White Vinegar As A Cleaner

[Vagus]

I bought some distilled white vinegar today, to use as a cleaner, mainly for the inside car windscreen but also for inside house windows.
I’ve diluted it 50/50 with cool boiled water as that’s supposed to make it less ‘chip shop’. It doesn’t, the living room now stinks.
What am I doing wrong?

[douglas9401]

Firstly, do you live next to a chip shop?

Secondly, I use it to freshen up sweaty work clothes and they come out of the machine smelling great. Maybe a follow-up wash down with clean water will help with your problem.

[dannyk13]

Why not use a proprietary cleaner such as Windolene?

[Maydup]

Nothing wrong, unless you've used too much the smell will disperse, but you could add a few drops of lemon juice next time if you have any.

How are the windows, are they sparkling?

[Vagus]

I usually just use water and a blade thing but yesterday was reading about how white vinegar is great on car windscreens so bought some and decided to try it on an inside house window.
Someone on here said they use it all the time so I thought it wouldn’t smell.

[Vagus]

Maydup, you’re right, the smell has completely gone!
I’ve added a bit of lemon juice so when I have another go tomorrow perhaps it’ll be more lemony than frying tonight.
The one large pane I did (before the smell put me off) has come up sparkling but not sure it’s any better than just using plain water and the blade.

[smurfchops]

I use Tesco Distilled Vinegar, it doesn’t smell at all.

[Vagus]

This stuff is Sainsburys distilled vinegar and smells exactly the same as the bottle of Sarsons I shake on to my chips, how odd :(

[Vagus]

All this talk of vinegar and chip shops has given me inspiration for our meal tonight...fish, chips and peas, with plenty of vinegar. Every cloud and all that ;)

[mallyh]

i use it with a squirt of washing up liquid and water for all my windows inside and out

[chelle7272]

Distilled vinegar can be any distilled vinegar, so they may well smell different. White vinegar is made from sugar cane and doesn't smell. White vinegar is slightly better for cleaning than distilled vinegar, though both do the job

[Buenchico]

As i was one of those who suggested using vinegar the other day (although I just use it neat, rather than dilute it), I'll add that I recently bought a pack of these:
https://groceries.morrisons.com/products/carplan-int-ext-screen-wipes-496564011
I've not tried them on exterior glass yet but they seem to work well on the inside of my car's windscreen.

[gingejbee]

Ah, just what we need ....more "wipes" (containing plastic usually) to dispose of....

[anneasquith]

Add some salt ?

[CW1]

I've just read a spray of white vinegar & water on the outside of a windscreen helps prevent ice build up. I quite often go out during the night & would be a great time saver - but does it work ? And would it damage paintwork where it runs down ?