Can you use malt vinegar for cleaning? The experts weigh in

Can you use malt vinegar for cleaning? This might be a question you've asked yourself when your regular cleaning spray runs out mid-clean because cleaning with vinegar is so popular – but what type of vinegar is ok?

If you often deep clean your house then you're probably already quite familiar with cleaning with vinegar. However, chances are that you've never thought to use malt vinegar as a cleaning product and it will most definitely live in your kitchen, not your cleaning cupboard.

After all, how different can it be from white vinegar? Well, according to Smol's cleaning expert Catherine Green, it might not be that simple: "I wouldn’t recommend using malt vinegar for cleaning as the brown colouring can stain items however it can be used for some other cleaning jobs." 

Can you use malt vinegar for cleaning?

Whilst there are ways to use malt vinegar around your home there are more places where you should not be cleaning with vinegar, especially the darker malt vinegar variety. 

Catherine explains how fabrics are a big no-no when it comes to the use of malt vinegar, with its darker colour and strong scent using this type of vinegar for any stains is most likely going to cause more harm than good.

"However, it may be possible to use on glass or sealed surfaces that have a build-up of limescale if you don’t have any other vinegar," Catherine reveals. "As with any vinegar, it’s important to not leave it on for too long as this can cause damage." 

So whilst there are other much better alternatives, if you're cleaning your bathroom and have run out of your usual cleaner, malt vinegar can be an effective stand-in when used correctly.

Catherine Green

Having worked for the cleaning brand Smol since its creation, Catherine has tested each and every product before its release. She is also involved with the production team's process and provides feedback for the development of the company's products. 

How can you use Malt Vinegar when cleaning?

Although fabrics and the more delicate materials in your home can't be cleaned with malt vinegar, there are several ways to use it where more stubborn cleaning is needed. So if you're looking for more expert cleaning hacks for limescale or glass then malt vinegar may be your next obsession.

There is however care to be taken when dealing with a particularly acidic dark liquid like this. "Before cleaning with any vinegar, it’s a good idea to refer to the care instructions of the item or surface you are looking to clean," explains Catherine. "When using malt vinegar, I recommend testing on a small, hidden area first. Leave a little time to see if there is any adverse reaction before using it elsewhere."

Catherine recommends using malt vinegar to clean the glass around your home, especially if you're looking for a quick and effective solution for how to clean your shower doors. 

"Dilute the vinegar at a ratio of 1 part vinegar to 10 parts water and add to a spray bottle," Catherine suggests. "Spray onto your glass surface before buffing away with a clean dry cloth." The vinegar makes quick work of built-up limescale and should leave your glass shower doors clean and sparkling.

Another cleaning hack and this one is for the coffee drinkers, is using diluted vinegar to soak out the coffee or tea stains that are often left in our mugs after a wash. Catherine says it's best to leave the item soaking with the solution for around 15 minutes and then proceed to wash as you normally would with hot soapy water. 

The vinegar's acidity will work to break down the stains and leave you with an extra clean mug. A quick yet effective fix if you're often left wondering how to remove coffee stains from everywhere in your home.

The natural acidity of malt vinegar also makes it a great tool for descaling teapots explains Olivia Young, a cleaning expert and product development scientist at Astonish. 

"Thanks to its acidity, malt vinegar is actually quite effective for descaling teapots and can even help when removing rust from stainless steel surfaces and items," Olivia explains. She recommends diluting 1 cup of malt vinegar with 4 cups of hot water to make an effective cleaning solution, however, she does warn that it will have a very strong smell and may take a lot of elbow grease to get the job done.

Olivia Young

Olivia has worked in both formulation science and analytical science for over three years, testing and designing household products from scratch. She now works at cleaning brand Astonish where she is based in the on-site lab testing and creating products to ensure they work effectively. 

Alternatives to using Malt Vinegar

As mentioned previously, there are much better alternatives for cleaning than malt vinegar. Although it can be super effective for any limescale build-up around your home and does make a huge difference when you're tackling streaky glass doors or windows. If you've got some more delicate cleaning tasks lined up in your spring clean then there are some alternatives you can try instead.

• White distilled vinegar: The chances are you may already know about the power of white distilled vinegar, especially when it comes to stains and limescale removal. Catherine says, "Distilled white vinegar can work wonders around your home, however, you should keep in mind that for some surfaces, like wooden floors or furniture and natural stone, it may cause damage and is better avoided."
• Fresh lemons: A much better smelling alternative to vinegar, lemons are extremely high in citric acid which is not only good for stain breakdown but also for killing unwanted bacteria. Catherine explains that lemons are more suitable for fabric cleaning but should still be spot tested as to avoid any surprising reactions.
• All-purpose cleaners: If you're looking how to clean your house in it's entirety and you don't have too many stubborn spots to tackle then an all-purpose spray or solution is a great way to do the job. These are a lot more versatile when it comes to cleaning less robust materials or surfaces, and should you need a more powerful clean or be desperately looking for ways to get a stain out of a carpet, well then there's always white vinegar!

When cleaning with any form of vinegar it's important to do a patch test first to ensure the surface is suitable because as our experts have stated above there are surfaces that are not recommended for cleaning with vinegar, especially malt vinegar.

Another useful and versatile household item to use for chores is Baking soda. the power of cleaning with baking soda knows no limits, from cleaning a mattress with baking soda to cleaning an oven with baking soda we've tried them all and highly rate this natural method for deep cleaning.