Vinegar does not dissolve concrete itself but can degrade the cement that binds concrete together. As a weak, dilute acid, vinegar will cause only minor damage to concrete but can take the shine off polished surfaces.
White vinegar and a little scrubbing with a brush is a very effective, eco-friendly way to remove rust stains from concrete—even those that are decades old. Pour the white vinegar directly onto the stain, allow the liquid to penetrate the area for 20 minutes, and scrub with a stiff-bristled brush.
Cleaning concrete with vinegar or baking soda is a good option if you are looking for a natural cleaner. While cleaning concrete with bleach or detergent can be effective, it can also be toxic to plants.
Will Vinegar Damage Concrete? Cleaning concrete with vinegar will not damage it! However, saturating concrete for an extended period will damage the cement that binds concrete together. Over time, vinegar erodes the concrete itself, so be careful.
The set time for vinegar can be up to 30 minutes. For example, to clean the insides of food-stained pots and pans, soak them in a mixture of one-half cup of white vinegar diluted with one gallon of water for 30 minutes. Then rinse in hot, soapy water.
Do You Have to Rinse after Cleaning with Vinegar? Rinsing is not necessary! If you're simply using a vinegar and water solution to wipe and disinfect, you won't need to rinse.
All you need to do is fill a bucket with hot water, add 2 cups of white vinegar and let dingy clothes soak overnight. By morning, your old clothes will be noticeably whiter. As an added bonus, this same property also kills bacteria that can sometimes be found on clothes.
Spray vinegar onto the moldy surface and leave it for an hour. Then wipe the area clean with water and allow the surface to dry. Any smell should clear within a few hours. While it's safe to use on most surfaces, vinegar is unlikely to be effective at cleaning mold off of soft surfaces.
The safest places to use vinegar for weeds are in between concrete seams in sidewalks, mulch or gravel paths, and driveways. It's usually easy to spray the vinegar in these areas without getting it on other plants.
Etching – Vinegar's ability to dissolve CaCO3 will dull your marble, travertine, concrete and terrazzo surfaces. It may “clean” the surface but it is also dissolving pits into the finish and effectively dulling it.
Changes to Soil pH
If vinegar concentrates are added to the soil instead of being sprayed onto plant foliage, they kill weeds by lowering the soil pH to a level that cannot sustain the plants. Depending on the soil type and the weather, this acidifying effect can take from a few months to a year.
Sort of like wine, the repeated exposure to sunlight and heat can change the flavor of vinegar, making it far less desirable. In some cases, the liquid will continue to ferment which will make it overly sour, unappealing, and cloudy.
Will Vinegar Damage Pavers? Yes, vinegar is NEVER safe to use on pavers. It can cause a lot of damage, and you may have to replace a lot of the pavers if you try this. I know that vinegar is often used for household cleaning projects, but when it comes to your patio, it's a big no!
For some reason, this idea that vinegar will remove concrete sealer has become one of the more pervasive myths about concrete, and it is just that: a myth. That's because almost all concrete sealants are made to be resistant to acid, which vinegar is. As if that wasn't enough, vinegar can actually damage concrete.
Never use vinegar on any kind of paver, brick, flagstone or concrete; it WILL damage the surface. Same for salt.
As a cleaner, white distilled vinegar is a great choice. It contains 5 percent acetic acid, a compound that can dissolve dirt, debris, and grime.
Washing machine
Just as it does in a dishwasher, vinegar can harm rubber parts inside a washing machine, which will eventually lead to leaks. Though laundering your clothes with vinegar is a cost-effective, natural way to soften and deodorize fabrics, avoid using it in your washer too frequently.
Let the vinegar sit for at least an hour. Using a brush with soft bristles, scrub the moldy surface until the mold comes off. If you're scrubbing a rougher surface you might need a thicker brush. Dry the area completely with a clean rag and throw away the used rag and brush.
Normal vinegar concentration (usually around 5% acetic acid) is too acidic to grow mold in the vinegar itself. Mold can sometimes grow on the bottle or on the surface of the vinegar. It isn't dangerous and can be wiped/skimmed off.
To clarify, while the liquid does indeed expire, the expiration date mostly refers to its acidity level decreasing, making it less potent and effective, but not less safe to consume. For this reason, vinegar does not really go bad, per se, and can be used beyond its shelf life without harm.
A vinegar mother is just bacteria that feeds on alcoholic liquids, and the fact that one developed in your vinegar just means that there were some sugars or alcohol that weren't completely fermented in the vinegar process.
Vinegar is an acid and as such can be corrosive, even in weak solutions. Distilled white vinegar has a pH around 2.4, making it more acidic than almost everything except stomach and battery acid.