Limitations of Vinegar in Cleaning

Vinegar should not be used to clean natural stone, such as marble.

Vinegar has been an essential ingredient in household cleaning for thousands of years. Yet, like all cleaning substances, it has its limitations. Vinegar's chemical properties make it unsuitable to clean several materials, for it would cause more harm than good. Rather than remove stains, it may even cause stains.



White distilled vinegar is the type of vinegar used in cleaning. "A gallon of distilled white vinegar can replace a number of chemical household cleaning products," notes author Martha Storey in "Storey's Basic Country Skills." Even though it has hundreds of cleaning uses, there are some things it cannot clean.

Vinegar and Bleach

Do not mix vinegar and bleach to create any type of cleaning substance. Combining vinegar with bleach or any other product containing chlorine may produce chlorine gas, according to the authors of "Extraordinary Uses for Ordinary Things." Chlorine gas is toxic in both low and high concentrations.

Vinegar and Baking Soda

Vinegar and baking soda make a potent cleaning combination. However, there is a caution when cleaning with these two chemicals: Do not add vinegar to a baking soda cleanser container and then close the lid. In "Clean House Clean Planet," Karen Logan writes that the reaction between baking soda and vinegar could produce a gas that would make a bottle swell or even break, or make its lid pop off.

Natural Stone

If you have real stone countertops, such as marble or granite, do not use vinegar. It is an acid and will eat away at the stone. Choose another cleaner.

Silver

Since vinegar is an acid, it will corrode silver. So don't use vinegar on antique silverware or any silver or silver-plated objects to clean them. Use a special silver polish instead.

Wood Floors

Unfortunately, vinegar's acidic properties can cause damage to wood floors that have not been treated or protected. Some common wood floor cleaning advice suggests mixing vinegar with water to clean wood floors. Test this first on a small patch of your wood floor to see whether the vinegar/water mixture cleans and does not cause damage.

Clogged Drains

If you have a clogged sink or drain and have poured a commercial drain cleaner down the drain, do not add any mixture containing vinegar. It could cause a chemical mixture of noxious fumes.

References

• "Storey's Basic Country Skills: A Practical Guide to Self-Reliance"; Martha Storey; 1999
• "Extraordinary Uses for Ordinary Things"; Readers Digest; 2004
• "Clean House Clean Planet: Clean Your House for Pennies a Day the Safe Non-Toxic Way"; Karen Logan; 1997

Resources

• The Vinegar Institute