Make these steps a habit and you will always have a coffee maker that’s in good shape and great tasting coffee!
AFTER EACH USE, THE CARAFE + FILTER BASKET
Please, hand wash the carafe and the filter basket with a mild detergent after each use or at least once every day. This takes only 30 seconds, but it’s SO important. It will keep your machine clean, germ-free and your coffee won’t taste stale. You wouldn’t drink your coffee from a dirty mug, would you?! So, please rinse the carafe frequently. Time: 30 seconds.
MONTHLY CLEANING ROUTINE
The coffee oil residue has a huge impact on the flavor of your coffee. A detergent like Cleancaf will clean out any residue and the coffee will taste so much better. Rinse, wash all removable parts and quickly wipe your machine. Time: 20 minutes
1. Empty the carafe and the filter basket of leftover coffee/ grounds
2. Use a soft brush or a paper towel to clean the area around the filter holder from any dirt or coffee grounds.
3. Run few rinse cycles using fresh water only or even better, use Cleancaf. Cleancaf is specially designed to remove coffee oils from the filter basket, the carafe and other parts of the brewer. It’s great for cleaning dirty coffee pots and French presses too.
4. When done, remove the carafe and all removable parts and hand wash them with mild detergent or place in the dishwasher on the top rack (make sure they are dishwasher safe).
5. Wipe the unit with a damp soft cloth.
6. Place everything back and you’re ready to brew.
EVERY 3 MONTHS, DESCALING
Calcium deposits or scale may build up in your coffee maker. Depending on your usage and mineral content of water in your area, it is recommended to descale every three months. I know that you always have a bottle of vinegar on hand, but I recommend to use a commercial descaling solution. Vinegar may not always effectively descale your brewer and it can be hard to rinse and remove the smell. Commercial products are not really that expensive anymore and will provide a professional care. Time: 30 minutes.
1. Empty the carafe and the filter basket of leftover coffee/ grounds
2. Use a soft brush or a paper towel to clean the area around the filter holder from any dirt or coffee grounds.
3. To descale: Dissolve 1 Dezcal in 32 ounces warm water and pour into the reservoir. Run few brews, let the solution sit for 15, 20 minutes then dispense the rest. To rinse, fill the reservoir with clean water only, press the brew button and wait until the entire reservoir is dispensed. Discard water from the pot. Repeat this rinse process again with 1 more reservoir of fresh water.
4. When done, remove the carafe and all removable parts and hand wash them with mild detergent or place in the dishwasher on the top rack (make sure they are dishwasher safe).
5. Wipe the unit with a damp soft cloth.
6. Place everything back and you’re ready to brew.
If you follow this cleaning schedule you need $23.00 for an entire year or $1.89 per month!
Elizabeth Harris
Great trips. Personally, I only descale every six months or so. We don’t have a high mineral content where I live in the Illinois. But, I’m not a fan of commercial descalers – a necessary evil. I find that that it usually takes several days to get rid of it all – there’s always still a residue. I had a boyfriend who had a chemical sensitivity and he always complained after I used it, so I shifted over to a diluted vinegar solution.