Constant use of your coffeemaker without cleaning can result to mold accumulation. In this article, I will be teaching you how to clean a coffee maker.
This is a must, especially for a lot of us who consider our coffee maker as the one thing that should always be just within reach in our kitchen.
What Happens If You Don’t Clean It?
You may think that washing your coffee maker with soap and water is the only way to clean it. However, what you don’t know is that eventually, that wouldn’t be enough.
Overtime, coffeemakers can accumulate mold which may not only affect your health but may also be the reason why you didn’t really like that cup of coffee you drank one morning.
Now, how can you tell if your coffee maker needs a deep cleansing? First, you’ll notice that your coffee doesn’t taste the same. It’s bitter than usual, even if you just went through your usual coffee-making routine.
Second, if you notice that there is something slimy building up not only inside your coffee pot but also in the reservoir, clean it immediately.
Daily Cleaning
If you have coffee every single day, you may have already developed a routine for cleaning it. Never skip on washing your coffee maker.
After every use, make sure you empty the pot completely and wash with warm and soapy water. Also check the other parts of your coffee maker and the other removable parts as they can accumulate mold too.
Make sure to use a towel and let your coffee maker dry thoroughly before storing. Moist areas attract mold so avoid immediately storing it after washing.
Using A Brush
If it has been awhile since you’ve cleaned your coffeemaker, maybe it’s time for a more deep and thorough cleansing. Using a brush is a good way to clean out your coffee filter.
Take out the filter basket and make sure you wash it thoroughly. Eventually, coffee grinds can accumulate in your filter.
Sometimes, it’s hard to remove these grinds because of how miniscule they are. With a brush, it would be easier to reach those areas where the grinds may have stuck.
Vinegar
Using vinegar is a good way to really clean those bacteria living inside. You may use any type of vinegar. White vinegar is fine if that’s the first thing you see in your cupboard.
First, fill up the pot with equal parts water and vinegar. Brew the contents of your coffeemaker and halfway through, turn it off and let it sit for an hour.
Once the hour is finished, continue and let the brewing finish. Once it’s finished, discard the contents and fill up the pot with fresh water and brew it once again.
Repeat this two more times and allow your coffee maker to cool down slightly in between brews. Afterward, discard the water and wipe it off.
When you have finished all of the steps, you can now wash it as you usually do with hot soapy water. Dry it completely, reassemble and enjoy a hot cup of coffee.
Lemon
If you don’t like the smell of vinegar while you clean your coffee maker, you can use lemon juice as it has the same cleaning properties. However, this method can be more expensive than simply using vinegar.
First, run a cycle with only fresh water. This will be able to rinse out all the leftover coffee before you start with your lemon deep cleansing process.
Next, fill it up with equal parts water and lemon juice through the machine’s water reservoir while in off position. For the next 15 minutes, it will help clean out the oils.
Add a clean empty filter in the machine before turning it on as the cycle runs with the lemon solution. Afterward, run two more cycles with fresh water.
Once you are finished, go about with your usual cleaning routine. Wash all the removable parts with dish soap and rinse thoroughly with water.
Caring For Your Coffee Maker
Cleansing it thoroughly at least once a month is a good way to start. You can use either the Vinegar solution or the Lemon solution.
Once a week, you can also soak the removable parts of your coffee maker. This way, you can remove oil and residue that are starting to build up.
Conclusion
I hope this article was able to help you in figure out how to clean a coffee maker for a better coffee experience. If it did, don’t forget to comment and share this article!