Q: I have been researching the many benefits of vinegar. I want to start using it to clean the mats on which we practice. I have read that vinegar is a great disinfectant and germ-killer. I was warned about its acidity. Will diluting the vinegar with water still be an effective disinfectant and not wear away the vinyl? Thanks so much!

A: Vinegar is acetic acid already diluted to between 3% and 5%, and the acidity should not harm the vinyl. But there are a lot of germs that are immune to acidity, including the ones that cause gastroenteritis (vomiting, diarrhea, etc.) As long as you used some soap with the vinegar solution, you should be able to wash most of the germs off the mats. But if someone got sick on a mat, I would definitely disinfect it with a bleach solution - a cup of household bleach in a gallon of water. Bleach is the only thing that will kill norovirus, which is the bug responsible for all those outbreaks...