What NOT to clean with vinegar Granite and marble countertops. How to Use Vinegar in the Laundry Room . Privacy Policy. For many people, trying to get hardwood floors to shine can be one of the toughest issues to tackle, but over time, vinegar can make your floors shine less. Over time, vinegar will deteriorate the condition of the grout by etching or wearing away. Grout that hasn't been sealed or needs to be resealed should not be cleaned with vinegar. Add vinegar to the laundry rinse cycle Best Waxed floors or furniture The acidity will dull the shine and strip away the protective wax over time. Reply. Real Simple suggests not using vinegar to clean up messes that involve eggs "because the acid will react with the eggs, changing their consistency and making it more difficult to remove." The vinegar does not deter ants. One of the biggest reasons why you shouldn’t use vinegar to clean everything is... 2. For best results, check with your stone supplier for guidance on vinegar and the best cleaners—often, all that is needed is water and a soft cloth to keep your stone looking great. Porous surfaces like wood, stone, and grout are susceptible to damage from acidic cleaners like vinegar. Granite or Marble.. Since vinegar is an acid, it releases toxic chlorine vapors when mixed with bleach. If you are like me, when you first started with DIY cleaning using kitchen cupboard ingredients, you may have started using vinegar for everything. When it comes to cleaning, vinegar is a solid workhorse. Vinegar is a wonder ingredient for household cleaning – but it's actually too strong for some uses. Vinegar is highly acidic and can, therefore, dull or damage the finish on hardwood floors. Use Vinegar, But Clean with Caution! 1. How to Use Cleaning Vinegar. Some suggest using vinegar on pet stains on the carpet, but it doesn't work as well as an enzymatic carpet cleaner. If you’re a fan of poached eggs you’ll know vinegar causes the egg to coagulate and it will do exactly the same without boiling water and a hob too. 7 Things Not To Clean With Vinegar 1. When it comes to floors and countertops, look for a product that’s safe for sealed surfaces. Here’s how to use vinegar to clean your bathroom from top to bottom: Toilet bowl cleaner; Mold and mildew remover; Mineral deposit remover; 03 of 06. Carolyn Forte, director of the Good Housekeeping Institute Cleaning Lab, recommends placing a large glass measuring cup filled with two cups of vinegar on the … ), and the best part is that there are no hard chemicals involved.. Additionally, the vinegar can damage the top surface of the floors, dimming and darkening them with age and repeated use. In fact, there are plenty of surprising things you can clean with vinegar.. ; Bathroom fixtures (faucets, shower head, shower, tub, sink, toilet): vinegar removes hard water buildup and removes soap scum. You may have washed windows and toilets and shelves with vinegar, you may have put it in your dishwasher and washing machine, made face masks and hair … Yep, cleaning granite and marble countertops with vinegar is a huge no-no. 5 Surfaces That Can't Be Cleaned With Vinegar Hardwood Floors. Use an alkaline soap, such as dish soap, for oil spills and messes. Although vinegar is considered a natural cleaning product, but “natural” doesn’t necessarily mean harmless. However, for all of its great uses, there are certain items around the house you don’t want to … These days, it’s probably not that uncommon to find industrial sized bottles of the stuff in most households. Granite and/or marble countertops – the acidic nature of vinegar will etch these stones, since these are natural stones! And vinegar shouldn’t be used to clean up your electronics (stick to a dry duster for that). But wait! Although it’s only a one percent difference in acidity, it actually results in cleaning vinegar being 20 percent stronger than white vinegar! However, this effect is mitigated if the vinegar is heavily diluted with water or other cleaning ingredients. Introducing "One Thing": A New Video Series, The Spruce Gardening & Plant Care Review Board, The Spruce Renovations and Repair Review Board. The majority of white vinegar has 5 percent acidity, whereas cleaning vinegar has 6 percent. If you’re ready to start cleaning with vinegar, here’s what you need to know about where to use it, how to use it, and where to avoid it. Using vinegar won't give you the light sudsy action that you need to get no wax vinyl clean. Vinegar is highly acidic and can, therefore, dull or damage the finish on hardwood floors. For granite countertops, a lot of people recommend a dedicated stone cleaner, but plain water and a microfiber cleaning cloth is usually all you need to get the stone to shine. Remember, mopping with too much water or any cleaner is a big mistake