How do you make your own descaling solution?

Author: Roy Rippin  |  Last update: Friday, August 29, 2025

To make a descaling solution with vinegar, fill your coffee carafe with equal parts vinegar and water. Lemon juice is commonly used to descale machines. It's not nearly as acidic as commercial descaling solutions so you may need to repeat the descaling process several times. But on the upside, it smells good!

What is the best homemade descaler?

Citric acid is the main ingredient in most commercial descalers. That's what I always use, finding it more effective than vinegar (not to mention the lack of smell). Most instructions I've seen call for 2 tablespoons citric acid powder per liter of water.

What to use if you don't have descaling solution?

As we mentioned earlier, vinegar is one of the best natural descalers in your kitchen. Vinegar is very acidic that combats the limescale of your coffee appliance after regular brewing. Mix vinegar with warm water in a 1:1 ratio and run the brew cycle several times for cleaning.

Can you make your own descaling liquid?

Making your own descaling solution at home can be cheaper and more environmentally friendly than buying a commercial product. You may also have some of the ingredients already in your kitchen. One common tried and tested recipe for descaling involves mixing equal parts of water and white vinegar.

Which is better, vinegar or descaling solution?

Vinegar is more effective than most descaling solutions and much less expensive. With either, do run through a tank or two of water (preferably distilled) afterwards to remove the vinegar. Please note: If in your Keurig (or any other coffee maker) you always use distilled water, you will rarely need to descale.

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Can you descale with baking soda?

Baking soda is a tried-and-true cleaner and works well for descaling light deposits in the bottom of your electric kettle. Use it this way: Scoop 1 to 2 teaspoons of baking soda into the kettle, then add water to at least the halfway mark. Boil, turn the kettle off and let the mixture sit for 20 minutes.

What is the safest descaling solution?

Citric Acid Descaler

Citric acid is derived from citrus fruit, so the compound is safe, natural, and an ideal eco-friendly descaler. Citric acid has a lower PH level than vinegar, so you won't have to contend with lingering odors as you do with vinegar.

What is the main ingredient in descaler?

Citric acid is the key ingredient of the solution. All of these ingredients are designed to work together to break down the lime and calcium buildup.

What is a homemade descaling solution for Keurig?

To create a DIY descaling solution, mix one part white vinegar and one part water. If your Keurig has a water filter, remove it when descaling. Fill the water tank with the descaling solution. Brew the entire contents of the water tank, dumping each cup as it runs through the system.

Can I use distilled vinegar for descaling?

Distilled white vinegar and water method

Fill your kettle half with distilled white vinegar and half with water. Boil the kettle. Pour all of the water out. Fill your kettle with water again and boil to remove any lingering vinegar.

What is a substitute for Keurig descaling solution?

To descale a Keurig, pour equal parts water and white vinegar into the empty reservoir and turn the machine on to a cycle. Remember to place a large mug underneath the spout to collect the water – the larger the better to prevent overflow.

What happens if I don't descale my machine?

If the water can't reach its optimal brewing temperature, it is impossible to extract the full flavor from your coffee beans. Mineral scale buildup can clog water flow, and if not removed, can cause a machine to stop working. Your coffee won't be hot enough to enjoy.

Can I run straight vinegar through my Keurig?

How do I clean my Keurig with white vinegar? If the Keurig descaling solution isn't on hand, white vinegar is the cleaning solution you can have on hand. You'll want to do equal parts water and vinegar. Fill the reservoir about halfway with white vinegar, and then add water until you reach the top.

What is quick descaler?

This Descaler fights to eliminate the lime scale deposited on the drum and other parts of the appliance, thus retaining the condition of the appliance. This descaler enhances the washing quality and increases the lifespan of your appliance. Removes Limescale Deposits. Forestalls Calcium Build Up.

How to naturally descale?

Soak a sturdy kitchen towel with vinegar and wrap it around any areas with a lot of limescale. Leave for at least an hour, and you should then be able to descale the kettle by simply wiping the limescale off. Not a fan of vinegar? You can also remove limescale with citric acid.

What is the most powerful descaler?

TM 11 is one of the strongest Acid Descalers available and although safe to use, as with most strong chemicals TM 11 requires caution when using, handling and storing.

Can I make my own descaling solution?

To make a descaling solution with vinegar, fill your coffee carafe with equal parts vinegar and water. Lemon juice is commonly used to descale machines. It's not nearly as acidic as commercial descaling solutions so you may need to repeat the descaling process several times. But on the upside, it smells good!

Can I use Dawn to descale my Keurig?

That funny tasting coffee could be due to the coffee oils left behind by coffee grounds, or due to white, flaky mineral buildup from your brewing water. All it takes to clean your machine is a little dish soap and white vinegar—yep, even if you use a Keurig.

What is the active ingredient in Keurig descaling solution?

Citric acid (77-92-9)

Germ cell mutagenicity : Not classified.

Can I make my own Keurig descaling solution?

Run a mix of equal parts water and white vinegar through the machine. Pour the solution into the reservoir, turn on the machine, press the cycle button, and allow the solution to drain into a cup. You may need to descale your Keurig multiple times depending on how dirty it is.

What is the best natural descaler?

7 Natural Methods to Effectively Clean Limescale from Toilets
  1. White vinegar. White vinegar is a common household product. ...
  2. Baking soda. Baking soda is also a highly effective household product for fighting limescale. ...
  3. Soda crystals. ...
  4. Citric acid. ...
  5. Hot water. ...
  6. Dish soap. ...
  7. Bleach.

Do you really need Keurig descaling solution?

Calcium deposits or scale may build up in your brewer and hinder your brewer performance. Regularly descaling your brewer every 3 to 6 months helps prevent this from occurring. Your system will remind you when to descale with the prompt “Time to descale the brewer!”

What is a substitute for descaling solution?

Baking soda is another very popular home remedy used for descaling coffee machines. Just like vinegar, it is widely used throughout the home. To clean your coffee machine using baking soda, dissolve 1/4 of a cup in 1 litre of water, pour it into the tank, and then follow the same steps as in the previous methods.

Can I use hydrogen peroxide to descale my Keurig?

This method works for a Keurig coffee maker as well as any coffee pod machine. Hydrogen peroxide also sanitizes the pipes as it runs through your machine, so you can sanitize and clean a coffee maker without vinegar at the same time.

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