Have you tried lemon juice instead of vinegar? I find it doesn't neutralize as fast, and the citrus smell is way nicer. Plus, it cuts through grease surprisingly well—might be worth a shot if you're open to experimenting...
"Plus, it cuts through grease surprisingly well—might be worth a shot if you're open to experimenting..."
Funny you mention lemon juice—I stumbled onto this trick by accident a while back. Ran out of vinegar halfway through cleaning an old stove top and figured lemon juice couldn't hurt. Honestly, I was skeptical at first, but it worked way better than I expected. Only downside I've noticed is that lemon juice sometimes leaves a slight sticky residue if not rinsed thoroughly...have you noticed this too? Still, the citrus scent definitely beats vinegar fumes any day.
Honestly, I was skeptical at first, but it worked way better than I expected.
Yeah, I've noticed that sticky residue too—usually happens if I don't wipe it down with a damp cloth afterward. Have you tried diluting the lemon juice slightly? Seems to help cut down on stickiness without losing effectiveness.
I've been experimenting with lemon juice too, but I find that vinegar works a bit better for me on stainless steel appliances. Have you noticed any difference between lemon and vinegar in terms of streakiness or shine afterward? I tried lemon juice first because I liked the fresh scent, but I ended up with some cloudy spots that wouldn't buff out easily. Vinegar seems to leave fewer streaks, though the smell isn't exactly pleasant... haha.
Also, speaking of dilution—do you think the type of water matters? Like distilled vs tap water? I've been using regular tap water, but now I'm wondering if hard water might be contributing to residue issues. Curious if anyone's experimented with this!
I've noticed the cloudy spots with lemon juice too, especially on stainless steel. Vinegar does seem to cut through grease and fingerprints better, but yeah, the smell can be a bit much sometimes. I usually end up opening windows to air things out afterward.
About dilution—I actually think you're onto something with the water type. Hard water definitely leaves mineral deposits behind, which could explain some of that residue you're seeing. I've had clients complain about streakiness even after careful cleaning, and switching to distilled water made a noticeable difference for them. I haven't done a side-by-side test myself yet, but it makes sense that fewer minerals would mean fewer streaks or cloudy patches.
One thing I'm curious about is whether anyone's tried adding a bit of rubbing alcohol into their vinegar-water mix? I've heard it evaporates quickly and might help reduce streaks even more. I'm thinking about experimenting with that next time I clean appliances at home—maybe it'll cut down on drying time too.
Also, have you tried microfiber cloths versus regular cotton towels? I switched to microfiber a while back and noticed it leaves fewer fibers behind and buffs out streaks a lot easier. Could be worth checking out if you're still struggling with cloudy spots...
