You do the dishes every day. But do you clean that nice and shiny coffee maker on the countertop?
You see, most of us only wipe the outer surface of the coffee maker but rarely care to look inside. If you look inside, you’d probably never sip your coffee again…
A study sponsored by NSF International titled Germiest Places in the Home revealed that coffee makers’ reservoirs have more germs than the flush handles on your toilet, the light switches on your bathroom and pet’s toys!
Isn’t that disturbing?
That’s why I prepared 5 tips on how to clean and descale coffee makers.
By Lilian.
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How to Clean Coffee Maker?
According to professionals from Urnex, a New York company that specializes in tea and coffee equipment, cleaning a coffee maker involves removing the built-up oily residues on the machine.
It’s different from descaling (I’ll tell you about descaling later).
Remember that coffee is naturally very oily.
If you don’t clean your coffee maker, your coffee will taste bitter and both the coffee and the machine will have an acrid smell.
The most common method known to most coffee lovers is cleaning with vinegar.
But before we get to vinegar, there’s soap and water.
And there’s the disclaimer – your coffee maker may have suggested cleaning methods in the manual and assuming that the machine is still under warranty, any other method could possibly void the warranty.
With that said, read on!
How to Clean Coffee Maker without Vinegar – Just Soap and Water
As we’ve mentioned above, coffee is naturally a very oily substance.
According to Beth Houston from the Gadget Review, the same soap and water we use to wash off the oil on plates after meals can also wash away coffee oils and grinds buildup on coffee makers.
You can either hand wash the removable parts at the sink using warm, soapy water or use a dishwasher. Luckily, most of the removable parts of a coffee maker are dishwasher safe.
For the non-removable parts, fill the coffee pot with warm soapy water. Swirl it around and scrub the machine to remove any muck. Proceed to rinse.
The final step is to wipe off the surface of the coffee maker ensuring there’s no dust or grinds stuck on it.
Unfortunately, this method is not for stubborn stains. Nor does it descale.
Here’s how to descale.
How to Descale Coffee Maker?
Descaling a coffee maker involves removing the buildup of minerals such as calcium and magnesium.
These minerals come from the water we use to make coffee, and they eventually accumulate on the coffee maker’s heating element as limescale.
If you don’t descale your machine, the water won’t reach optimal brewing temperature and the machine will consume more electricity ($$$$) that a clean one would.
As a result, your coffee won’t be hot enough to enjoy, nor will you enjoy the flavor of your coffee beans, even if they’re the best quality Hawaiian coffees.
Now, there are four main options of both cleaning and descaling a coffee maker.
How to Clean Coffee Maker with Baking Soda
This one is pretty easy. It’s the best way to flush out those bad odors.
Simply add a cup of warm water to ¼ cup of baking soda.
Brew the solution and then discard it.
Flush the entire system with hot water 2-3 times until all the water run is clear.
It’ll be as good as new! No more odors!
How to Clean Coffee Maker with Lemon Juice
Prepare lemon water using water and fresh lemons.
Lemon juice is acidic, so it’ll break down the mineral deposits on your coffee maker, destroying the mold and leaving the carafe clean.
Fill up the reservoir with lemon water and run the normal brewing cycle. Heavy brewing, if possible.
Run several cycles until the water is clear of any mineral buildup.
Did you know you can also use lemon juice and vinegar to descale your washing machine?
How to Descale Coffee Maker Using a Commercial Descaler
Commercial descaling agents are perfect alternatives to the lemon juice, baking soda and vinegar.
If you’re using such, start by checking whether your machine is programmed with an automatic cleaning and descaling cycle.
If yes, then have your happy little dance!
If not, dissolve the descaling agent and pour it into the machine’s reservoir. It’ll run through the boiler and the entire machine.
Let it sit for 20 to 30 minutes before flushing out the solution.
Repeat the cycle and rinse off the coffee maker at least twice.
Until the water is clear and smells like clean water.
Your machine is as good as new!
How Often to Descale Coffee Maker
Experts from Better Homes & Gardens suggest that if you’re using the coffee maker every day, you should descale it every month.
If you’re just an occasional coffee drinker, every 3 months should be fine.
But this is just a minimum threshold. If you notice buildup around the basket or the pot, or your coffee begins to taste bitter, just go ahead and clean it.
Photos by Tim Douglas and Ksenia Chernaya
