Does Vinegar Kill Germs and Mold?

This is one of the most common questions I get asked, since I'm a huge fan of using vinegar as a cleaner...

(A simple Very Vinegar Cleaning Recipe -- 1 part white vinegar to 4 or 5 parts water, swished together in a clean plastic spray bottle. You can add a few drops of dishwashing liquid to that if you so choose. More cleaning recipes available all the time at http://www.happyslob.com/cleaningrecipes.html)

Does vinegar kill germs and mold?

The remarkable answer (and truthful one) is - YES!

Heinz company spokesperson Michael Mullen references numerous studies to show that a straight 5 percent solution of vinegar—such as you can buy in the supermarket—kills 99 percent of bacteria, 82 percent of mold, and 80 percent of germs (viruses). He noted that Heinz can't claim on their packaging that vinegar is a disinfectant since the company has not registered it as a pesticide with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). However, it seems to be common knowledge in the industry that vinegar is powerfully antibacterial. Even the CBS news show 48 Hours had a special with Heloise reporting on tests from The Good Housekeeping Institute that showed this.