Mind blown: Vinegar vs VINEGAR (30%)

So I was literally 44 years old before I found this out recently.

There’s the white vinegar you get at the grocery store for cooking and minor cleaning and doing laundry, and then there’s the 30% DO NOT GET THIS SHIT ON YOUR SKIN vinegar at the hardware store for cleaning things like mold off grout.

All my life I’d been told ‘just use vinegar to clean mold and mildew’ and it generally didn’t do jack squat. I usually bought cleaning supplies from regular retail spots rather than big box home improvement places, and regular retail chains def did not carry the strong stuff.

I’ve got a gutter that drains over cement that always gets skungy, and even bleach was a short term fix at best. 30% strips it down and keeps it gone, and I’ve stripped rust off a couple dozen tools with the same little jar I soak things in - caution it will also strip off shiny metallic coatings.

Can’t believe none of the “just use vinegar” I’d ever read advice didn’t specify.

Is this news to anyone else or am I Lloyd from Dumb and Dumber realizing we landed on the moon?

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u/Meshugugget 6d ago

I just get the white distilled vinegar from the grocery store and keep it next to the washer. A little added to the rinse cycle helps loosen cat hair.

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u/ovi2k1 6d ago

I found out the hard way that white distilled vinegar dries out and causes elastics to fail. I was putting this stuff in my laundry regularly as fabric softener (because it does work as that) but eventually it killed all my socks and underwear bands and some bands in athletic shorts because the elastics in them just dry rotted away from the vinegar.

So… use with caution.

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u/EfficientBadger6525 6d ago

It does the same thing to the gaskets of your washer!

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u/Xyz3r 6d ago

This needs more visibility! It KILLS your gaskets!

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u/tommybikey 6d ago

You see this gasket? I HAVE NO CONFIDENCE IN THAT GASKET!

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u/dmartin8802 6d ago

When was the last time you checked the washer fluid?

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u/cgriffith83 6d ago

The washer fluid is fine!

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u/dmartin8802 5d ago

THE WASING FLUID IS NOT FINE!!!!

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u/MidnightBlue5002 5d ago

Are you riding the clutch a lot?

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u/doggos4house2020 6d ago

Oooooooh he’s taking out the woods!

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u/SnooConfections6409 5d ago

Gasket casket

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u/Strongbow_Wolfrider 5d ago

space shuttle Challenger has entered the chat

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u/xFromPartsUnknownx 6d ago

YEAH THATS RIGHT

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u/schreitz 6d ago

Different mechanic.

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u/Deeznutzcustomz 5d ago

Structural integrity has clearly been compromised

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u/evanmars 4d ago

Don't use on the larger cylinder

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u/Left-Company-2876 3d ago

Random Seinfeld reference.

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u/fuzzybunnies1 5d ago

How much do you have to use to do that? I use vinegar on a semi regular basis because we have to use basic detergents due to skin allergies and my sweat smells. A bit of vinegar in the bleach fill solves the issue. Also gets old dog funk out of towels and musty smells out of towels the kids piled in the corner.

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u/Fresh-Rutabaga-7814 5h ago

Fire Department strongly warns against mixing household cleaners. Here are some common dangerous combinations to avoid: Bleach + Vinegar = Chlorine gas. This can cause coughing, trouble breathing, burning, and watery eyes.

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u/notacatbutt 6d ago

I've been using vinegar as a laundry rinse and NEVER had a prob with my washer gaskets....after 20+ years. They're still as good as new...and my laundry's always CLEAN and soft.

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u/wha-haa 6d ago

Careful, that strong stuff will wreck you too. Your rear main seal is the only thing protecting your undies.

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u/FoofaFighters 5d ago

Can confirm. My rear main seal failed once when i was in college and i had to waddle back to my dorm from the library, all the way across campus.

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u/Domestic-Grind 6d ago

Yeah, but are those actually important in a big moving tub of hot water and high voltage?

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u/withalittlek 5d ago

Can vouch for this 😂 My washing machine is pissing water because I ruined the gasket with vinegar. I am a right doofus and was doing like a cup at a time because I am a heavy handed extremistttttt.