Should You Really Be Using Vinegar To Descale Your Keurig?

There's nothing quite like a hot cup of coffee to start your day off right. But to keep your morning brew tasting great, you have to keep your machine clean — on the inside. Mineral build-up from the water you use can make your coffee taste off or even break your brewer entirely. If you have a Keurig, there's a precise way to clean it, but there are also different solutions available on the market and in your home that could get the job done. One of them is white distilled vinegar — a versatile cleaning tool you likely use in other areas of your home. But is this a good idea? It's important to know the pros and cons.

Distilled white vinegar is an effective cleaner mainly because its acidity can disinfect, cut through grease and grime, and get rid of scale (mineral deposits). In fact, the product's acidity levels match many other multipurpose cleaners sold in stores. And you can't beat the price and availability. Not only is distilled white vinegar cheap, but you can also find it at nearly every corner shop across the country. That said, there are a few reasons you might want to use an alternative to clean your Keurig — namely, the smell of vinegar and its corrosive properties.

The most obvious downside to using vinegar is the smell. While the odor will dissipate and shouldn't taint the flavor of your coffee as long as the machine is rinsed properly, some people just don't like it. If you still want to use a DIY solution to descale your Keurig without vinegar, lemons can also remove mineral deposits. Plus, they smell great! That said, if you have hard water, these solutions might not be strong enough to take care of the scale.

Another big thing to consider when using vinegar in your Keurig is that it could cause some internal corrosion over time. While you are using a diluted 1:1 vinegar and water mixture, how often you need to clean your machine will likely determine whether the liquid causes any damage. Keurig recommends descaling as often as every three to six months, depending on the level of minerals present in the water you use. If vinegar or another DIY solution damages your appliance, that could void your warranty — another downside.

While many sources state that white distilled vinegar is a safe option to use for descaling, the cons might be too much for you. In that case, Keurig offers a descaling solution (available on Amazon for $21.99) that will get the job done and keep your warranty intact.