Can white vinegar remove scale from an electric kettle?

Yes. Fill the kettle halfway with equal parts white vinegar and water, boil it, and leave it for 30 to 60 minutes. Pour it out, scrub any loose scale, then boil fresh water once and throw it away so no vinegar taste remains.

Is white vinegar the same as safed sirka?

Yes. Safed sirka is the Hindi name for white vinegar, a clear solution of acetic acid in water. Other vinegars such as apple cider or sugarcane vinegar have colour and flavour from their source, while white vinegar is plain and clear.

Can I use this white vinegar for cooking or achaar?

Only if the label says food grade. Azlok lists this white vinegar as a cosmetic raw ingredient for DIY cosmetics, cleaning and descaling, so it is not sold for food use. For pickles and cooking, buy vinegar clearly labelled food grade.

Is it safe to mix vinegar and baking soda for cleaning?

It is safe, but it doesn't do much. The two neutralise each other into salty water and carbon dioxide, which is why it fizzes. The fizz can help loosen grime in a drain, but for scale use vinegar alone and for grease use soda alone.

Can I mix vinegar with bleach or toilet cleaner?

No. Vinegar mixed with bleach or bleach-based toilet cleaners releases chlorine gas, which harms the lungs. Use one product, rinse thoroughly with water, and only then use the other. Keep the bathroom ventilated while cleaning.

What percentage of acetic acid is in white vinegar?

Household white vinegar is usually about 4 to 8% acetic acid, with the rest water. The exact strength varies by maker, so read the label on your pack. A stronger vinegar needs more dilution for jobs like glass cleaning.

Will vinegar damage marble or granite floors?

It can. Vinegar is an acid and etches marble, limestone and the polish on some granite, leaving dull patches. Clean stone with a neutral pH cleaner instead and keep vinegar for glass, steel, tiles and kettles.

White Vinegar (Sirka): Uses, Strength and Safe Handling

White vinegar, called safed sirka in Hindi, is a clear solution of acetic acid in water, usually about 4 to 8% acid. People use it to remove hard-water scale from kettles and taps, clean glass, as a mild acid in DIY cosmetics and cleaners, and in cooking when the pack is food grade.

Last updated 7 Nov 2026

White vinegar (dilute acetic acid) price today →हिंदी में पढ़ें

Specifications

Formula: CH3COOH in water
CAS number: 64-19-7
Grades: Cosmetic
Hindi name: सफ़ेद सिरका

Products and pack sizes

Product	Grade	Pack	Price (incl. GST)	₹ per kg
White Vinegar	Cosmetic	—	₹199	—

What is white vinegar?

White vinegar is a clear, colourless liquid made of acetic acid diluted in water, with the sharp sour smell everyone knows. In Hindi it is safed sirka (सिरका). Household white vinegar is usually about 4 to 8% acetic acid. The rest is water.

Active acid: acetic acid, CH3COOH
CAS number (acetic acid): 64-19-7
Molar mass of acetic acid: about 60.05 g/mol
Boiling point of pure acetic acid: about 118 °C

It is a weak acid. It dissolves calcium carbonate, the white crust hard water leaves behind, and it neutralises mild alkalis like baking soda with a lot of fizzing. It does not harm most glass, steel or plastics, but it etches marble and some natural stone.

Grades and pack sizes at Azlok

Azlok lists White Vinegar under its cosmetic raw ingredients, for people making hair rinses, toners and home-made cleaning products. The acid strength and pack size are shown on the product page and label, so check them before you dilute.

Product	Listed as	Suits
White Vinegar	Cosmetic raw ingredient	DIY cosmetics, descaling, cleaning

This listing is not sold as food grade, so don't use it for cooking or pickles unless the label you receive says food grade. See today's price per litre.

Common uses

Descaling: removing white scale from electric kettles, steam irons, shower heads and taps in hard-water areas.
Cleaning: streak-free glass and mirrors, removing soap scum and water spots on tiles and steel sinks.
Laundry: a little in the rinse to cut detergent residue on towels.
DIY cosmetics: as a mild acid to bring down the pH of hair rinses and some home-made products.
Science and crafts: school experiments with baking soda, and as a mild acid for cleaning tarnish from brass and copper together with salt.

