Shoutout to the guy who told me to run my espresso machine descaling cycle with hot vinegar instead of that expensive bottled stuff

After three months of weak shots and a clogged steam wand, I tried his trick with plain white vinegar from the dollar store and it cleaned out all the mineral buildup in one cycle, has anyone else found a cheap hack that actually works?

3 comments

3 Comments

amy_murphy851mo ago

Vinegar really is a GAME CHANGER for so many things around the house. It's the same for my coffee maker, I just run a cycle with half vinegar half water and it works perfectly every few months. Just make sure to run a few plain water cycles after or your morning brew will taste like pickles for a week.

laura1891mo ago

Didn't think vinegar would actually work, huh?

the_jana28d ago

Oh goodness, I have to respectfully disagree on this one. Vinegar is fine for some things like windows or deodorizing, but I wouldn't use it in my coffee maker. The acid can eat away at the rubber seals and gaskets over time, especially in older machines. I learned that the hard way when a friend's Keurig started leaking after a few vinegar cycles. There are descaling solutions made specifically for coffee makers that work just as well without the risk. I just think vinegar gets recommended for everything these days without mentioning the downsides.