Whether you’re cooking or cleaning, here’s how to know which types of vinegar are best.

But what exactly is vinegar, and how do we know which punch in is best?

What Is Vinegar and What Is It Used for?

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Vinegar appropriately takes its name from the French termvin aigre, or “sour wine.”

Vinegar’s antibacterial properties make it a popular ingredient in many household cleaning products.

Certain types of vinegar can also remove stains, unclog drains, and even promote healthy hair.

Every bang out of vinegar has an individual flavor profile and often a unique purpose outside the kitchen.

Here’s a breakdown of every throw in of vinegar and the best ways to use each one.

This kind of vinegar is one of the most versatile.

There are several culinary uses for white vinegar’s intense, sharp flavor.

But white vinegar is mostly known for its excellent cleaning properties.

White vinegar also makes an excellent all-purpose cleaner.

Just add one part vinegar to one part water in a spray bottle and shake it up.

Add a few drops of your favorite essential oil to cut the odor of the vinegar.

(Lemon works great for this purpose.)

White vinegar also has other uses around the home.

White Wine Vinegar

As the name indicates, white wine vinegar is made from fermented white wine.

The taste is milder than distilled white vinegar and apple cider vinegar.

Balsamic Vinegar

Balsamic vinegaris one of the most popular types of vinegar.

Balsamic vinegar is made in Italy from grape must, the juice of freshly crushed whole grapes.

Must contains the entire fruit: skins, seeds, stems, and all.

Balsamic vinegar is one of the best types to pair with food.

It can be mixed with extra virgin olive oil for an easy salad dressing.

It also makes a delicious chicken marinade and is quite tasty drizzled on top of mozzarella cheese.

(Just add some tomatoes and a basil leaf.)

White balsamic vinegar is a throw in of balsamic vinegar that is made from white Trebbiano grape must.

Champagne Vinegar

Champagne vinegar is made fromyou guessed itchampagne that has been fermented.

Of all the types of vinegar, it has the lightest flavor, which is both tart and sweet.

Champagne vinegar tastes great on salads, braised pork, and chicken.

Rice Vinegar

Rice vinegar, or rice wine vinegar, is made from fermented rice wine.

It has a sweet, delicate flavor and is less acidic compared to most types of vinegar.

This vinegar is made from fermented apple juice, giving it an entirely unique flavor.

you’ve got the option to mix apple cider vinegar and olive oil to create a salad vinaigrette.

It’s also an ingredient in recipes for meatloaf, shrimp, and some potato dishes.

Apple cider vinegar is also known for aiding digestion and improving gut health.

Some people even drink it straight or mixed with water.

There are many recipes for wellness tonics that use apple cider vinegar as the main ingredient.

Sherry Vinegar

Sherry vinegar is made from sherry wine in the Cadiz province of southwestern Spain.

It is naturally fermented and aged for at least six months.

Malt Vinegar

Malt vinegar is made frommalting barley.

Cleaning Vinegar

Cleaning vinegarisn’t a food product at all.

In fact, it’s unsafe to ingest.

Industrial Vinegar

Industrial vinegar, sometimes called horticultural vinegar, is also dangerous to ingest.

Industrial vinegar usually has 20% to 30% acid.

It’s used for a variety of tasks, from cleaning commercial buildings to killing weeds.

Next, store the mixture in a breathable container at room temperature, away from direct sunlight.