# Ammonia in a dryer machine

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ammonia-in-a-dryer-machine/741808>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 31, 2015, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ammonia-in-a-dryer-machine/741808 "2015-12-31T12:14:01Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\
**Post date:** [December 31, 2015, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ammonia-in-a-dryer-machine/741808/1 "2015-12-31T12:14:01Z")

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Why is it that vinegar doesn’t corrode a steel and paint drum (i.e., dryer - it’s even recommended for cleaning ,) but ammonia does corrode steel and paint? Different pH?

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**Author:** ![DorkVader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@DorkVader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DorkVader)\
**Post date:** [December 31, 2015, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ammonia-in-a-dryer-machine/741808/2 "2015-12-31T12:26:16Z")

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because ammonia is a base where vinegar is an acid so the chemical reaction is different is at least part of the answer.