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Specialty Chemistry Forums => Citizen Chemist => Topic started by: crank01 on September 25, 2011, 12:54:11 AM

Title: How do I neutralize the smell in vinegar?
Post by: crank01 on September 25, 2011, 12:54:11 AM
Hello chemical forums, this is my first post on here so plz no flaming  ;D How would I be able to get rid of the smell in vinegar while still keeping it in its liquid state? I know this isn't anything advanced but it would really benefit me if you were to help me  :D

thankyou
Title: Re: How do I neutralize the smell in vinegar?
Post by: Borek on September 25, 2011, 05:32:41 AM
You can't. As long as it is acetic acid, it smells of acetic acid.
Title: Re: How do I neutralize the smell in vinegar?
Post by: crank01 on September 26, 2011, 12:11:48 AM
You can't. As long as it is acetic acid, it smells of acetic acid.
:( darn... thanks for your reply. srry for the late response i was a bit busy.

darnit. this ruined the thing i wanted to make  :-[
Title: Re: How do I neutralize the smell in vinegar?
Post by: Fluoroantimonicacid on September 26, 2011, 01:54:45 PM
Actually,what did you want to make?
Title: Re: How do I neutralize the smell in vinegar?
Post by: billnotgatez on September 26, 2011, 02:34:32 PM
you might want to substitute lemon juice for vinegar
Title: Re: How do I neutralize the smell in vinegar?
Post by: fledarmus on September 26, 2011, 04:34:12 PM
There are other weak, and even edible acids which don't smell as strongly...
Title: Re: How do I neutralize the smell in vinegar?
Post by: crank01 on September 27, 2011, 12:53:49 AM
well I wanted to make a product with vinegar in it, as its main ingredient, but if I substitute it for lemon juice it may not work the same. If I add enough water to dillute the vinegar I think it'll still smell bad but not as bad, but what I'm looking for is something that won't smell at all or smells kinda like normal lol.
Title: Re: How do I neutralize the smell in vinegar?
Post by: Honclbrif on September 27, 2011, 11:04:51 AM
If it has to be vinegar, your only hope is to dilute it to the point where it can't be smelled, but by then there won't be much vinegar left at all. You could neutralize the acetic acid with baking soda, forming odorless sodium acetate, but that has very different properties from vinegar. If you need an acidic solution, your best bet is to probably go with some other food grade acid.
Title: Re: How do I neutralize the smell in vinegar?
Post by: fledarmus on September 27, 2011, 01:19:38 PM
If you don't want the vinegar smell, what properties of the vinegar are you actually looking for? That will determine what you replace it with. If you are looking for the bite on the tongue in a food product, you might look at other food grade acids as Honclbrif and others suggested - lemon juice, cream of tartar (a tartaric acid salt), malonic acid, phosphoric acid, there are several less smelly ways to make something tart. If you are looking for an acidic reaction (such as making sodium bicarbonate foam), you might want to use a dilute mineral acid like HCl.

If you can tell us what you are trying to use your product for, we might be able to make more helpful suggestions.
Title: Re: How do I neutralize the smell in vinegar?
Post by: billnotgatez on September 27, 2011, 01:34:24 PM
you could always add something that has a greater smell than vinegar to cover up the vinegar smell, but i do not think it will be easy.
Title: Re: How do I neutralize the smell in vinegar?
Post by: crank01 on September 27, 2011, 09:33:03 PM
it for a beauty product  ;D dont judge me lol
Title: Re: How do I neutralize the smell in vinegar?
Post by: fledarmus on September 27, 2011, 09:43:03 PM
And what purpose does the vinegar have in the beauty product? If you are using it for a solvent, you may be able to switch to a sweeter vinegar, like rice vinegar. Or maybe even malt vinegar or apple cider vinegar  ;D  If it has a chemical purpose, this may be an application where sodium acetate would work.
Title: Re: How do I neutralize the smell in vinegar?
Post by: crank01 on September 27, 2011, 10:02:52 PM
Yes the type is apple cider vinegar but IT STILL SMELLS!!!  :P
Title: Re: How do I neutralize the smell in vinegar?
Post by: Train on September 29, 2011, 08:03:42 AM
Probably frozen vinegar doesn't smell as bad.  Might make it too cold for a beauty product, though.
Title: Re: How do I neutralize the smell in vinegar?
Post by: Fluoroantimonicacid on September 29, 2011, 09:19:45 AM
Pure acetic acid solidifies at 16 Celsius.
Title: Re: How do I neutralize the smell in vinegar?
Post by: Dan on September 29, 2011, 03:09:51 PM
crank01 - until you answer the following questions...

Quote from: fledarmus
what properties of the vinegar are you actually looking for?

Quote from: fledarmus
what purpose does the vinegar have in the beauty product?

