Urnex Coffee Grinder Burr Cleaning Brush with Stainless Steel Bristles

Vinegar is an incredibly versatile product and has become a household staple as it is cheap, widely available, and can be used for just about anything. One misconception about vinegar is that it is a good way to clean and descale coffee machines. While it may sound self-serving, here’s why it is a bad idea to use vinegar:

1. The vinegar leaves a strong odor (as everyone knows) that can co-mingle with coffee oil, turning your fresh brew into a “fresh ew.”
2. It does not clean! While vinegar might be able to gently break down some hard water deposits, it does not effectively clean your coffee machine or remove oils.
3. It takes forever to rinse: our tests show that vinegar takes 3.5 times longer to rinse out of a drip brewer or capsule machine than does Dezcal,Full Circle Descaler, or other Urnex Brands, Inc. products.

There you have it: vinegar is great for almost anything. Rather than waste water trying to rinse out your semi-cleaned and now-smelly coffee machine, use a professionally formulated coffee machine cleaner or descaler.

And to prove that we at Urnex do not hate vinegar, here are a few of our favorite places to use vinegar (just some of the 1,001 ways to use vinegar):

1. Wacky cake—quick rise cake made without yeast, eggs, butter, or milk
2. Easter eggs—vinegar is an important component for coloring!
3. Window cleaner—simply combine vinegar, water, and some elbow grease!
4. Salad dressing—it’s as easy as olive oil and vinegar!
5. Pickling—come on, who doesn’t love pickles?