How to clean a drip coffeemaker

Nothing is worse than bad tasting coffee after making it fresh at home. This could mean you’ve made a poor choice in coffee blends, but more likely it’s time to clean a drip coffeemaker. The smaller the coffeemaker, the more often it needs to be cleaned. The loose parts can be scrubbed by hand, but the internal works need a cleaning solution. Manufacturers recommend a vinegar and water solution, but it’s nearly impossible to get rid of the vinegar taste and smell after using it. Now eHow offers a few other choices in cleaning solutions. Experiment and see what works best for you.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Nylon mesh covered sponge
• Dishwashing liquid
• Bubbling spring water, bleach solution, or club soda

How to clean a drip coffeemaker

1. Remove all parts from the unit. Take off the filter basket and detach any cover flaps that snap off. Remove the top from the pot. Wash these parts along with the pot using dish soap and nylon covered sponge. If the filter basket has a spring-loaded drip stopper, push the post up through the center and scrub well. Small amounts of build up there cause problems.

2. Look closely at the area just over the filter basket. There will either be a series of holes or something that looks like a shower head. If all you have is holes, then flip the unit and scrub them thoroughly with dish soap and sponge. If there’s a shower head, see if you can remove it by turning counter clockwise. If it doesn’t budge, then removal may not be intended. Simply scrub the outside, clearing all the small holes. Clean the underside of this area entirely. Clear away soap with a wet dishcloth.

3. Choose a cleaning solution for the internal parts. If you have access to a natural spring of bubbling water that’s low in iron and sulfur, this will work great. If you’re using bleach, make up a 5 to 10 percent solution with water. For club soda use at full strength.

4. Pour a full pot of your chosen cleaning solution into the coffeemaker and let stand for six hours. Pour cleaning solution into the pot and a bowl large enough to hold the filter basket and all loose parts. Leave these to soak for same duration.

5. Rinse all parts and reassemble the coffeemaker. Run the cleaning solution through a brew cycle. Rinse all parts again and run clear water through a brew cycle at least twice. If bleach was used, run water through until all traces of bleach odor disappear.

Tips & Warnings

• If your tap water has high mineral content, then you shouldn’t consume it! Consider bottled water for making coffee. This will keep the coffeemaker clean longer, and make your coffee taste better.