for hardwood floors—they can warp or have the surface damaged when left wet. To really get the problem dealt with, you need to get a pet-specific carpet cleaner. Vinegar need not go on the granite countertops. Vinegar contains acetic acid that can damage natural stone. my homemade solution for cleaning my phone and laptop. Mix equal parts of vinegar and water in a spray bottle and label. How many cleaning tips have you seen that recommend vinegar as the magic ingredient? Though you can clean with white vinegar (or even apple cider vinegar in a pinch), it isn’t as effective as cleaning vinegar. Vinegar is the secret to perfect poached eggs for a reason: it helps to keep it together. Christina. Vinegar is the Imperfect Disinfectant Using vinegar to clean up eggs will only make things more difficult. It can be used to clean a lot of things, from windows to clothes. Fabric softeners, stain removers, oxygen boosters—don’t be fooled into thinking you need all of these products to get your clothes clean. Household cleaning is made easy with this common, inexpensive disinfectant, deodorizer and degreaser. Avoid using vinegar as a cleaning agent on these five places in the household, as there are other solutions that are either less risky or more effective. It can dissolve soap scum, break up sticky buildup, and even kill some germs. Never use vinegar to clean natural stone countertops or tile; it can lead to pitting in the stone. Hardwood floors – vinegar is known to cause damage to the finish of these floors. From hardwood floors to kitchen appliances, check out these 30 household items you should be cleaning with vinegar. August 17, 2016 at 1:17 PM. Vinegar can be used to clean and disinfect many household surfaces and items, but it’s not a universal cleaner. Not only will vinegar get the interior and exterior of your microwave nice and clean, but it is also ideal to get rid of smell in microwave. Use a sponge mop on no-wax vinyl floors; it is able to push the cleaner into grooves and pull the dirt out. As I already mentioned, this is my favorite way to clean with vinegar. Because vinegar is a natural disinfectant, it can clean and disinfect countertops after food preparation. The vinegar penetrates into the spaces for air in the grout and weakens them. but have you ever thought of using vinegar that’s kept inside your pantry cupboard to clean your toilet without using any of those toxic chemicals that you see on TV commercials so often. If you want to keep your stone countertops looking beautiful, don’t reach for vinegar. She writes about housekeeping and organizing a home for national publications. Hardwood Floors.. There’s also some conflicting information on cleaning hardwood floors with vinegar (and you can... 3. If you have that unpleasant odor of burned popcorn or the lingering effects of steamed Brussels sprouts, vinegar can take care of the odor. White vinegar has 5 percent acidity; while cleaning vinegar, on the other hand, has 6 percent. Instead of spending money on window cleaners make your own. Vinegar is cheap, green and a powerful disinfectant. However, since vinegar is acidic, it cannot be used to clean everything. In particular,... 3. (If you’re like my Grandma, you’ll use newspaper to clean the window or mirror.) Clean around the house with a cleaning paste. The bathroom specialists say, ‘Bring vinegar to a boil then use the warm vinegar to wipe down the shower door and walls. While vinegar is a wunderkind cleaning-catch all, there are still at least a few things you should avoid slathering it on. Leave the bag overnight, and remove the morning after before showering’ is the experts’ best advice. 5 Reasons NOT to Clean with Vinegar for Everything 1. To use this cleaner, apply a small amount to the … Opt instead for a hardwood floor cleaner that will enhance and protect the shine and surface of your floor. Irons. Not even once! Since distilled white vinegar is so acidic, it’s a great tool for cleaning your home without harmful chemicals. Vinegar might mask the odor, but it won't eliminate the reason for the odor. Vinegar will make cleaning up a split or splattered egg much more difficult. Squirt on, then wipe off with a dry cloth. For many... No-Wax Floors. ; Drains and garbage disposals: vinegar neutralizes the odor causing particles in … Vinegar has a million uses as a natural cleaner. As a general rule of cleaning, white Vinegar Wins over Apple Cider Vinegar. There are some surfaces you can clean with vinegar, but only sparingly or in small amounts. Never Use Vinegar On Your Computer Monitor Or Smartphone. 