...this thread will go nowhere.
Title: Re: How do I neutralize the smell in vinegar?
Post by: Ballistic on September 30, 2011, 05:52:51 PM
So, you want to create a beauty product with the active ingredient vinegar but
not to smell of vinegar? Just put "now with extra vinegar" on the labelling. ;)
Title: Re: How do I neutralize the smell in vinegar?
Post by: crank01 on October 02, 2011, 02:16:56 PM
So, you want to create a beauty product with the active ingredient vinegar but
not to smell of vinegar? Just put "now with extra vinegar" on the labelling. ;)
lol true, and the reason why I would like to use vinegar is because is makes the skin soft, and helps to clean out pores. Dont ask me "HOW???" lol its just what seems to happen to mine and people who also use it on there skin. talking about apple cider vinegar.
Title: Re: How do I neutralize the smell in vinegar?
Post by: Arkcon on October 02, 2011, 06:27:31 PM
OK, basically, cider vinegar cleans pores and softens skin.  I'll take that at face value.  You have a compounded face cream with the right amount of active agent, but it smells too much like salad dressing to sell.  You can't just remove the vinegar smell from acetic acid, a pure compound, and the impurities in cider or other flavors of vinegar don't enter into the debate over the vinegar smell.  You simply have to mask the vinegar smell with other scents.  For example, find botanical with synergistic effects, and a strong scent.  Market like hell.  And send me a percentage. ;D
Title: Re: How do I neutralize the smell in vinegar?
Post by: crank01 on October 03, 2011, 12:12:26 AM
OK, basically, cider vinegar cleans pores and softens skin.  I'll take that at face value.  You have a compounded face cream with the right amount of active agent, but it smells too much like salad dressing to sell.  You can't just remove the vinegar smell from acetic acid, a pure compound, and the impurities in cider or other flavors of vinegar don't enter into the debate over the vinegar smell.  You simply have to mask the vinegar smell with other scents.  For example, find botanical with synergistic effects, and a strong scent.  Market like hell.  And send me a percentage. ;D
lol ok thanks for the tip  :) and if I make money from this then sure u can

also a google search for a botanical with synergistic effects was epic fail  :-[ can u think of any off the top of your head.
Title: Re: How do I neutralize the smell in vinegar?
Post by: Honclbrif on October 03, 2011, 08:21:59 PM
"I would like to use vinegar is because is makes the skin soft, and helps to clean out pores. Dont ask me "HOW???" lol its just what seems to happen to mine and people who also use it on there skin. talking about apple cider vinegar."

Scientists hate to see "Don't ask me how, it just works" I'm going to be "that guy" and suggest you get a little scientific on this:

Have you tried other types of vinegar?
How do their pH's differ? (you can get pH strips for a reasonable price online).
If its cinder vinegar only that has this effect, it could be some other component that is causing this effect. Does neutralizing it with baking soda or another base maintain the skin softening effect?
Title: Re: How do I neutralize the smell in vinegar?
Post by: crank01 on October 04, 2011, 11:43:54 AM
"I would like to use vinegar is because is makes the skin soft, and helps to clean out pores. Dont ask me "HOW???" lol its just what seems to happen to mine and people who also use it on there skin. talking about apple cider vinegar."

Scientists hate to see "Don't ask me how, it just works" I'm going to be "that guy" and suggest you get a little scientific on this:

Have you tried other types of vinegar?
How do their pH's differ? (you can get pH strips for a reasonable price online).
If its cinder vinegar only that has this effect, it could be some other component that is causing this effect. Does neutralizing it with baking soda or another base maintain the skin softening effect?
Damn for that quote of mine I sure had bad spelling typos lol, jeez. And yes it's apple cider vinegar, and I haven't tried any bases to start with, what bases do you think I can try that is readily available?
Title: Re: How do I neutralize the smell in vinegar?
Post by: fledarmus on October 04, 2011, 12:11:06 PM
Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) would be the obvious first try. Ammonium hydroxide would be another possibility (ammonia in water), although you would need to balance it very carefully so that the ammonia just neutralizes the acetic acid and neither one can be smelled much. A small amount of an anionic detergent might also work - sodium lauryl sulfate, for example.
Title: Re: How do I neutralize the smell in vinegar?
Post by: crank01 on October 04, 2011, 02:40:19 PM
Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) would be the obvious first try. Ammonium hydroxide would be another possibility (ammonia in water), although you would need to balance it very carefully so that the ammonia just neutralizes the acetic acid and neither one can be smelled much. A small amount of an anionic detergent might also work - sodium lauryl sulfate, for example.
thanks I'll write these down, anyone got more to suggest please let me know  ;D

and I know this thread is totally different than what you all mainly focus on lol so sorry if its out of the ordinary.