Muriatic acid vs vinegar for salt cell cleaning: Muriatic acid wins for speed and effectiveness

A 4:1 water-to-acid soak dissolves calcium scale in 10–15 minutes, while vinegar takes forever and may not get it all. Just kill power, mix acid into water (never reverse), wear gloves and goggles, and rinse thoroughly. Don’t use metal brushes or scrape plates, and check your manual — some self-cleaning cells void warranty with acid.