15 Ways to Clean with Vinegar Use vinegar to clean windows and mirrors. There’s very little that your regular detergent … Cleaning vinegar can be used undiluted or mixed with water, depending on the job. 9 Things You Should Never Clean With Vinegar Clothes Iron. Good old-fashioned white vinegar remains one of the most powerful tools in your home-cleaning arsenal: non-toxic, 100-per-cent natural with anti-bacterial properties, vinegar can be the secret weapon when it comes to making your home healthy and sparkling clean. Instead of vinegar, use … Avoid using vinegar on the following: • Countertops made from granite or marble. Enzymatic carpet cleaners can be found in grocery stores or anywhere where you buy cleaning supplies. Vinegar can clean vinyl floors, laminate countertops, and ceramic sinks and toilets—but it can't clean everything. What can you clean with vinegar? The Spruce / Erin Huffstetler. Check your grout yearly to see if it is time to seal the tile again. Vinegar should not be used to clean anything that can corrode—don’t use it on cast iron or aluminum. And while most of us know that bleach and ammonia can create a toxic gas, vinegar is another liquid you shouldn’t mix with bleach. As you know, the price difference of toilet cleaning detergent, when compared to white vinegar it’s pretty big too. Using vinegar to clean the inside of your iron can corrode the heating element and permanently damage the... Countertops. “Since vinegar is very acidic, it can damage fabric, corrode electronics, and etch into natural stone and marble, says Rodriguez-Zaba. There are a few things you should never clean with vinegar: Among them, upholstery, electrical items, and natural or porous stones (including granite). Like with hardwood floors, vinegar's acidity will take away the shine and sheen of a no-wax floor, which need a specialized cleaner. Vinegar is one of the unsung heroes of the cleaning world. Vinegar just doesn't work on removing grease from surfaces because it is an acid. Also, vinegar’s versatility is not without limitations. Before you pick up the bottle, you need to know what not to clean with vinegar. Your computer screen may start to look blurry from fingerprints, but that doesn’t mean you should clean it with vinegar. Vinegar's acidic nature can discolour granite and etch marble. While vinegar is safe to use on most surfaces, it can harm a few. Vinegar and baking soda cleaning pastes are great for carpets, tough dirt, baked on grime, stovetop grease, getting crayon off walls, pet accidents, and other hard-to-clean messes. Your email address will not be published. Mix 2 tablespoons of white vinegar with a gallon of water and dispense it with a spray bottle. From your coffee maker to your carpet to your kid's toys, learn how to clean items all around the home with white vinegar. So you must not use vinegar (even diluted) to clean hardwood floors. Just as you descale a coffee pot, you need to de-gunk your dishwasher too. Never add vinegar to the tank; it could permanently damage the inside of the appliance. Just stir together 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of vinegar and ¼ cup (55 g) of baking soda until they foam and become a paste. It Can be Harmful to Some Surfaces What you need to … Try to find the trail that the ants are following from the point that they get into your house to the point that they are on the countertops and clean with vinegar there. What it does do is remove the pheromone trail that the ants follow. If, however, you have sealed your grout on a regular basis, the vinegar won't be an issue. Spilt egg. How to Clean Hardwood Floors and Make Them Shine, You're Using Your Cleaning Products Wrong, How to Clean and Care for Marble Countertops. Sarah Aguirre has 20+ years of experience in the cleaning industry. One percent might not sound like much of a difference, but it actually makes the product 20 percent stronger. 8 Things You Should Never Clean With Vinegar. Cleaning Tips: What Not To Clean With Vinegar. How to clean a shower. 2. Mixing chemicals is serious business, and in general, is best to avoid for safety reasons. What Not To Clean With Vinegar. Seriously, there are so many things you can clean with vinegar, both in the kitchen and all around the house (even your deck! Just a reminder: no matter what you’re cleaning, never mix vinegar with bleach because it produces harmful, potentially deadly fumes. Granite and marble are natural stones that are soft enough to be etched by vinegar’s acidity over... 2. Vinegar is a versatile cleaner that can be used to clean: Windows, mirrors and glass: vinegar prevents mineral deposits and hard water build up. Get daily tips and tricks for making your best home. Stone surfaces, such as granite or quartz countertops, can be etched and damaged by the use of vinegar. These carpet cleaners can help to break down the stain, so your pet won't smell their past mistake and repeat it again in the same spot. ‘Pour some white vinegar into a plastic bag and secure with a hair tie.