# Clean coffee maker ~ balsamic vinegar

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clean-coffee-maker-balsamic-vinegar/813716>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [May 6, 2018, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clean-coffee-maker-balsamic-vinegar/813716 "2018-05-06T21:26:57Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 8\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Packy323](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/838e76/32.png) [@Packy323](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Packy323)\
**Post date:** [May 6, 2018, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clean-coffee-maker-balsamic-vinegar/813716/1 "2018-05-06T21:26:57Z")

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I only have balsamic vinegar to clean my coffee maker. Would that be ok?

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**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\
**Post date:** [May 6, 2018, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clean-coffee-maker-balsamic-vinegar/813716/2 "2018-05-06T21:33:26Z")

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I would wait until I had normal vinegar, for several reasons.

Gunking up the coffee machine - not sure

Would it work - probably, but also not 100% sure

Wasting balsamic vinegar when the cheap white stuff is actually what you wanted

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**Author:** ![Delicious](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@Delicious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Delicious)\
**Post date:** [May 6, 2018, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clean-coffee-maker-balsamic-vinegar/813716/3 "2018-05-06T21:42:57Z")

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Balsamic vinegar for cleaning sounds wrong.

Which bit needs cleaning? You want to build up a nice coffee crust to infuse future cups

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**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\
**Post date:** [May 6, 2018, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clean-coffee-maker-balsamic-vinegar/813716/4 "2018-05-06T21:49:01Z")

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Seems to me the sugary nature of balsamic would gunk up your coffee maker.

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**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\
**Post date:** [May 6, 2018, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clean-coffee-maker-balsamic-vinegar/813716/5 "2018-05-06T23:04:06Z")

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No no no no no no.

Do not used flavored vinegars. The additives will gum up the works.

Do not use white vinegar either. It’s not going to harm it, but it’s not super effective in doing the job.

Get yourself a decent cleaner/descaler. Urnex, Limeaway, Keurig, and dozens of others make decent products to use in your coffee maker. Google coffee machine cleaner and descaler.

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**Author:** ![swampspruce](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampspruce/32/261_2.png) [@swampspruce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampspruce)\
**Post date:** [May 6, 2018, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clean-coffee-maker-balsamic-vinegar/813716/6 "2018-05-06T23:22:24Z")

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Citric Acid, available from your local pharmacy works well. Just pay attention to how much you use. This link from instructables works wel. [http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Clean-a-Coffee-Maker-With-Citric-Acid/](http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Clean-a-Coffee-Maker-With-Citric-Acid/)

NO to balsamic! Use that for a nice bread dip with some quality olive oil!

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**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2018, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clean-coffee-maker-balsamic-vinegar/813716/7 "2018-05-08T01:47:30Z")

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> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#):
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> Get yourself a decent cleaner/descaler. Urnex. . .

I read that as “Urinex” and made a mental note never to have coffee with **Qadgop**!

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**Author:** ![Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bad_News_Baboon)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2018, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clean-coffee-maker-balsamic-vinegar/813716/8 "2018-05-08T02:14:29Z")

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> [@kunilou](#):
>
> I read that as “Urinex” and made a mental note never to have coffee with **Qadgop**!

Me, too!