>>I've been told that the vinegar removes all the PH in the surrounding soil. Don't know whether tha'ts completely true or not
Vinegar doesn't really remove pH, but it can lower it. pH is a measurement scale for acidity/alkalinity just like feet and inches are a measurement scale for distance.
Things are said to be acid if the pH is <7 and alkaline if the pH is >7. Since vinegar is very acid, I can see how it might be said that it "removes all the PH", but what is really happening is the pH is being lowered. This usually affects only a small area, mainly the plants which were sprayed, because soil is usually pretty well buffered and a lot of acid is required to lower the pH permanently.
The majority of plants are very happy when pH is within a point or 2 of 7. If the pH is shifted too far away from 7 the plants often die.