Coffee lovers know all too well that coffee stains can be cause for concern. To avoid these blemishes, you need to cleanse your coffee maker. You can wash its aluminum parts thoroughly with soap and water. You can also spray it with silicone oil.
Nobody likes coffee buildups on their coffee makers. It’s bad for the coffee maker and bad for the coffee drinker. What’s worse is coffee buildups happen a lot more often than most people think!
As a coffee drinker myself, I often get asked how to clean a coffee maker. Coffee buildups can happen from a number of different factors including how water is distributed to the coffee pot and how coffee is poured into the carafe or pot.
How To Prevent Coffee Buildups In your Coffee Maker
Here are the simple steps to prevent coffee buildups on your coffee maker every time:
1.) Clean the Filter – Your filter should be cleaned out after each use. The kind that disc filters that sit inside carafes/pots tend to get dirty easily and need timely cleaning either with a paper towel or by soaking it in vinegar and water before finally washing it by hand with soap and hot water.
2.) Clean the Drip Pan – Pour some water into the drip pan and then pour some white vinegar into the drip pan as well. Leave the mixture there overnight and use a brush or a cloth to wash off the pot with soap and hot water.
I bought my coffee maker about six months ago and, even though it says its dishwasher safe, I ALWAYS hand wash it to prevent food buildups. I learned that the hard way! It ended up smelling like mold and tasted terrible!
3.) Clean the Drip Tray – Check and replace the drip tray if needed every 2-3 months. Clean the drip tray in vinegar and hot water then clean it by hand with soap and hot water as well.
Tracking down the best way to clean a coffee maker can be a hassle but once you know how to properly clean a coffee maker the results will speak for themselves!
4.) Descale the Machine – Your machine needs to be descaled every couple of months. There are several descaling solutions you can buy to clean and descale your coffee maker but you can always just use vinegar and boil the machine in it if you don’t feel like buying anything!
5.) Clean the Machine – If your coffee maker has a plastic carafe or pot, then you’ll need to wash it each time you wash the machine itself. At the very least, you should wash it once a month if not every two weeks. A coffee maker is a great tool to have in the kitchen and can make a world of difference in people’s morning routines! Although cleaning a coffee maker can be a hassle, it can barely be compared to the great taste of delicious brewed coffee!
Cleaning Solutions To Remove Stains From Coffee Maker
Some stains are just impossible to remove from stainless steel surfaces like coffee makers, as the stain itself may have penetrated the stainless steel. The only solution is to replace your stainless steel coffee pot with a non-staining surface material like glass or ceramic. However, there are stain removal options that will work if applied correctly:
1.) Baking Soda – Baking soda is a great stain remover when applied correctly. Mix baking soda with a little water and rub the baking soda paste onto the stain with a cloth or paper towel. Rinse with water after a few minutes. This method works best on mild stains.
2.) Vinegar – Of course, vinegar is another effective stain remover and should be applied using a cloth first and followed up with a rinse with water. Apply the vinegar directly onto the stain and rub it in using a paper towel or rag. Then rinse the stain with clean water and wipe dry with a clean cloth or paper towel.
3.) Stainless Steel Polish – Polish your stainless steel coffee maker with stainless steel polish at least once a month to prevent the buildup of stains and to give your stainless steel coffee pot a brilliant shine that really stands out against the white of your kitchen or bathroom bench top! Be sure to scrub your coffee maker’s parts thoroughly when washing them by hand with soap and water to remove any coffee stains and buildups.
How To Clean A Coffee Maker Using Vinegar
Vinegar is an inexpensive alternative to chemical cleaners and works like a charm on cleaning your coffee pot—and it’s safe too! Simply fill up the machine with equal parts vinegar and water, turn it on and let it run for a few minutes. Then, empty out all the water and start again with fresh water. This will remove all those nasty minerals that have built up over time, as well as remove bacteria that fester in the coffee pot.
Cleaning Coffee Maker With Baking Soda
Baking soda is an old-fashioned remedy for cleaning and deodorizing. If your coffee maker smells bad, try scrubbing the inside with baking soda to remove unpleasant smells, then rinse it out with water. If your coffee maker smells bad, try scrubbing the inside with baking soda to remove unpleasant smells, then rinse it out with water. You can also fill a baking tray with vinegar and place it under your coffee maker overnight.
How To Clean A Coffee Maker With Hydrogen Peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide is cheap, effective, and eco-friendly! Soak your coffee pot with a solution of equal parts peroxide and water, then use an old toothbrush to clean the inside. Hydrogen peroxide is strong enough to kill bacteria, but gentle enough not to damage your equipment. You can buy it at your local drug store or online, and it’s very affordable at around $5 for a large bottle that will last a while. It’s available at most grocery stores but you might have to ask for it since it’s not always on display.
Additionally, baking soda and hydrogen peroxide have amazing cleaning abilities on porcelain and ceramic surfaces!
To summarize, here are the important tips to keep in mind to maintain your coffee maker:
- De-scale your coffee maker every couple of months or as instructed by the manufacturer for best results.
- Wash the drip tray every 2-3 months or as instructed by the manufacturer for best results.
- Clean your coffee maker at least twice a month to prevent buildups of coffee residue.
Clean the filter after each use for the best long-term results.
Related: 5 Reasons Why White Coffee Is Better Than Black Coffee
