Diluted vinegar can dissolve the finish that protects the wood and leave it looking cloudy, dull, or scratched. (The same goes for wood furniture.) Follow the manufacturer's cleaning recommendations or pick a cleaner that's made specifically for hardwood flooring.
Don't use vinegar on unsealed wood: If your wood furniture is unsealed, vinegar can penetrate the wood and cause damage. Only use vinegar on sealed wood furniture. Don't use vinegar on waxed or oiled wood: If your wood furniture is waxed or oiled, vinegar can dissolve the wax or oil and cause damage.
Don't use vinegar or baking soda.
Many DIY home cleaning solutions involve the use of vinegar or baking soda, but these are, in fact, the worst things you can apply to your wood floors. They actually damage and dull the polyurethane, which can irreparably ruin them.
As you note, it does not disinfect. It cleans only marginally better than plain water. It is a food, and it attracts some bugs. Vinegar is a mild acid, and it will etch natural stone and mess up unsealed or even sealed wood. Vinegar will also corrode your washing machine / dishwasher parts and hoses.
"The white cleaning vinegar is a pH of 2.5, which is a very strong acid," she explains. "And while it may eat away the gunk that is on the showerhead or faucet, it can also dissolve the finish from the hardware leaving it dull or a different color altogether."
White vinegar, also known as distilled vinegar or spirit vinegar, is made by fermenting grain alcohol (ethanol) which then turns into acetic acid. Water is then added to the vinegar, so white vinegar is made of five to ten percent acetic acid and ninety to ninety-five percent water.
While baking soda is often considered a mild abrasive, it can still pose a risk to wood floors. The gritty texture, when applied with scrubbing or pressure, can create micro-scratches on the finish of the wood.
Use vinegar
White wine vinegar is the age-old solution to every stain and you can use it to clean painted walls as well.
The ideal mixture typically involves a mild solution of diluted vinegar with just a few drops of Dawn. This blend ensures that the cleaning power is strong enough to clean the floors without leaving any harmful residues or damaging the wood.
The plastic and glass surfaces on most small kitchen appliances, such as blenders, coffee makers, and toasters, are safe to clean with vinegar, but you want to avoid any rubber parts or metal that vinegar can corrode. This includes stainless steel.
🐜✨ Mix equal parts vinegar and water to keep them away. For serious infestations, call the experts at Dewey Pest & Termite Control.
If you're concerned about the safety of your deck, rest assured that vinegar will not damage the wood or composite decking as long as it is diluted and only applied for the appropriate length of time (usually about 60 minutes).
There's no need to rinse your vinegar-mopping solution from your floors. Keep in mind that your floors should be drying very quickly if you've wrung out your mop sufficiently.
Yes, Vinegar is another household item that can be used to kill a tree's root system. Mix a solution of equal parts water and vinegar and pour it into the holes drilled into the tree stumps. This is a very old method of killing tree stumps.
Hardwood Floors, Wood Furniture, and Other Wood Surfaces: Due to its acidic nature, vinegar can damage hardwood floor finishes, causing them to look dingy. Use either a cleaner specifically made for hardwood floors or a mix of soap and water.
Vinegar is a great cleaner, inside and outside the home. It is even good in the garden. Combining vinegar with baking soda can boost its cleaning power. Vinegar is acidic which means it is a good cleaner for water stains and lime deposits.
Does vinegar kill mold on drywall? Using vinegar on drywall can safely kill the mold on the surface. However, scrubbing too hard may cause damage beneath the surface.
A small scratch or a scuff mark may be softened with a tiny bit of toothpaste on a cloth. However, always use a barely-there amount, and don't make a habit of it. Toothpaste might offer a short-term fix, but repeated applications can lead to dull, scratched wood.
Baking soda is often used as an alternative pest control solution for pests such as cockroaches, bed bugs or ants.
Solution 2: Polish and clean wooden furniture with lemon juice. This solution is similar to the first, except it replaces water with lemon juice. Not only will brighten up and care for wooden tables and chairs, but it'll also make your furniture smell summery and fresh!
Almost Indefinite Shelf Life
Vinegar is a fermented product and has an “almost indefinite” shelf life according to the Vinegar Institute. “Because of its acid nature, vinegar is self-preserving and does not need refrigeration. White distilled vinegar will remain virtually unchanged over an extended period of time.
Vinegar is fine to use on food and when mixed with water, juice, or another liquid is safe to drink.