Vinegar as a cleaning solution - It stinks

[The Last Stand]

I hear that vinegar is a universal solution for basic cleaning needs to disinfect and sterilize many household items. Laundry, countertops, rust, etc. I don’t see the benefit of it. That smell lingers, particularly in clothing since there is no telling of it being body odor, mildew or something else.

What is the secret of it, and are there alternatives of it?

 

[Harvey Danger]

You're supposed to mix it with other ingredients, like water, which dilutes the smell. Usually it's 1 part vinegar to 1 part water for the basic version. You can mix it with lemon juice for extra cleaning and a better smell. Rinsing with water is also important.

I wouldn't use it on laundry or cloth though. It'll work, but the smell really will stay there. Modern washing machines also aren't built to use it properly, especially high-efficiency ones, so don't use it there. Basic soap and water works just fine if you're going old school washboard cleaning,

 

[break these cuffs]

The secret of vinegar imo is that it's cheap as hell. I've never used it to wash clothes, but routinely use it for cleaning and sterilization in the kitchen and bathroom. Its acidity is also useful for loosening scaling or other stuck on gunk.

 

[MrTroll]

Instead of using vinegar to clean, I recommend not cleaning.

 

[Grub]

I've used vinegar to clean kitchen counters and stuff. It smells bad and doesn't do any better of a job than a cheap bottle of cleaning spray shit.

 

[Aero the Alcoholic Bat]

For some things you'd use vinegar for, use baking soda instead.

 

[The Last Stand]

I've used vinegar to clean kitchen counters and stuff. It smells bad and doesn't do any better of a job than a cheap bottle of cleaning spray shit.

I used Meyers cleaning solution. Sometimes, bleach.

 

[Ibanez RG 350EX]

It works great for removing water scale from toilets and humidfiers and coffee makers and such and it's a weak enough acid that you almost never have to worry about it damaging anything.

 

[User names must be unique]

It's more of a disinfectant than a cleaner and it's disinfectant properties are overstated most of the time, the 5% mixes need to sit wet on a surface for 30 minutes to be effective. A proper cleaner needs a surfactant to work well otherwise you may as well just use warm water.

 

[The Last Stand]

It's more of a disinfectant than a cleaner and it's disinfectant properties are overstated most of the time, the 5% mixes need to sit wet on a surface for 30 minutes to be effective. A proper cleaner needs a surfactant to work well otherwise you may as well just use warm water.

In that, I hear of its many everyday properties but you’d think if it’s overhyped or a commonly used solution for everything. Wive’s tales so to see.

 

[Among Us Gaming]

Vinegar is good as a disinfectant and for things like scale or otherwise inorganic materials like water scum, etc.

Vinegar is  not a solvent and not a surfactant, aka it's mediocre at best when it comes to removing oils and greases.

A vinegar and dawn dish soap mix is the real "hack".
For clothes washing, the hack is a surfactant (I use Tide powder) along with trisodium phosphates. Stuff works wonders

 

[Rapesputin]

It's also good as a weedkiller, but you have to be careful not to hit plants you want to keep

 

[The Last Stand]

I wouldn't use it on laundry or cloth though. It'll work, but the smell really will stay there. Modern washing machines also aren't built to use it properly, especially high-efficiency ones, so don't use it there.

I heard using it with fabric softener would make your clothes brighter. I see no difference, just that faint, sour smell.

 

[Swole McPole]

I use it mixed with bicarbonate of soda to clean stubborn grease from my deep fat fryer. Or mixed with salt when my stainless steel frying pan has developed a white bloom after it's been cleaned.

It'll shift things nothing else will shift and it's a lot cheaper than Barkeeper's Friend.

 

[The Evil Midnight Bomber]

I only use vinegar cleaner to kill weeds

 

[MrTroll]

It's also good as a weedkiller, but you have to be careful not to hit plants you want to keep

But why would you want to keep any plants?

 

[Rapesputin]

But why would you want to keep any plants?

Zhir... your magic mushrooms...

 

[User names must be unique]

In that, I hear of its many everyday properties but you’d think if it’s overhyped or a commonly used solution for everything. Wive’s tales so to see.

It's more of a new age hippie thing as they don't want to use "chemicals". Old wives either used it or saw their parents use it and would rather use a modern product.

In defence of the hippies there probably are too many potential allergens in some cleaners because of the scents and colours they add. If you're worried about that I'd just buy a professional grade concentrate the types they use in restaurants/hotels/schools/etc they're expensive upfront but one bottle will last a lifetime if you store it right and use it at the right dilution.

 

[Harvey Danger]

I heard using it with fabric softener would make your clothes brighter. I see no difference, just that faint, sour smell.

I've never heard that, vinegar might work on stains or something but it doesn't brighten clothes. Whoever said it might be getting it mixed up with borax, which does make laundry brighter.

Try adding 1/2 cup of borax in with your regular amount of laundry detergent. You buy it as a powder, usually in the detergent aisle of a supermarket, or at a hardware store.

 

[The Last Stand]

I've never heard that, vinegar might work on stains or something but it doesn't brighten clothes. Whoever said it might be getting it mixed up with borax, which does make laundry brighter.

Try adding 1/2 cup of borax in with your regular amount of laundry detergent. You buy it as a powder, usually in the detergent aisle of a supermarket, or at a hardware store.

Borax, does that help with mildew smells? With the humidity now, my clothes feel more musty.