Vinegar has a reputation as a miracle cleaner, and on the right surface it earns it. On glass, ceramic and limescale it cuts through beautifully. But on the wrong surface it does damage that never comes back, and most people never connect the dull mark to the bottle they reached for.
Natural stone
Marble, granite and travertine are porous and acid-sensitive. Vinegar etches the polish and leaves permanent dull patches. No amount of buffing brings the shine back. Stone needs a pH-neutral cleaner, always.
Waxed and oiled wood
Acid strips the protective finish from waxed and oiled wood, so it dries out, marks and stains far more easily afterwards. Once the finish is gone, the wood is exposed.
Cement grout
On natural stone tiles and cement grout, acid slowly eats the surface and opens the grout up to water and mould. What looks like a quick clean sets up a bigger problem.
The professional rule
Match the pH to the surface. Keep acids such as vinegar for glass, ceramic and limescale, and use a pH-neutral cleaner on anything delicate. The surface decides the product, not the other way around. For the flip side of this, see why limescale keeps coming back, where an acid is exactly the right tool.