What doesn't vinegar clean?

Question

I am throwing away (or using up and not replenishing) my cleaning supplies. I am so tired of having fifty cleaners for every application and getting sick every time I clean my bathroom. I am switching to vinegar; however, I have heard so many good things about vinegar, I need to hear the bad! Is there anything that you just don't have luck cleaning with vinegar where the more traditional cleaners work better? Do you dilute it at all, or just use straight-up for most jobs?

Also - can I spray my kids toys with vinegar to disinfect them and let them play with them right away or do they have to dry first?

Answer 1

Seems like there are quite a few things about what vinegar **does** clean, but to your question about what it doesn't clean...

Do not use vinegar on surfaces that are sensitive to acids.  This can include a few sensitive metal surfaces (though most of them can stand up to it), but especially includes some stone surfaces such as marble and limestone derivatives.  It's really best to test a small area before embarking on a large surface (which can dull the shine... or worse).

As to disinfecting the kids' toys, vinegar isn't a broad-scale disinfectant.  Try Clorox Anywhere, which is a sanitizer that is safe on all surfaces.  It's safe enough to spray around the house, and doesn't leave a residue other than a little salt when it dries.  And you should let it dry, I believe.

Answer 2

Vinegar is an old liquid that has newly found a place as a wonder product. A miracle cleaner used in the correct mix. It can be used to clean almost everything. Disinfectant. bath tub cleaner. treatment for dandruff, spray mist for removing stains. The secret is the concentration in the mix. For some treatments you use 4 parts vinegar to one part powdered cleaner and one part water. for carpet cleaning. The concentraction of the mix or spray is the secret  to removing stains. Window is one parts water and two parts vinegar for best results. Didinfectante is three parts vinegar and one part water... Vinyl floor cleaner is two parts vinegar and one part floor cleaner and one part hot water The percentage is the secret to each application.

Negative aspects of using vinegar is it is an acid so you have to be careful around certain metals. Can not use at all on aluminun because it breaks down and has an oxidation and will eventually eat through a aluminun pie plate. You can use it on most non-poreous suffaces but porius surfaces can be broken down by leaving vinegar on the surface. Certain man-made surfaces are one example. It will blemish certain metals or burn into the metal.. Vinegar is used in china to remove the shine or sheen on certain metals; like a picture frame, certain toys, containers. It will also make a gloss surface on an aluminun sculpture turn to a dull flat. You cannot use around the wheels on your car. Vinegar will have a reaction to the metals in the hubs, rims and the lineings of the breaks. Custom patinas can be made with different applications on certain metals.Aluminum can be etched , much like sandblasting with a strong percentage of vinegar. Sometimes you have to test an area and see the reaction then wash and dry.

One thing I discovered about vinegar, straight from the grocery shelf , is that in a spray bottle it is a weed killer. Spray the weed on a hot summer day. Weed Gone.

It will have a adverse reaction to mortar, grout for tile, marble and brick it weakens the joints which will crack and break. The vinegar leaches out the lime and leaves a tile joint that is brittle, If you wipe with a 10 % solution and leave ; the Vinegar will remove mortar from the surface but you must wash imediated to stop the reaction to the cement. It is an eye irratant so you must keep vinegar out of your eyes.

  Anything washed, cleaned. soaked with vinegar must be thourghly washed and dryed. I have heard that delicate skin will turn red from the reaction with vinegar. You can make vinegar at home that is 50 % , or stronger,strong and use it for ever. You just have to make sure the percentage is correct for the application. You can take two spoonfuls per meal, before you eat , and thisis  a way of losing weight. This works and I have been using these tricks for years.

Answer 3

It looks like everybody tells you everything you need to know about the use of vinegar so the only thing I can add I use it for everything in my house except my stove. I have used it for the last 4 years and I will never change. I do use Clorox wipes on my phone and door k***s, and I use a disposal cleaner that I get at wal-mart

Answer 4

The page below gives you ways to use vinegar which are successful.  A list of cleaners for different items is given.  All are eco-friendly.

Answer 5

Vinegar: Vinegar can be made from soured apple juice, grain, or wine. It contains about 5 percent acetic acid, which makes it a mild acid. Vinegar can dissolve mineral deposits, grease, remove traces of soap, remove mildew or wax buildup, polish some metals, and deodorize. Vinegar can clean brick or stone, and is an ingredient in some natural carpet cleaning recipes. Use vinegar to clean out the metallic taste in coffeepots and to shine windows without streaking. Vinegar is normally used in a solution with water, but it can be used straight.

Corn starch: Cornstarch, derived from corn, can be used to clean windows, polish furniture, shampoo carpets and rugs, and starch clothes.

Lemon juice: Lemon juice contains citric acid, is a deodorant and can be used to clean glass and remove stains from aluminum, clothes, and porcelain. It is a mild lightener or bleach if used with sunlight.

Baking soda: Baking Soda is sodium bicarbonate. It has a number of useful properties. It can neutralize acid, scrub shiny materials without scratching, deodorize, and extinguish grease fires. It can be used as a deodorizer in the refrigerator, on smelly carpets, on upholstery and on vinyl. It can help deodorize drains. It can clean and polish aluminum, chrome, jewelry, plastic, porcelain, silver, stainless steel, and tin. It also softens fabrics and removes certain stains. Baking soda can soften hard water and makes a relaxing bath time soak; it can be used as an underarm deodorant and as a toothpaste, too.

These products are a good choice for many cleaning jobs, but remember - they are chemicals, even if "natural" chemicals. When using these products, be sure to get background information on them.