phoenixb34•1d agoProlific Poster

Heads up about using vinegar to test for calcite on old stonework

I was cleaning some 1920s limestone steps in Philly and the standard acid test didn't react, but a 50/50 vinegar soak for 10 minutes showed serious etching. Has anyone else found vinegar to be way more aggressive than expected on certain materials?

3 comments

3 Comments

theagibson1d ago

This whole thing reminds me of my neighbor's brick patio disaster. They tried to clean it with cola of all things, said the acid would be mild. It stripped the color right out of the old bricks and left these weird bleached spots. Sometimes the home remedy stuff is way harsher than people assume.

eva_thompson1d ago

Totally had that happen on some old marble tiles. Vinegar ate right through the finish when muriatic barely fizzed. It's sneaky strong on porous stuff.

milesbailey1d agoTop Commenter

Yeah, it's wild how that works. I've seen vinegar wreck a limestone windowsill because it soaked right in and ate the binder. Muriatic just sort of sat on top and cleaned the surface crud. Makes you realize you gotta test any acid in a hidden spot first, even the "gentle" ones.