Cleaning with vinegar

Should you be cleaning with vinegar…

Yes, or No?

As many of you who read my blogs may know by now, I am a big fan of cleaning with more of a natural and gentle option to the planet, that you may have in the house, instead of cleaning with products you buy from any supermarket shelf. Cleaning with vinegar can bring up some great results!

We all use a quick Google search for everything don’t we? So, if you do a Google search on how to clean anything you’re looking for, it will bring up results that vinegar is a natural, non-toxic, sustainable, and cheap store-cupboard solution for just about anything.

However, while it’s good for cleaning some things, you must know it could cause irreparable damage to others.

Vinegar’s acidity is good for descaling kettles and cleaning ovens, equally what causes it to corrode and dissolve limescale also means it can eat away at other surfaces in your home.

 

Things are are NOT safe for cleaning with vinegar

1 Mirrors

The reasoning behind this is because it can seep behind the thin coating of the mirror and corrode the silver backing that gives mirrors its shine.

Instead, use a non-corrosive, gentle cleaner along with a microfibre cloth.

2 Steam Irons

As you might have read in my other blogs, while vinegar is a great way of flushing limescale out of your kettle (citric acid leaves less of a smell), you shouldn’t use it to descale your steam iron.

This is because it can permanently damage the inside of the iron by eating away at the protective coating inside and eroding the plastic, rubber, and metal parts.

3 Stone or Granite Countertops

We know the vinegar won’t be on the countertops long enough to cause huge damage, however, it can still eat away at the surface. This means that the granite or stone surfaces will start losing their shine.

Kitchen countertops and stone flooring aren’t cheap to replace, so clean them with washing up liquid diluted with water. Or any specific product tailored to stone and granite.

4 Wooden flooring

While some people like to dilute vinegar for cleaning hardwood flooring, the truth is that vinegar can eat away at the finish.

A safer option is to use a cleaning product that’s specially formulated for wood floors.

5 Electronic Screens

Always check the manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning and maintenance advice.

Do not clean electronic screens with vinegar. It can strip off the protective coating from your electronics.

Instead, wipe the screens of your electronic devices with microfibre cloths.

Then use isopropyl alcohol spray or wipes to remove germs and nasty microbes if the manufacturer advises you to do so.

 

Safely cleaning with vinegar

Vinegar is the multipurpose, chemical-free household cleaner you can use in my opinion. But obviously you need to know what you can and cannot clean with vinegar.

The acidic nature of vinegar is so powerful that it can dissolve mineral deposit, grease, and grime. It’s also strong enough to kill bacteria.

However, there are different types of vinegar (apple cider vinegar, white distilled vinegar, balsamic vinegar, red or white wine vinegar) so, which one should you use?

 

Best type of vinegar to use

White distilled vinegar is the best vinegar for cleaning because it doesn’t contain a colouring agent, So, it won’t stain surfaces.

Also, distilled white vinegar has about 5% acidity, which is also similar to the acidity level in most everyday multipurpose cleaners.

If you are concerned about the strong odour of white vinegar, you can use apple cider vinegar instead. The scent may linger for about an hour, but you can open windows if it is bothering you or light an incense stick or put a few essence oil drops in a burner to mask the scent. However, this might be a small price to pay for a cleaner that’s non-toxic, natural, and environmentally friendly.

 

Things around the home that cleaning with vinegar is safe for

Glass comes up perfect when cleaning with vinegar

Combine one part water with two parts vinegar in a spray bottle. Spray the solution on glass surfaces and wipe clean for a streak-free finish.

Windows become crystal clear when cleaning with vinegar

You can clean your windows with a homemade mix with vinegar and water solution to get them sparkling in no time.

Mix equal parts of white vinegar and hot water and add a splash of liquid soap to help remove any streaks.

Faucets 

Combine 2 teaspoons of vinegar and 1 teaspoon of salt to remove calcium deposits on faucets and fixtures. This solution can also remove hard water stains from showerheads. For stubborn limescale removal, click here.

Showers and tubs

Thick soap scum and mildew can be challenging to remove. Spray undiluted white vinegar over tub and shower walls. Let the vinegar sit for several minutes, then scrub and rinse away.

You can also combine baking soda and vinegar to create a paste and scrub away tough grime.

Toilets

Pour 2 to 3 cups of undiluted vinegar into the toilet bowl and let it sit for up to 3 hours. Scrub with a toilet brush and flush.

Bathtub

Mix vinegar with warm water and begin scrubbing the surface of your problem area. If it’s a stubborn stain, mix vinegar and baking soda and let sit for a few minutes then scrub.

Microwave

To eliminate odours and stubborn stains in your microwave, place a bowl containing a 1/4 cup of vinegar and 1 cup of water inside the microwave and heat for a couple of minutes.

Plastic chopping boards

This is one area where you really need to be ultra-hygienic to prevent cross-contamination of raw meats.

Disinfect these in your water and vinegar solution then wash in soapy hot water.

 

There are many other things you can clean with vinegar, but please check the instruction manual from manufacturer or any trustworthy website or blog before you clean, as you may cause irreversible damage if vinegar is not used appropriately.

 

Suitable cleaning alternative for your home

Natural does not equal sustainable

Everything on the planet is made from a combination of a small set of chemical elements, so dividing things into ‘natural’ and ‘chemical’ can be misleading.

The only way of making sure the cleaning products you use are sustainable is if they are renewable and ethically made.

You can check for the following:

Is it ‘vegan’?

This means whether the surface-active agents used are made using crude oil or vegetable oils.

Is the bottle and cap recyclable?

Is the plastic made from virgin plastic or has it been previously recycled?

Is there a refillable option to avoid buying many plastic or glass bottles?

Solid cleaning options that you dissolve in water are also becoming a growing option. Here is some amazon options that are great for the task