Stainless steel resists corrosion, and vinegar is mild enough to break down dirt and grease without causing great harm, but damage is possible. Vinegar's acidity can corrode metal, especially if it mixes with salt. Vinegar can also dry out rubber, causing your dishwasher's rubber gaskets to shrivel, crack, and leak.
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.
Do not use vinegar... it attacks the chrome finish. Use citric acid. Acetic acid attacks chrome and damages the silicone joints. As does muriatic acid and formic acid.
Make sure to use a 1:1 solution of distilled white vinegar and water. Spray it onto the sink, leave for a minute or two, then wipe and rinse. The solution shouldn't be left on the sink for longer because it can damage the stainless steel in the long term.
You can clean stainless steel naturally with various nonabrasive techniques like microfiber cloths, sponges, and cleaning solutions like baking soda, vinegar, lemon juice, mild soaps, and more.
The answer is that vinegar will not harm your pipes if used in small doses as recommended in many of the recipes that you find online. No matter what your pipes are made of, pex, pvc, copper, etc. Vinegar will not harm your water pipes.
Cleaning a faucet with vinegar
The vinegar helps break up the calcium and mineral deposits on the faucet. Let the faucet sit submerged in the vinegar overnight. In the morning, remove the bag, take a toothbrush and dip it in baking soda to remove any excess filth. Finally, rinse the faucet.
Just take a can of WD-40 (preferably one with a long flexible hose) and spray it inside of your faucet. The WD-40 will loosen up the hard water and make the diverter work as smoothly as day one. The same goes for a hard to turn shower knob, a sprits of WD-40 and it will work like brand new.
Avoid using white vinegar for cleaning marble, granite, and other natural stones, like slate. This includes countertops, floors, and shower walls with stone finishes, and household goods like tabletops or serving pieces.
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.
Vinegar damages some metal surfaces over time by corroding them. This includes aluminum and steel.
White vinegar contains acetic acid which acts as a mild corrosive cleaner. It's effective in chipping away at mild rust, dirt and stains. However, do note that this method won't work on stubborn rust. This method is also not recommended for use with oil-repellent stainless steel as vinegar may strip away the coating.
While some sources claim that vinegar can damage your hot water heater, this is not entirely true. The acidity in vinegar is not strong enough to damage the stainless steel or glass-lined materials used in most hot water heaters. However, it's essential to use caution when using vinegar to clean your hot water heater.
To make: Start with a clean spray bottle. Pour in white vinegar, Blue Dawn liquid dishwashing detergent and water. Apply the spray top and shake to mix. To use: Shake to mix then spray it liberally on the stainless steel surface you want to clean.
Leaving a baking soda and vinegar mixture on stainless steel for about 5-10 minutes is usually enough. This allows the mixture to work on stains without causing damage to the surface.
"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."
Fill a bucket with 1 gallon of warm water and 1/2 cup cleaning vinegar. Use a sponge or microfiber mop, wringing well to prevent over-wetting the floor. Rinse the mop head often. There's no need to rinse the floor; the solution will not leave residue or streaks.
If you need a stronger cleaning, pour 1/2 cup of baking soda down the drain, then add 1/2 cup of vinegar. The two ingredients will create a chemical reaction that's excellent at cleaning out clogs. Wait 15 minutes, then pour in very hot water to clear out the residual clogging agent and cleaner.
Pouring boiling water is quite risky as it might lead to a steam burn or scalding. Another thing to keep in mind is what type of material you are pouring in into. If you have a porcelain sink, it is likely to crack due to the heat. All in all, pouring boiling water down your drain will only cause issues down the road.
Clean the Drain with Vinegar and Baking Soda- This is a natural way clean out the drain and kill off any fruit flies hanging out in there. Keep Your Sink Dry– This may sound impossible, but try to wipe your sink dry whenever you aren't using it because fruit flies need only a little bit of moisture to breed.
Be careful not to use any of the following on your stainless steel appliances as they can scratch or damage the finish: products containing bleach, abrasive or grainy cleaners, glass cleaner, oven cleaner, ammonia or abrasive cloths or pads like steel wool.
One of the best ways to clean a stainless steel pot is to mix plain white vinegar and water. Combine ½ cup of vinegar and 3 cups of water in your pot and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and leave to soak in and cool. Then, using a soft cloth or sponge, scrub the inside of the pot until stains are no longer visible.
Combine one part vinegar with eight parts water. Spray the solution on the stainless surfaces and let it sit for five minutes. Afterwards, rinse with cool water or wipe with a damp cloth. After your stainless steel surfaces have dried, sprinkle them with olive oil and wipe them with a clean cloth.