I've had similar experiences with coconut oil—great shine, but it's basically a dust magnet. Regarding vinegar, I agree the smell can linger longer than I'd prefer. Lemon essential oil is a good tip; personally, I've found that mixing vinegar with a bit of fresh citrus peel (orange or lemon) and letting it sit overnight really neutralizes that sharp vinegar scent. It leaves appliances clean without the lingering odor or artificial fragrance...definitely worth trying if you haven't already.
Good tip about the citrus peels—I do something similar but with rosemary sprigs instead. I just toss a few sprigs into the vinegar and let it sit for a day or two. It really softens that harsh vinegar smell and leaves a fresh herbal scent behind. Also, for stainless steel, I've found olive oil works better than coconut oil—still shiny but way less sticky. Might be worth a shot if you're tired of wiping dust off every five minutes...
Rosemary's a solid idea, might give that a shot next time I'm mixing up a batch. I've tried olive oil on stainless before—works pretty well, but I swear fingerprints magically appear faster, haha. Still beats coconut oil though, that stuff turns appliances into dust magnets...
I've noticed the same thing with coconut oil—thought it was just me! I tried olive oil once too, and yep, fingerprints everywhere almost immediately. Recently gave lemon juice mixed with vinegar a shot, and honestly it worked better than expected. The smell's strong at first, but fades pretty quick. Might toss in rosemary next time to mellow it out a bit... worth experimenting, anyway.
"Recently gave lemon juice mixed with vinegar a shot, and honestly it worked better than expected. The smell's strong at first, but fades pretty quick."
I've had similar experiences using vinegar-based cleaners around the kitchen—definitely effective, though the initial smell can be intense. If you're looking to mellow it out further, adding rosemary is a great idea. I've also found orange or grapefruit peels help neutralize the vinegar scent nicely. Just soak the peels in the vinegar mixture overnight before using it, and you'll get a fresh citrus aroma that lingers pleasantly without overpowering your kitchen space... worth a try if you have any fruit peels handy.
