Why Do Some Australian Beaches Have Vinegar Stations?

When visiting one of Australia’s many tropical beaches, golden sands and glistening turquoise waters might not be the only things you’ll see – you could find bottles of vinegar, too. Why? It’s not for putting on your chippy tea, but for something altogether more dangerous: jellyfish stings.

Australia is infamous for its many dangerous animals, and its tropical waters are no different. They’re home to the Australian box jellyfish (Chironex fleckeri), largely regarded as the most venomous marine animal in the world and able to cause cardiac arrest and death within minutes. 

Other potentially fatal jellies include a group known as the Irukandji jellyfish, which despite their miniscule size (about 1-2 centimeters or 0.4-0.8 inches) can pack a deadly punch. Less lethal but still plenty painful, you might also come across the Portuguese man o' war (Physalia physalis), also known as a “bluebottle” (and only a jellyfish in vibes – it’s actually a siphonophore).

Vinegar is on hand in the unfortunate situation that someone gets stung by one of the more deadly types of jellyfish. That’s because, in the case of box jellyfish, vinegar can inhibit nematocysts. Found on the tentacles – and someone’s skin after they touch those tentacles – these are tiny capsules or “stinging cells” that deliver coiled, barbed tubes containing the venom, delivering the jellyfish “sting”.

As for Irukandji jellyfish, the evidence to suggest the same process occurs when using vinegar on stings from all members of the group is less concrete. However, it’s still considered to be good first aid practice, and Australia’s national health service recommends pouring or spraying vinegar on such stings for at least 30 seconds – and also to call emergency services.

One thing is clear though – you definitely shouldn’t use vinegar on a sting from a Portuguese Man O’ War, or any other member of the Physalia genus. In this case, vinegar instead causes nematocysts to discharge, which is going to make the pain of a sting a heck of a lot worse. Instead, it’s recommended to wash off any tentacles with seawater (freshwater will make it worse) and then soak the affected area in hot water (up to a comfortably tolerable temperature) for 20 minutes. 

Similarly – and contrary to popular belief – you really shouldn’t pee on a jellyfish sting either. Not only is there no scientific basis for it, but it could also make the pain worse; the force of the urine stream or its chemical contents can trigger nematocysts to discharge.

“Jellyfish stings are painful enough without amplifying the symptoms,” cautioned Dr Thomas Waters, an emergency medicine specialist, in an article for Cleveland Clinic Health Essentials. “You might mean well by peeing on a sting, but putting the wrong substance on it can really make things worse.”

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The content of this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.