Vinegar is a liquid consisting mainly of acetic acid (CH3CO2H) and water. The acetic acid is produced by the fermentation of ethanol by acetic acid bacteria. Vinegar is now mainly used as a cooking ingredient, but historically, as the most easily available mild acid, it had a great variety of industrial, medical, and domestic uses, some of which (such as a general household cleanser) are still promoted today. Commercial vinegar is produced either by fast or slow fermentation processes.
