If your steaming coffee is failing to taste as good as it usually does, then there’s definitely something to look after. Leftover coffee oils and hard water deposits present in coffee can unremittingly affect the taste of your coffee and leave you with a bad taste by a great extent. To help you ensure that your coffee maker is clean and dirt-free, we are jotting down the instructions that won’t only keep the much-needed machine clean, but will also provide a great taste to your hot beverage.
Difficulty Level: Easy
Time required: 60 minutes
Resources required:
- Automatic-drip coffee maker
- Bottle of white vinegar
- Cold water
Instructions
1. Prepare a mixture of one part white vinegar to two parts water, should be sufficient to fill your coffee pot. However, if you want a stronger solution, prepare a mixture of half the vinegar and half the water.
2. Place a filter in the coffee maker, the usual way.
3. Following which, the above prepared mixture should be poured into your coffee maker where you would normally add water.
4. Turn your coffee maker on and allow the mixture to run completely through.
5. Throw away the filter as well as the mixture.
6. Allow the coffee maker to cool down for about 15 minutes while it’s turned off.
7. Wash the coffee pot properly.
8. Repeat the whole process twice, but this time with plain cold water. This will ensure that the vinegar and water solution has been rinsed off all. And if you are falling short of time, simply smell the coffee pot and maker after the very first wash. If you find no smell of vinegar, you can seamlessly skip the second rinse.
Frequently asked questions
How often do I need to clean my coffee maker?
Though it’s always nice to keep a constant check to ascertain your coffee machine is clean and dirt-free, you can clean the coffee maker every 2-3 months to keep it brewing smoothly.
What should I do if the vinegar odor is still there after two washes?
If you still find vinegar smell after having washed twice, you can simply run more water through your coffee maker.
Will the whole process of cleaning be easy and less time consuming?
Yes, cleaning the coffee maker to keep it brewing afresh is as simple as a child’s play. However, you need to follow the instructions in order to avoid any possible harm that could affect the machine. Besides this, cleaning the coffee pot does not consume much time if quick tips and guidance provided is followed properly.
Will using vinegar leave yellow stains afterward on the coffee maker?
Using vinegar to clean the coffee pot won’t leave any stains behind. Nevertheless, ascertain that you rinse the machine well with the plain water after following the cleaning process. This will help it stay away from any spots or vinegar odor.
Quick Tips
1. Besides using vinegar, you can also opt for Mr. Clean Magic Rub Eraser (not the one there in your bathroom). The handy item is great to clean the coffee residue off the inside of a glass coffee carafe.
2. You can also use baking soda to clean the coffee maker.
3. For those ‘difficult areas’ to reach, you can use a wooden chopstick along with a paper towel.
4. One can also put ice cubes and some water in the coffee pot and swirl them around. To remove harder stains, some tablet salt could be put in pot and then swirl it around for a while and then wash.
5. To attract mineral deposits from hard water, a glass marble can be placed in the water chamber. You can rinse it once a week.
6. For stains that are tough and hard to remove, simply scrub your pot with a paper towel or clean dish towel. Make sure the dish towel used is not a soapy one. Wash it thoroughly.
7. To clean only the pot, you can put about two cups of ice, 1/4 cup of rock or table salt, and 1/4 cup of lemon juice and then spin around the pot. However, ascertain that your pot is cold before you try this, or you may end up breaking that delicate glass pot.
8. You can also clean your brand new coffee pot before bringing it to the usage for the very first time.
9. Under no circumstances, should you use your coffee pot to pour water into the reservoir. This will result into transferring oils and other impurities from the pot, and eventually give a nasty taste to your coffee. As a replacement for it, one can use a pitcher that is reserved for water only.
10. As a substitute of a pitcher, a sprayer from your kitchen sink can be used to fill the coffee maker without spilling.
Things to watch out for
1. To ensure that the inside area is in the region of basket, filter, lid area clean, you should put a second filter over the top of the grounds in the first filter. Following this, simply push that second filter down to clear the second filter’s top area as lid is closed. This helps in keeping the interior in pristine condition without consuming too much of your time.
2. Never rinse your coffee pot using soap since it will unite with the oils deposited left behind by the coffee and will give you a bad taste.
3. Lastly, to notify, some coffee pots are carved with tempered glass. Therefore, to avoid such type of glass to stay away from breaking or turning into pieces, never move it directly from heat.
By following the above stated instructions and quick tips, you can now happily keep your coffee machine clean and indulge in the best taste to be experienced.
