Expert: Walter Hintz - 2/8/2012

Question
My husband and I have a bet - can pathogens - viruses, bacteria, amoebas etc. live in water that has had vinegar poured in it.  I do not know what percentage it is water versus vinegar.

We left water from Sunday in a bowl with some baby bottle nipples soaking in a mixture.  I poured some of the mixture out on Sunday but some was still in there this morning.  

I say it's "clean" he says it's dirty and could house dangerous bacteria etc.  Who's right?

Answer
Hi Jessyca
Vinegar is acetic acid and a virus particle and protozoans like amoebas would not survive.(Actually virus particles are not living and need living cells to remain active) Some bacteria can form spores and could survive depending upon the strength of the acetic acid. Such sporeformers however are usually just common non pathogens.
 The terms "clean" and "dirty" are arbitrary however but in this situation I would choose the term dirty even though the possibility of there being dangerous pathogens there unlikely. So In a way you are both correct.
 Since we have a baby involved I would re-steralize the nipples