Here Is Why You Should Never Use Vinegar When Cleaning

Grease Remover

While vinegar is a great product to clean and disinfect various kitchen surfaces it is acidic and you shouldn’t use it to clean greasy pans, pots, and plates. Alkaline cleaners like dishwashing liquid, or even ordinary soap are way more effective in removing grease and oil stains from your dishes.

Never Use Vinegar On Your Computer Monitor Or Smartphone

Your smartphone and laptop monitor probably have a thin layer of oleophobic coating that limits fingerprints and smudges. Acidic vinegar can strip this off, so you should never use it to clean sensitive screens.

Never Mix Vinegar With Bleach

You may think it’s fine to mix vinegar and bleach—think again. If you do, a toxic chlorine gas is emitted, and it’ll do more harm than good for you and anyone around you, causing irritation to the eyes, throat, and lungs. If that occurs, seek medical attention.

Never Clean Your Pearls With Vinegar

Here are some pearls of wisdom—vinegar has been known to dissolve pearls. Yep… dissolve them! This is due to the fact that pearls consist of calcium carbonate like limestone. When combined with acids, like the acetic acid that is vinegar? Goodbye, pearls!

Iron

Cast iron and aluminum are reactive surfaces. If you want to use vinegar to clean pots and pans, use it exclusively on stainless steel and enameled cast iron cookware.

Waxed Furniture

While it’s possible that you may want to remove the wax from your furniture, in all other cases you’ll want to avoid wiping waxed furniture down with vinegar. The vinegar can eat away at the wax, possibly turning your waxed furniture from glossy to dull.

Stone countertops and floors

Don’t ruin your beautiful countertops or stone tiles with vinegar! Vinegar is 5 percent acetic acid, and that's enough to damage or etch your marble, granite, limestone, travertine, or concrete tiles. Vinegar can also remove the sealant on your countertop or tile and make it more prone to future stains. Instead, wash with a simple soap and water solution. Check with the manufacturer before using vinegar on man-made countertops like quartz.

Washing Machines and Dishwashers

So many online DIY sites tell you to put a splash of vinegar in with your clothing and dishes. While this may get your wearables and dishes clean, it can be hard on the rubber parts in your appliances. If you don't want to replace hoses and seals sooner then you need to, skip the vinegar.

Kill insecticide

Vinegar-maker Heinz recommends using vinegar to deter ants and remove other insects; however, this should be used with care out in the garden. Vinegar is a well-known weed killer, which means that spraying or spilling it on your plants could easily harm or kill them. Stick to indoors or the perimeter of the house to protect plants and get the pest removal benefits.

Remove Spilled Egg

Dried-on egg or spilled yogurt can be a pain to clean up, but add vinegar to the mix and you'll be scrubbing for even longer. The acidity of the vinegar makes the proteins coagulate and stubbornly stick to the surface. Keep vinegar away from any protein-based messes.

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