How to Clean a Coffee Maker with Vinegar

05th December 2022

Has your coffee maker been waiting for a deep clean? We’re all guilty of ignoring appliances like coffee machines but it’s important that we stay on top of it. A dirty coffee maker can be harmful and usually means bitter-tasting coffee. Bad-tasting coffee isn’t a great start to the morning.

If you love coffee and it’s an important part of your day, it’s essential that you have a clean coffee maker. After all, a clean coffee maker means great-tasting coffee. Luckily for you, cleaning your coffee machine isn’t incredibly difficult or expensive. You can clean your coffee machine with a common household item: vinegar. Vinegar isn’t only good for cooking, it’s also amazing at cleaning. So, roll up your sleeves, grab your vinegar and get ready to clean your coffee maker.

Wash Removable Parts of the Coffee Machine

When you begin cleaning your coffee maker you want to make sure you remove the different parts of the machine and wash them individually. Your coffee pot can be washed with soapy water and you should aim to wash this component every day. I know it sounds like a hassle but think of the great-tasting coffee!

Washing the removable parts of the machine is vital because it helps remove any leftover coffee grounds and oil. This means cleaning your coffee basket and removing the coffee filter. You should aim to wash these parts of your coffee maker once a month with the exception of your coffee pot which should be washed daily.

Decalcify Your Machine with White Vinegar

It’s common for mineral buildup to occur in coffee makers due to hard water. This has a negative impact on your coffee’s overall flavour and taste. What’s more, it may take your coffee maker longer to drip. When you notice this problem, it’s time to bring out the white vinegar.

White vinegar is a powerful, effective, and safe cleaning agent to clean your coffee maker due to its acidic nature. Vinegar is environmentally friendly and has no dangerous chemicals or poisons so you can safely clean your coffee maker.

How to Decalcify your Machine

• Mix vinegar and water to create a vinegar solution and fill the carafe with this solution.
• Fill the machine’s empty basket with a paper filter.
• Once the vinegar solution is in the carafe, press the brew button. Keep an eye on the coffee maker as it brews to prevent it from completing the cycle. Halfway through the brewing cycle, turn off the coffee machine.
• Allow the solution to sit for 30 minutes after turning it off. This gives the vinegar solution time to clean any leftover mould and mineral buildup.
• Restart the coffee maker and allow the remainder of the solution to brew in the coffee maker. Once the brew cycle is over, empty the entire coffee pot of vinegar and water.
• Rinse everything out with a new paper filter and a full pot of clean water.

Once you follow these steps, your coffee machine will look and feel brand new. More importantly, your coffee will taste better than ever!

How Often should Coffee Makers be Washed

Your coffee pot should ideally be washed every day to make sure you get rid of any leftover coffee residue from the day.

Alongside your coffee pot, you should also remove the used coffee filter from the brew basket and compost it along with the coffee grounds on a daily basis.

If you prepare your coffee with tap water and have hard water with a lot of mineral deposits, you’ll need to decalcify your pot once a month with vinegar.

To conclude, make sure you keep an eye on your coffee maker’s cleanliness and always keep vinegar handy.

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