@roshellezielinski: Vinegar + metal = the internet’s favorite argument. 😂 Vinegar is one of the most versatile natural products in the kitchen and homestead. Whether it’s cleaning, pickling, or brewing your own homemade apple cider vinegar (ACV), many of us use it every day. But a question often comes up: Is it safe to let vinegar touch metal? This simple question can spark some heated debates online. Some people swear vinegar “eats through metal instantly,” while others insist “nothing happens.” The truth lies in the science and in how long the contact lasts. Let’s take a scientific look at it: Why Vinegar Reacts with Metals Vinegar is a dilute solution of acetic acid (usually 5%). Acetic acid is a weak acid, but it’s strong enough to act as an electrolyte. That means it can: • Break down protective oxide coatings on certain metals • Trigger a corrosive electrochemical reaction • Form metal salts like iron acetate, copper acetate, or aluminum acetate • Release hydrogen gas, which appears as fizzing bubbles in reactive metals This is why some metals corrode quickly in vinegar, while others appear to hold up for a long time. Why Some Metals React Faster Chemistry has a ranking system called the reactivity series, a list of metals ordered by how easily they react with acids. • Top of the list (very reactive): Magnesium, zinc, aluminum, iron. These metals react with vinegar fairly quickly. • Bottom of the list less reactive: Copper, Lead, Silver, Platinum, Gold. These metals react very slowly or not at all with vinegar. That’s why magnesium fizzes instantly in vinegar, while gold can sit in vinegar for months without any visible change. Short contact = safe. If you’re straining your homemade ACV in a stainless steel pot, the vinegar isn’t sitting there long enough to react. Stainless steel is built to handle brief acidic contact, that’s why it’s used in commercial kitchens worldwide. Long contact = risk. If vinegar sits in metal for hours or days, especially with salt or heat, it can break down protective layers and cause corrosion, pitting, or leaching. That’s why vinegar should never be stored in metal, only glass, ceramic, or food-safe plastic. #applecidervinegar #homemadeacv #vinegarfacts #foodscience #culinary101

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