Vinegar (pH 3) and Soap/Bleach (pH 12/13) are in the opposite ends of the pH scale but are both used to clean surfaces effectively. Can someone explain why this is so?

Question

What is in vinegar that makes it clean well, and what is in soap/bleach that makes it clean well despite both being in opposite ends of the scale? And is it advisable to use one before the other for maximum effectiveness?

In: Chemistry

Answer 1

The clue is it isn’t much to do with pH. They both have the property where the can dissolve both hydrophilic and hydrophobic stuff.