I get the appeal of vinegar, but I’ve run into issues with it on some appliance seals—seems like it can dry out rubber over time.
Yeah, I’ve noticed that too. Had a fridge gasket go all stiff after a year of regular vinegar wipe-downs—lesson learned. Baking soda’s been my go-to since then, especially for the dishwasher and washing machine. It doesn’t leave that “salad bar” smell either. Still, nothing quite gets rid of that weird fake lemon scent from some store-bought sprays... I swear it lingers for days.
That “salad bar” smell from vinegar is the worst, but I hear you on the rubber seals—seen too many cracked gaskets in my time. Baking soda’s a solid move, especially for anything with plastic or rubber parts.
That stuff just clings to everything. Honestly, half the time I’d rather deal with a little funk than that chemical citrus cloud. Stick with what works for you—sometimes simple really is better.Still, nothing quite gets rid of that weird fake lemon scent from some store-bought sprays...
Fake lemon is rough, but I gotta admit, sometimes those store-bought sprays are the only thing that’ll cut through the weird smells in my rental units. I mean, I’ve tried the whole baking soda and vinegar routine—works for some stuff, but every now and then you get a fridge or dishwasher that’s just... possessed. Like, no amount of natural cleaner is gonna fix it unless you basically take the whole thing apart.
And yeah, the chemical cloud isn’t great, but is it worse than that lingering “what died in here” funk? I’m not so sure. Maybe my nose is just broken from years of bleach and paint fumes. Anyone else ever try those enzyme sprays? They smell weird at first but seem to nuke odors without leaving that fake fruit aftertaste. Just curious if anyone’s had better luck with those than the classic lemon bomb or salad bar vinegar combo.
Yeah, I hear you on the “possessed” appliances—sometimes it feels like there’s a whole science experiment going on in there. I’ve had a few fridges that nothing short of a chemical nuke would fix. Enzyme sprays are decent, though. They’re not magic, but I’ve noticed they do better with old food funk than the lemon or vinegar routine. Still, if something’s really bad, I end up pulling the thing apart and scrubbing every nook. Sometimes there’s just no shortcut.
Totally get what you mean about the “no shortcut” thing—sometimes you just have to roll up your sleeves and get in there. I’ve tried every “miracle” cleaner under the sun, but nothing beats a good old-fashioned scrub when things get gnarly. Still, I do like enzyme sprays for those weird lingering smells. Ever notice how some fridges just seem to hold onto odors no matter what? Makes me wonder if it’s the plastic or something deeper. Either way, props for tackling it head-on. It’s not glamorous, but it’s satisfying when you finally win the battle.