How to use it

Job	Mix	Time
Kettle descaling	1 part vinegar : 1 part water	Boil, leave 30 to 60 minutes, rinse well
Glass and mirrors	1 part vinegar : 1 part water in a spray bottle	Spray and wipe with a dry cloth
Tap and shower head scale	Undiluted	Soak a cloth or tie a bag over it for 1 to 2 hours
Laundry rinse	About half a cup in the final rinse	Normal cycle

After descaling a kettle, boil fresh water once and throw it away so no taste remains. For a hair rinse, people commonly use about one tablespoon of vinegar in a cup of water, rinse it through and wash it off. Do a patch test on the inner arm first if you have sensitive skin.

Never use vinegar on marble, granite with a polished finish, or cement grout you want to keep. The acid etches them.

Safety and storage

Never mix vinegar with bleach or bleach-based toilet cleaners. Together they release chlorine gas, which is dangerous to breathe.
Don't mix it with hydrogen peroxide in the same bottle either.
Keep it out of the eyes. If it splashes, rinse with clean water for several minutes.
Use gloves if your hands will be in it for long or you have cuts.
Store tightly closed in its original plastic or glass bottle, away from direct sun. Don't keep it in metal containers.
Keep away from children.
Used household vinegar can be poured down the drain with running water.

Finished cosmetics sold to the public in India have to meet BIS and CDSCO rules, so treat home recipes as personal use unless you have checked those requirements.

Choosing the right grade and pack

First decide what you need it for. For cleaning, descaling and DIY cosmetics, this listing is fine. For cooking, salad dressing or pickles, buy vinegar labelled food grade.

Check the acid strength on the label, because a stronger vinegar needs more water for the same job. A household that only descales a kettle once a month uses little, so a small bottle is enough. Cleaning businesses, laundries and small cosmetic makers usually find larger packs work out cheaper. For 25 kg or more, use the bulk inquiry form.

Frequently asked questions

Can white vinegar remove scale from an electric kettle?: Yes. Fill the kettle halfway with equal parts white vinegar and water, boil it, and leave it for 30 to 60 minutes. Pour it out, scrub any loose scale, then boil fresh water once and throw it away so no vinegar taste remains.
Is white vinegar the same as safed sirka?: Yes. Safed sirka is the Hindi name for white vinegar, a clear solution of acetic acid in water. Other vinegars such as apple cider or sugarcane vinegar have colour and flavour from their source, while white vinegar is plain and clear.
Can I use this white vinegar for cooking or achaar?: Only if the label says food grade. Azlok lists this white vinegar as a cosmetic raw ingredient for DIY cosmetics, cleaning and descaling, so it is not sold for food use. For pickles and cooking, buy vinegar clearly labelled food grade.
Is it safe to mix vinegar and baking soda for cleaning?: It is safe, but it doesn't do much. The two neutralise each other into salty water and carbon dioxide, which is why it fizzes. The fizz can help loosen grime in a drain, but for scale use vinegar alone and for grease use soda alone.
Can I mix vinegar with bleach or toilet cleaner?: No. Vinegar mixed with bleach or bleach-based toilet cleaners releases chlorine gas, which harms the lungs. Use one product, rinse thoroughly with water, and only then use the other. Keep the bathroom ventilated while cleaning.
What percentage of acetic acid is in white vinegar?: Household white vinegar is usually about 4 to 8% acetic acid, with the rest water. The exact strength varies by maker, so read the label on your pack. A stronger vinegar needs more dilution for jobs like glass cleaning.
Will vinegar damage marble or granite floors?: It can. Vinegar is an acid and etches marble, limestone and the polish on some granite, leaving dull patches. Clean stone with a neutral pH cleaner instead and keep vinegar for glass, steel, tiles and kettles.