6 Things You Shouldn't Clean with White Vinegar

White vinegar is a great natural cleaning ingredient, but you can't use it for everything. Read this article to find out what you shouldn't clean with it.

When it comes to cleaning, there’s a lot of talk of the beneficial effects of white vinegar. However, the results may not be as good in some objects or surface areas. In this article, we’re going to tell you which things you shouldn’t clean with white vinegar.

Unlike industrial chemicals, vinegar is a natural ingredient that you can use to clean many things. Along with baking soda, lemon, and salt, it belongs to the select group of everyday ingredients that have many other uses.

However, like everything else, it has its contraindications. There are certain things you shouldn’t clean with white vinegar if you don’t want to ruin them. Do you know what they are? Find out which things we’re talking about here.

6 Things You Shouldn’t Clean with White Vinegar

What makes white vinegar so effective is its low pH, which makes it a rather acidic substance. Although this may be good for some things, it’s not for others.

Here are some things you shouldn’t clean with white vinegar:

1. Hardwood floors

While it may work on some surface areas, using white vinegar can also cause irreparable stains or discolorations on hardwood floors.

Therefore, the best precaution you can take to avoid unnecessary problems is buying specific cleaning products made for these types of floors. Yes, it’s not a natural alternative, but there’s little other choice.

However, this isn’t the case with wood furniture. White vinegar combined with olive oil may be useful to remove stains and dirt from wooden furniture.

2. Stone surfaces

Natural stones such as granite or marble don’t react well to acidic substances. Therefore, it’s best not to apply white vinegar on these surfaces. You also shouldn’t use lemon nor baking soda on them.

The same goes for stone floors. It’s better to use specific cleaning products made for these surfaces.

3. Appliances and electronic devices

Despite its polishing properties, you shouldn’t use white vinegar to clean televisions or computers. You also shouldn’t apply it on microwaves, coffee makers, or irons, and much less on touch screens such as tablets and mobile phones.

Apart from eliminating their natural shine and wearing down their surface, this substance could alter its parts. Consequently, you could end up with technical problems caused by the vinegar.

4. Food stains

Whether on clothes, on floors, on your car seats, or on the couch, white vinegar doesn’t remove food stains. On the contrary, its components act on food scraps and make them much more difficult to remove.

5. Bleach

Never mix white vinegar with bleach. The combination of these two elements can be fatal because they form chlorine gas. This is a very toxic vapor-released substance.

6. Iron pots and pans

These beloved kitchen items are on the list of things you shouldn’t clean with white vinegar for two reasons. The first is that the acid in the vinegar detaches nonstick surfaces. As you know, this greatly limits the functionality of your pots and pans.

Furthermore, the iron doesn’t react well to these acid components. The result could be a stained pot or pan.

Things You Can Clean with White Vinegar

Although you shouldn’t use it to clean certain things, white vinegar has a lot of advantages when it comes to cleaning. Some of the surfaces you can clean with this ingredient are:

• Wooden furniture
• All bathroom components: the toilet, tub, faucets, sinks
• You can also use it to remove rust from tools and parts
• In addition, you can use it to disinfect the fridge
• Mirrors

In conclusion, this ingredient can either be a great cleaning ally or a double-edged sword with irreversible results. If you’re informed and pay attention to the components of each item you’re about to clean, you can avoid ruining the things you love so much.