People always say that vinegar is one of the best cleaners we all have in our homes. And this is true: vinegar is fantastic at cleaning a lot of different things, but there are also some other things you should never clean with vinegar.
We know that every time you search on the internet about how you can clean anything you have in your home, you find that vinegar is this universal solution, the best cleaner we all have access to.
This cleaning marvel is known to kill bacteria, and it is so much cheaper than brand detergents. But what are some of the things you should never clean with vinegar? Read on and find out what these are. Have you ever cleaned them with vinegar before?
1. Dishwasher
You might have heard before that vinegar is amazing for cleaning your washing machine, but is it the same for the dishwasher? Or is this one of the things you should never clean with vinegar?
Some people say that if you put a bowl full of vinegar into your dishwasher and run it like that, you will get rid of the bad odors and also the limescale. Some of them even use it as a rinsing solution.
We have tried this method, and the results were kind of surprising because not much happened. The hard-water film was still there, and indeed, the bad smell was gone, but was this worth it?
Maybe a few decades ago it was better than nothing, but today there are special cleaners on the market that do a better job. Also, the acid found in vinegar can damage the rubber found in this type of appliance.
2. Things you should never clean with vinegar? Clothes iron
Never try to put vinegar in the tank of your iron. This is not a good idea because it can cause irreversible damage to the appliance, and we are sure you don’t want that to happen.
It is true that the interior of the chamber on most steam irons is coated with a protective layer, but acid may eat away at the lining and ultimately the metal components.
There are many methods you can use to clean this item, but be sure that this is one of the things you should never clean with vinegar. The best thing you can do is read the owner’s manual first and see what the most suitable method of cleaning is.
If your model includes a self-cleaning feature, this is great because you will often only need to heat the iron, add water to the tank, always unplug it, and hold the iron over the sink so that the soleplate is facing down.
Lastly, you should press and hold the self-cela button, and the iron will do the job on its’ own. The water and the steam that contain impurities will be released, and you will have a clean iron.
3. Flooring
Now, we are not talking about all flooring. Sometimes using vinegar is safe, but if you have hardwood floors, keep in mind that they are one of the things you should never do with vinegar. Even the manufacturers say so, and many of them void the warranty if they notice that vinegar was used on the floors.
If you used vinegar diluted with water, this is not better because the acid can still be strong enough to destroy the finish, leaving the wood looking dull and making it more susceptible to scratches and damage.
Always read the manual’s instructions and only follow them. This is the safest way. Use a cleaner that was made for hardwood flooring.
4. Countertops
If you have limestone or marble countertops, you need to know that they are one of the things you should never clean with vinegar. They are beautiful, and they all have that lustrous look, but using vinegar when cleaning them can destroy them.
The acid found in vinegar will dull the natural look of the stone, and in time, it can even slowly dissolve it. Also, vinegar can remove any applied sealers on other hard stones, such as granite.
And if you are wondering how you can clean these countertops, the answer is quite simple. Instead of vinegar, use a cloth or sponge and some mild detergent. In case you have some stubborn spots you can’t easily remove, use plastic scrub pads.
5. Cast iron and aluminum pans
Sometimes cleaning your pans can be really difficult, and because vinegar has such a good reputation as a cleaner, people obviously try cleaning their pans by using vinegar. But this is not the best method to clean your pans.
Even if it doesn’t seem like it, vinegar might be too strong to clean your aluminum or cast iron pans. The acidity is not reacting well with these two materials, and this can destroy the protective coating of your pans.
What happens when this protective coat is gone is that the pants are more likely to get rusty. Also, your food will begin sticking to it more easily. If you want to have squeaky clean pans, you can use the classic water and dish soap combination, and you need nothing more.
6. Pet messes
Most of us know that vinegar is fantastic for removing odors. And indeed, it is, but maybe it doesn’t work the way you imagine it.
Let’s say that your cat or dog has an accident. What are you going to do? Obviously, you will want to clean up the mess. This is when many people make the mistake of using vinegar to clean up. Maybe it will deal with the smell, but this is just something superficial.
We say that this is not the best method of cleaning because even if you don’t feel the smell, this doesn’t mean that your pet can’t feel it. Pets have a much better sense of smell than us, and they will surely be able to detect it.
If your pets sense that smell, there is a higher chance they will keep marking the same spot all over again. You can prevent this from happening by using enzymatic cleaners instead of vinegar.
Pet accidents are definitely some of the things you should never clean with vinegar.
7. Grout
Since you can use vinegar to clean so many things, you might be tempted to grab it when you are trying to clean something difficult, like bathroom grout. We all know how annoying it can be to try to scrub between your bathroom tiles.
Experience has shown us that vinegar is excellent at cleaning mold and mildew, and if you are also aware of this information, you might believe that using it as a bathroom cleaner will solve your problems. But this is not the case. Grout is one of the things you should never clean with vinegar.
The acid contained in the vinegar can damage the unsealed grout. This can completely ruin the look of your bathroom, and sometimes it even makes your tiles fall. We think that a less acidic substitute, such as hydrogen peroxide or oxygen bleach, is your best option.
If you want a good enzyme cleaner that can effectively eliminate all of the bad odors from your pets, you can try this one: Kinderbean Dog and Cat Urine Stain and Odor Eliminator
You should also read: Can’t Get Crystal Clear Dishes out of the Dishwasher? This Is Why!
