If you want to keep your stone countertops looking beautiful, don't reach for vinegar. The acid etches and dulls natural stone such as marble and limestone. It can slowly dissolve them, according to Beckman.
It's essential to only use cleaners which are appropriate for natural stone surfaces. This means avoiding using vinegar. Stones like limestone, marble, or travertine will react to vinegar because it's an acidic cleaner with harsh effects. It can even lead to burning or etching to occur on the surface of the stone.
⇒ Instead of removing stains, vinegar can cause hard stains on the natural stone. ⇒ Also, vinegar can cause etching on the natural stone surface during stain removal. So, you should refer to the preventive tips for cleaning natural stones without damaging them.
What you should Not Do: Don't use vinegar, lemon juice, or other cleaners containing acids on marble, limestone, travertine, or onyx surfaces. Don't use cleaners that contain acid such as bathroom cleaners, grout cleaners, or tub & tile cleaners. Don't use abrasive cleaners such as dry cleansers or soft cleansers.
Countertops. If you want to keep your stone countertops looking beautiful, don't reach for vinegar. The acid etches and dulls natural stone such as marble and limestone. It can slowly dissolve them, according to Beckman.
Clean stone surfaces with warm water and a mild soap such as a clear Dawn Liquid Soap. Do not use products that contain lemon, vinegar or other acids on marble or limestone. Rinse the surface thoroughly after washing with the soap solution and dry with a soft cloth. Change the rinse water frequently.
Rocks that contain calcium carbonate can erode when they encounter acids, and limestone contains calcium carbonate. Vinegar is acetic acid, and limestone is a base. An acid plus a base causes a chemical reaction. So, vinegar combined with limestone creates a chemical reaction.
Whilst vinegar will not directly dissolve concrete itself, but it will degrade the cement that binds your concrete slabs or flags together. Extended exposure to vinegar will also cause any polish or sealant on your pavers to erode over time, leading to bleaching, stains and weathering.
In most cases, distilled white vinegar is one of laundry's best friends. But, there are many types of vinegar and vinegar-based products that can cause stains on clothes.
You should never use baking soda to clean any marble or quartz surfaces. Over time, baking soda will cause damage to the upper protective layer and eventually leave scratches on the marble or quartz.
And in this case, this mixture does not work well with the natural stone countertops. Due to the fact that vinegar is acidic substance and baking soda is caustic, the result of mixing the two can have an unstable effect on stones that are porous.
The Benefits of Using Vinegar in Laundry
To use it, soak the stained item for at least 30 minutes up to overnight in a solution of white vinegar and 1 Tbsp. liquid laundry detergent before laundering.
It's possible to clean rocks with vinegar alone by leaving them to soak in a cup of vinegar for 2-3 days. If you find that your stone starts to produce tiny bubbles when you add it to the vinegar, this is probably because it contains calcite.
However, vinegar should never be used on your granite countertops. Vinegar is made up of acids that can severely harm your granite. Even if it is diluted, vinegar may still leave acids on your granite countertops. This can cause your natural stone countertops to etch.
If your white landscaping stones are still not completely clean after hosing them down, there are a few natural solutions you can try. A mixture of white vinegar and water can help remove any stubborn dirt. Baking soda can also lift dirt, and is best used with warm water and an abrasive brush.
What should have happened: Lemon juice and vinegar are both weak acids. The lemon juice contains citric acid and the vinegar contains acetic acid. These mild acids can dissolve rocks that contain calcium carbonate.
Hydrogen Peroxide and Vinegar
“Combining these two creates peracetic acid or corrosive acid, an irritant that, in high concentrations, can harm the skin, eyes, throat, nose, and lungs,” says Bock.
Hydrogen oxide (separately, a great cleaning agent and antiseptic), if mixed with vinegar, creates peracetic acid, as vinegar contains acetic acid. This combination of vinegar and hydrogen peroxide is potentially toxic and corrosive, which can break down or damage the surface it is applied to.
Going further, just like granite, travertine or other flagstone, bluestone is susceptible to etching from acidic spills such as vinegar, wine, fruit juice, soda and common household cleaners. This etching can look like hard watermarks or light stains at first but are actual permanent damage to the surface of the stone.
DON'T: Use harsh or abrasive cleaners and sponges.
Windex; acidic cleaners, like vinegar, lemon, lime; or anything with ammonia or bleach should be avoided. Frequent use of these chemicals will dull and weaken the sealant over time.