WHAT EVERY DIYer SHOULD KNOW ABOUT CLEANING WITH BAKING SODA AND VINEGAR

I love to search the internet for great DIY recipes to help me replace toxic chemicals in my home with safe, non-toxic alternatives. At the top of most DIY household cleaning recipes are two staples: baking soda and vinegar. As a chemist, I have a natural curiosity about how things work at the molecular level. Having an understanding of the chemical nature of things, helps me to think critically about the recipes that are posted on the internet and make a determination as to whether this will work or not. 

One such DIY household cleaning recipe that I recently found, listed a combination of 1 cup baking soda, 1 cup distilled white vinegar, and 10-12 drops essential oils, in a glass container topped with water. I have seen multiple recipes like this one, and wondered many times, how does it actually clean anything? The combination of an acid (vinegar) and a base (baking soda) should neutralize them both and produce water and a salt. So how on earth is that going to get anything clean, or disinfect anything? 

I discuss this in my latest Youtube video.