bikeworkshop
Old School Grand Master
Smart Arses.
Basically vinegar is weak acetic acid, which has a cleaning effect, and also converts rust into a more stable compound.
Exposing certain plastics to acid will weaken them over the long term, but it's unlikely to be significant here - although a delicate compound like brake block rubber might harden slightly.
The acid will also strip off any protective film, so rinsing it off and then reapplying a protective coating where necessary would be advisable.
Basically vinegar is weak acetic acid, which has a cleaning effect, and also converts rust into a more stable compound.
Exposing certain plastics to acid will weaken them over the long term, but it's unlikely to be significant here - although a delicate compound like brake block rubber might harden slightly.
The acid will also strip off any protective film, so rinsing it off and then reapplying a protective coating where necessary would be advisable.