# Effects of Vinegar on Stainless Steel **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 12, 2011, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/effects-of-vinegar-on-stainless-steel/578034 "2011-04-12T01:17:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Uncle\_Brother\_Walker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f08c70/32.png) [@Uncle\_Brother\_Walker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncle_Brother_Walker)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/effects-of-vinegar-on-stainless-steel/578034/1 "2011-04-12T01:17:12Z")
Here’s my situation: I recently read that by drinking 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar will help with digestion and overall health. I don’t want to carry a bottle of vinegar around to and from work, so I have an alternative solution. I have a flask made of stainless steel. Obviously it is made to carry alcohol, but I would put vinegar in it. A quick google search later and I can’t find any real information on whether or not this would be 1/healthy 2/safe and 3/okay for the long term. Anybody have any ideas / news / facts? Thanks in advance! ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/effects-of-vinegar-on-stainless-steel/578034/2 "2011-04-12T01:24:18Z")
> [@Uncle\_Brother\_Walker](#): > > I recently read that by drinking 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar will help with digestion and overall health. [It almost certainly won’t, and there may be risks associated with it.](http://www.webmd.com/diet/apple-cider-vinegar?page=2) ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/effects-of-vinegar-on-stainless-steel/578034/3 "2011-04-12T02:59:11Z")
Can’t you just drink it at home? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/effects-of-vinegar-on-stainless-steel/578034/4 "2011-04-12T03:03:01Z")
I was contemplating cleaning heavy coffee stains out of a stainless steel mug, using white vinegar. Will it work? (Now that I think of it, I think I have some CLR around here somewhere.) Sometimes I like a cup of apple cider vinegar mixed with boiling water. It’s like a quick hot apple cider. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/effects-of-vinegar-on-stainless-steel/578034/5 "2011-04-12T03:26:40Z")
And don’t stainless steel containers sometimes have inner liners made of some other material? I wonder if those will be susceptible to long-term acidity. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/effects-of-vinegar-on-stainless-steel/578034/6 "2011-04-12T05:42:34Z")
A high quality stainless steel flask will hold vinegar just fine without issues. If you’re still not on board with steel [here’s a polyethylene pocket flask](http://www.rei.com/product/815540). Here[’s another.](http://www.nalgene-outdoor.com/store/detail.aspx?ID=61) ---
**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:** [April 12, 2011, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/effects-of-vinegar-on-stainless-steel/578034/7 "2011-04-12T15:08:03Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > Can’t you just drink it at home? Or have a large salad with dinner. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2011, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/effects-of-vinegar-on-stainless-steel/578034/8 "2011-04-12T15:14:27Z")
It occurs to me too that in many workplaces, it might be career-limiting to be seen drinking regularly from a flask. Of course, if the OP is an airline pilot or a bus driver, the sheer entertainment value might make it worthwhile.