Keeping sinks clean is a relentless task in a busy household. Every time you turn on the tap, water stains and limescale accumulate, especially in hard water areas, which suffer from a high concentration of dissolved minerals, primarily calcium and magnesium. Despite being in a soft water postcode, my bathroom sink quickly shows even small signs of dirt on the silver faucet.
In a bid to ditch harsh chemicals in my household cleaning repertoire, I often turn to white vinegar to polish the bathroom when it’s grubby. But one thing I can’t stand is the sour stench that lingers in the room afterwards. So, I swapped the white kind for a drinkable staple – apple cider vinegar. Experts at The Spruce suggest it as a remedy for soap scum, polishing stainless steel, unclogging drains and fighting limescale.
My go-to ‘natural’ cleaning agent is one cup of white vinegar diluted in a spray bottle with water and a few drops of Fairy liquid.
To test the cleansing power of apple cider vinegar, I followed advice from The Spruce, which recommends using undiluted cider vinegar. I poured about 150ml of the vinegar into a jug and soaked an unused J-cloth in it for a few minutes.
I put on rubber gloves and squeezed out the soaked cloth over the jug to avoid wasting any vinegar. Then, I got to work on my dirty sink, which was laden with grime around the plughole, overflow rim, and faucet base.
Visible watermarks from my hand soap and toothbrush holders also contributed to the unsightly sink.
But after a few swipes around the sink, I was surprised to see that the water stains had disappeared. What stood out most was how quickly the apple cider vinegar stench disappeared from the bathroom compared to when I used white vinegar.
At that moment, I realised that apple cider vinegar was a much more bearable cleansing agent. White vinegar typically has a stronger, more tart scent due to its higher acetic acid content, while apple cider vinegar has a milder, more complex aroma with apple notes, which I find much less unpleasant.
But does it work better than white vinegar?
I dipped the cloth back into the vinegar between uses and got to work on the really dirty parts of the sink, which required a bit more scrubbing.
The cloth was a bit hard to scrape dirt from, so I used my finger to wrap the cloth around and worked it off in a scratching motion. In a couple of minutes, the dirt had disappeared.
To finish, I rinsed the cloth out in the sink and dipped it back into the vinegar to wipe the shimmering stains from the tap itself. Then it was time to wipe the sink basin.
As recommended by The Spruce, I used a separate cloth soaked in plain water to give the entire sink and tap a once-over. I then used a clean tea towel to mop up watery residue and leave a streak-free shine, which worked a treat in the absence of a microfibre cloth.
The results were clear as soon as I finished cleaning the sink. White vinegar and dish soap are faster to tackle grime than apple cider vinegar, but only marginally.
White vinegar is generally a more effective and preferred cleaner than apple cider vinegar (ACV) because of its higher acidity and clear colour, which won’t leave a colour residue.
However, apple cider vinegar worked very well on hard water stains and left the tap with a polished finish—more so than white vinegar and soap.
If you’re thinking of switching to apple cider vinegar, there is a cost factor to consider. A standard 568ml or 1L bottle of own-brand white distilled vinegar typically costs between £0.35 and £1.20.
Apple cider vinegar, especially varieties “with the mother” (the live bacteria culture), is a premium product and therefore more expensive. A 500ml bottle of own-brand apple cider vinegar can range from around £1.50 to £2.50.
That said, if you’re someone who cooks or bakes a lot, apple cider vinegar is much more versatile to have in the cupboard. And a great all-round cleaning agent if you’re out of your usual remedy.