Four things white vinegar should ‘absolutely not be used on to avoid damage

Four things white vinegar should ‘absolutely not be used’ on – ‘deteriorates’ appliances (Image: Getty) White vinegar can be picked up from local stores for as little as 29p making it a very accessible and affordable method for cleaning .  While white vinegar is fantastic at removing limescale and smelly odours there are some instances where ‘it should absolutely not be used’, or used with caution in the home, according to appliance expert Colin Swift at Zanussi . What to avoid cleaning with white vinegar  1. Dishwasher  Although vinegar can be a great product for cleaning and polishing certain dishes, adding it to a dishwasher is risky.  Colin said: ‘While white vinegar can be used to clean a dishwasher in a similar fashion to the washing machine, extra care should be taken.  ‘Due to its low pH number it is a corrosive liquid and so should always be diluted with water to prevent damage.’ Over time vinegar will wear away at the rubber gaskets and other components of a dishwasher (Image: Getty) Even if used diluted, over time vinegar will wear away at the rubber gaskets and other components of the machine.  The expert said: ‘Also it’s important to only do this a minimum of once a month and to thoroughly rinse the dishwasher afterwards.  ‘If left to dry inside the machine it can cause damage to the rubber gaskets and hoses.’ For those who want to polish silverware or other dishware, complete the task by hand instead of adding vinegar to the dishwasher. Vinegar can actually deteriorate the surface of stone surfaces (Image: Getty) 2. Kitchen countertops, splashbacks and flooring Kitchen countertops and splashbacks ‘should not be cleaned with vinegar’ especially if they are made from granite, quartz or marble.  Colin explained: ‘The vinegar can actually deteriorate the surface of these materials. The same goes for wooden flooring and countertops, vinegar can cause wood to warp.’ 3. Washing machine  It is very common for households to clean their washing machine by running a cycle with white vinegar, but this can ‘damage the rubber components’ of the machine and cause it to ‘deteriorate’ over time, according to the experts at Pipe Wrench.  Households probably won’t have any issues if they only use vinegar once or twice, but frequent washing with the vinegar could cause leaks. What not to clean with white vinegar (Image: EXPRESS) Looking for a new home, or just fancy a look? Add your postcode below or visit InYourArea 4. Stainless steel and cast iron cookware While again vinegar can be used here, it should be used with caution. If white vinegar is going to be used on these items, Colin recommends diluting a small amount of vinegar in water to wipe down any stainless steel surface.  But ‘most importantly’, afterwards, make sure to wipe the surface down again just with water to remove any excess acid to ‘prevent any damage occurring’. Vinegar is very effective at removing rust from cast iron cookware but if left too long can actually ‘damage the metal’. The solution should also be diluted with equal parts water and vinegar.  The more rust, the longer it will need to soak but make sure not to soak the cookware past eight hours – that is the ‘cut-off point’.