How to Use White Vinegar to Remove Stains

5 steps

Step by step

1. 1

   Test a hidden spot first

   Check colorfastness on a hidden spot before you treat the stain, since vinegar can change the color of some dyes. Use white vinegar only, because colored vinegar can leave its own stain.

2. 2

   Dilute for cotton, linen or washable fabric

   On cotton or linen, mix 2 parts water with 1 part white vinegar and avoid full strength. For washable fabric stained by wine, beer or soft drinks, soak it for 15 minutes in 1 quart of warm water with 1/2 teaspoon of detergent and 1 tablespoon of white vinegar, then rinse.

3. 3

   Treat carpet gently

   Mix 1 cup of white vinegar with 2 cups of water and apply it to a white cloth. Work from the edges of the spot toward the center, let it sit a few minutes, then blot without rubbing. Rinse with lukewarm water and blot dry, because residue attracts soil.

4. 4

   Try the second round on soft drink spots

   If a soft drink stain on carpet does not come out with a neutral-detergent solution, apply 1/3 cup of white household vinegar mixed with 2/3 cup of water. Sponge and press, then go over it again with the detergent solution and clear water, and blot dry.

5. 5

   Fix a dye that changes color

   If a dye changes color after vinegar, rinse the area thoroughly with water first. Then add a few drops of ammonia and rinse well again.

What white vinegar is good for

Household white vinegar is a 5% acetic acid solution, and in stain work it mainly lowers the alkalinity left by detergent solutions or alkaline spills. It dissolves hard-water limescale, so shower heads and faucets respond well to a long soak.

On carpet and fabric it helps with cola, wine, beer and soft drink stains, and the Carpet and Rug Institute lists it as a second agent for wet urine. Light mildew on hard interior surfaces can be washed with a vinegar and washing soda solution. Expect it to handle light marks, not heavy set-in stains.

How to use it safely

Always start with a colorfastness test on a hidden spot, because vinegar changes the color of some dyes. Use only white vinegar, since colored vinegar can leave its own stain.

On cotton and linen, dilute it with 2 parts water to 1 part vinegar and never use it at full strength. For carpet, mix 1 cup of white vinegar with 2 cups of water and blot rather than rub. Rinse with lukewarm water afterward, because leftover residue attracts soil.

Where vinegar is unsafe

Marble, limestone and travertine are calcareous stones, and even a light vinegar-and-water solution can etch them in a way that cannot be removed without refinishing. Granite is more resistant, but acidic cleaners are still not recommended because they can break down the sealer.

Cement grout is dissolved by acids, so clean it with an alkaline cleaner instead. Finished wood floors lose their finish over time, and stainless-steel finishes can be damaged or show rust spots from leftover residue. Vinegar can also damage the internal parts of a clothes iron, so keep it out of the water tank.

Common myths about vinegar

A common myth says washing new clothes in vinegar sets the dye so it will not bleed, but vinegar used after dyeing offers no fixing protection. Another myth says vinegar removes any stain.

It does not lift grass, ink, ice cream or blood on its own, and acid can make egg coagulate and harder to remove. Vinegar is also not strong enough for set-in rust on clothes, where a commercial rust remover is needed. Vinegar is a poor choice for cat urine too: vinegar products smell like urine and can irritate, so avoid them.

What never to mix it with

Never mix white vinegar with chlorine bleach. The combination releases chlorine gas, which is very irritating to the airways, eyes, nose and throat. Use one product at a time and rinse in between, so no two cleaners meet on the same stain or surface.

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