Can you clean a coffee machine with vinegar? Cleaning and appliance experts weigh in

What is the best course of action when cleaning your beloved coffee machine? Whilst you may rely on the cleaning powers of vinegar for many of your kitchen cleaning chores, experts warn this might be the time to avoid using it. 

When it comes to cleaning with vinegar there are little to no circumstances where it's anti-bacterial and stain removal powers can't help. And yet, using the cleaning agent on many of the best coffee machines on the market is not always recommended by coffee manufacturers or cleaning experts. 

And whilst we won't be getting rid of our vinegar expert cleaning hacks, there's a reason you should avoid the ingredient when maintaining your machine. 

Can you clean a coffee machine with vinegar?

Vinegar truly is one of the hero products when it comes to cleaning tasks big or small, so much so it can help you tick off nearly every job on your spring cleaning checklist. And yet, its cleaning powers can be a little too much for some items in your home and your coffee machine is one of them. 

Speaking to a coffee expert at coffee machine manufacturer JURA, Mark Green, he is quick to stress the importance of reading your machine user manual before starting any cleaning method. 

He says, "It’s important to refer to your coffee machine’s user manual and opt for the recommended maintenance products as using alternatives may impair the machine and impact any warranties." 

Most machines will recommend you use a descaling solution to clean the internal workings of your coffee machine, and again the solution will defer depending on type and model. However, according to Mark using vinegar is always a firm no. 

"We’d recommend against using vinegar as a cleaning agent. As it is a mild acid it can damage the inside of the coffee machine over time and isn’t as effective at eliminating limescale as specially designed cleaning products," he says. 

Coffee Machine Descaler, 2 for £16.29 at Amazon 

This descaler is compatible with Delonghi, Nespresso, Dolce Gusto, Sage, Gaggia, Lavazza and more. It will do a great job of removing limescale and with the two bottles, you have up to 12 months of descaling covered. 

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Can I use vinegar instead of descaler in my coffee machine?

Whilst vinegar is not appropriate when it comes to cleaning a coffee machine, there's still a lot to say about its power to cut through limescale and act as a natural anti-bacterial. Although there are cleaning powers that vinegar can offer, your coffee machine will not particularly benefit from them. 

Nigel Bearman, Director of Daily Poppins the cleaning company, stresses how the strong odour and taste of vinegar can linger in your coffee machine and affect the taste of your coffee. This is why it's recommended you use a specialist descaling solution when cleaning your coffee machine, this one from Amazon for £16.29 is compatible with most models. 

Vinegar can be used as a descaler for other kitchen appliances, however, as you would use it as a way to descale your kettle. The main issue with this descaling method is that repeated use of the ingredient will lead to eventual corrosion, especially when it comes in contact with certain materials like aluminium. So it's best to avoid using vinegar completely when tackling the deep clean of your beloved coffee machine. 

Now you know coffee machines are one of the things you should not clean with vinegar, you're well prepared for the next time your machine needs a little TLC. Whilst it's not one of the common kitchen cleaning mistakes to avoid, it's easy to assume the cleaning agent would be safe and definitely won't break your machine after a single clean.