Many people, especially those interested in eco-friendly and green house cleaning products are convinced that vinegar is an amazing cleaning product. It can clean windshield or even unclog drains. What other product would have such a multipurpose? While we cannot disagree that vinegar is a good cleaning product, there are certain things that you should never use vinegar for, including:
Mixing with bleach
It is not good at all to mix vinegar and bleach. Why? Because the reaction between the two products causes the emission of toxic chlorine gas which will do more harm than good for you. It will cause irritation to the eyes, throat and lungs which may even need a doctor’s attention.
Cleaning hardwood floors
According to YCF Calgary Cleaning Services “Using vinegar for hardwood floors depends on the finish, but to be safe, use cleansers designed for such floors”.
Cleaning pearls
If you love your pearls, you should not use vinegar to clean them because vinegar has been known to dissolve them. Like literally dissolving the pearls. This is because pearls contain calcium carbonate like limestone and when in contact with acids like acetic acid in vinegar that will be the end of your pearls.
Cleaning marble or granite counter tops
If you have granite and marble countertops, you have probably heard about etching which occurs when an acid eats away the surface and leaves a dull or discolored spot behind. It often looks like a burn mark. This is the effect that vinegar has on granite and marble countertops. The problem with etching is that once it occurs, it is irreversible unless you replace the countertop.
Use a damp towel then a dry cloth to clean the counter.
Cleaning stone or ceramic floor
Vinegar and lemon juice are good cleaning agents but not for your stone or ceramic floors. The best and sure bet is to use liquid dish soap.
Removing egg stains
At one point or another, you might need to deal with clothes stained with eggs. In such situations, vinegar is far from a good option. Eggs have protein enzymes. When you use vinegar to clean the stain, the enzymes could coagulate. The safest way is using soap and warm water.
Cleaning waxed furniture
When you use vinegar to clean your waxed furniture, it will strip the wax off your furniture, leaving it looking dull. Use furniture polish designed for waxed furniture.
Cleaning hardwood floors
Using vinegar for hardwood floors depends on the finish, but to be safe, use cleansers designed for such floors.
Cleaning greasy surfaces
You may be tempted to think that vinegar is good for removing grease on surfaces, but this may not work because it is an acid. Instead, use and alkaline soap like dish soap.
Vinegar is good for cleaning, but you should not use it in the above instance to avoid damage to your property.