My guide to the best vinegaroon you've ever made.

[ThisIsMyFirstRodeo]

So I did the dollar tree run, but the scrubbies I grabbed were SS not steel wool. Finally got some wool today to start over, but lo and behold the vinegar was tinting! Yellow, not black, but hey. So I’ll let that go and see what happens while I start another jar with wool

clearly my first rodeo,

AZR

Edited June 15 by ThisIsMyFirstRodeo
Missing detail

[ThisIsMyFirstRodeo]

On 6/15/2025 at 1:36 PM, ThisIsMyFirstRodeo said:

As a follow-up, my steel wool vinegaroon has turned dark gray, with a fair bit of sediment, and the wool, though floating (air contact), has minimal orange oxidation. If I give it a swirl, it’s opaque almost black, but it settles again pretty quickly. 
My SS jar turned a golden color, still letting it roll to see where it goes.
I also started a fresh jar today of steel wool to attempt the clear ‘roon, as well as a jar with a copper scrubbie, but I may have had a little soap left, as bubbles came to the surface. Spooned out, hoping for the best. 

I had read somewhere about sunlight speeding the process (maybe going back to the note about heat…), so I have all 4 jars sitting in the AZ sun right now. After a few hours, my 1st steel wool ‘roon is staying much closer to an opaque charcoal gray right now, and for some reason, my SS jar has lost all golden color and is now clear again. (Thoughts from the chemist crowd?)

Hooray observation analysis!

AZR

[ThisIsMyFirstRodeo]

On 6/27/2025 at 12:28 PM, ThisIsMyFirstRodeo said:

On 6/15/2025 at 1:36 PM, ThisIsMyFirstRodeo said:

As a follow-up, my steel wool vinegaroon has turned dark gray, with a fair bit of sediment, and the wool, though floating (air contact), has minimal orange oxidation. If I give it a swirl, it’s opaque almost black, but it settles again pretty quickly. 
My SS jar turned a golden color, still letting it roll to see where it goes.
I also started a fresh jar today of steel wool to attempt the clear ‘roon, as well as a jar with a copper scrubbie, but I may have had a little soap left, as bubbles came to the surface. Spooned out, hoping for the best. 

I had read somewhere about sunlight speeding the process (maybe going back to the note about heat…), so I have all 4 jars sitting in the AZ sun right now. After a few hours, my 1st steel wool ‘roon is staying much closer to an opaque charcoal gray right now, and for some reason, my SS jar has lost all golden color and is now clear again. (Thoughts from the chemist crowd?)

Hooray observation analysis!

AZR

Expand  

Further observations:

SS: color hasn’t returned to liquid yet. 
Dipped a swatch this morning. At first, started to darken. As it dried, some light staining on flesh, only a hint of shade on grain. 

Cu: surprisingly vibrant color, similar to a new penny, but can clearly see through. 
Dipped a swatch last night. Darkened some initially, now a slightly pale blue color wash. 
Tossed outside again today, color seems to be fading from jar.  

2nd Fe: Still relatively clear, nothing to settle out. 
Dipped a swatch last night. Initially turned relatively dark. This morning, disappointingly faded out. 
Outside also, almost seems to be a soapy dishwater appearance. 
 

1st Fe: Black at top few inches, black sediment settled, gray-black but translucent. 
I cheated and dipped the faded Fe swatch from last night. A rather hazy navy blue color. 
Outside also, the jar is an opaque charcoal gray. 
 

All swatches buff veg tan. 
Will update observations as I think about it…

AZR