name outwardly incomprehensible (the fear that makes us tend, on the contrary, to everything that is outwardly normal at times Which makes us suffer huge mistakes). In the kitchen, for example, chemical knowledge only helps us understand which method is best for meat processing. The success of it depends a lot on temperature control. That is why the greatest ally in cooking protein is a very simple tool that few people have at home, Digital cooking thermometer. How do you get a file Perfect roast beef? at a temperature 55 degrees Celsius. So is meat Soft and juicy. At a higher filament temperature, rough bottom. Likewise, we should know that a great way to cook vegetables – without taking away their flavor like when we boil them in water – Cook it in the microwave. On the contrary, it is a bad ally in preparing biscuits and cakes, because its temperature does not exceed 100 degrees (That’s why I don’t call it an oven!). So if you want to cook delicious dumplings, First boil the potatoes in the microwave, which is rich in water but watertight: you will benefit from this cooking without falling apart, and so you will have to use a little flour for the gnocchi. And if you cook a cake? Respect the amount of ingredients. Many tend to reduce the dose of sugar, believing that sucrose only gives sweetness. Error: It also works to give structure to the dough. So, be faithful to the preparations.

Vinegar and baking soda together does not work

However, when cleaning What are the most common mistakes we make? First of all, we need to clarify our ideas about language: one thing to clean up(eliminate dirt, do it with soaps and detergents that do not disinfect), other disinfection (It kills microorganisms almost completely: You can do that with bleach, which doesn’t remove dirt, though.) And sterility? It just means disinfection: Products advertised as disinfectants without reporting reference to the specific ministerial mandate They do not have a guaranteed disinfecting ability. And it is a common sin, then, even if an accidental one, to use deer bicarbonate. It is believed to be a natural cleanser (or even an antiseptic). instead of it, A product for the chemical industryis produced from ammonia, calcium carbonate, and sodium chloride, which have neither of these two properties: instead, they have Acid neutralizing function (So ​​it’s helpful, for example, to get rid of the acidic residue of tomatoes left in the fridge.) Another common mistake is mixing different products with the thought of increasing the cleaning effect. Thus it ends up triggering chemical reactions which we are not fully aware of. Legendary couple consisting of Baking soda and vinegar.

How to unclog pipes

However, it is unfortunate that the first is alkaline while the second is acidic: mixing them, that is, the two products react, cancel each other’s properties and turn into water, carbon dioxide and sodium acetate, which is a slightly alkaline substance with no cleaning ability. However, in other cases, A chemical reaction can become dangerous: By mixing bleach and vinegar and thinking to better disinfect the bathroom, chlorine is produced, prof Toxic gas. Vinegar, on the other hand, is only a good limescale solvent (used on its own) but it is certainly not a disinfectant. At least with something else. And that famous clogged sink? It is usually blocked by limescale, grease and food residue. Therefore, before calling the plumber, you can try to remove limescale by pouring it down the drain vinegar or citric acidWhich is stronger and warmer. to remove grease residue, Hot water at 60°C With a drop of dish soap. For leftovers, on the other hand, the SODUIM hydroxide (If you don’t have aluminum tubes). Most blockages will resolve themselves this way. Finally, Just use the chemistry the right way.

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