How to Clean a Coffee Maker

Make these steps a habit and you will always have a coffee maker that’s in good shape and great tasting coffee!

Coffee makers are way grosser than we realize. Over time they can collect hard water buildup, mold, bacteria or clogs.

Besides the fact that we want to keep it germ-free, if you clean your brewer regularly it will also work better and the coffee will taste much better as well.

So, we want to do everything we can to keep our coffee makers nice and clean. It’s actually easy to do and with this cleaning schedule, you need $22 for the entire year or just $1.83 per month!

AFTER EACH USE: THE CARAFE AND FILTER BASKET

Please, wash the carafe and the filter basket with a mild detergent after each use, or at least once every day. This takes just 1 minute, but it’s SO important.

This will keep your machine germ-free and your coffee will taste better. Coffee oils and grounds build up over time, and if you don’t remove them regularly, your coffee can start to taste bitter or burnt. You wouldn’t drink your coffee from a dirty mug, would you?!

Rinse the carafe and filter basket frequently. Time: 1 minute.

EVERY MONTH: CLEAN GROUNDS AND OIL RESIDUE

With this monthly cleaning routine, you want to reach those places that you don’t always clean on a daily basis: the filter basket holder, any parts that can collect coffee grounds and build-ups and you want to clean the water tank thoroughly.

The coffee oil residue has a huge impact on the flavor of your coffee. If your coffee doesn’t taste good anymore, you can try cleaning your coffee maker with Cleancaf. It 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.

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.
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). Thoroughly clean the water tank as well.
5. Wipe the unit with a damp soft cloth.
6. Place everything back and you’re ready to brew.

EVERY 3 MONTHS: DESCALE

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 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 one 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.

PLASTIC-FREE COFFEE

These coffee makers are plastic-free and toxin-free and they won’t allow mold and bacteria to grow.

make better coffee

Here are 6 easy ways to make coffee taste better, without spending a dime.