How to Clean a Coffeemaker Without Chemicals
Residual oils and hard water deposits can harm your coffeemaker. Not only can they make your coffee taste bad, but the hard water deposits can also reduce the life of your coffeemaker. Instead of using harsh chemicals to clean the inside of your coffeemaker, use a mixture of white vinegar and water. A little white vinegar can go a long way toward improving your morning cup of coffee without leaving a chemical residue or harming the environment. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Fill the water reservoir for your coffeemaker with a mixture of 1 cup white vinegar and 2 cups hot water. Place a paper coffee filter in the filter basket to catch any lime or mineral deposits that loosen in the cleaning process to keep them from clogging the drip mechanism of your coffeemaker.
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Turn on the coffeemaker and let the vinegar-water mixture "brew." Collect the water in your coffee carafe. Allow the vinegar-water to cool before discarding it down the drain.
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Run a full pot of clean water through your coffeemaker two or three times to rinse any residual vinegar out of the coffeemaker. Use cool, fresh water each time. You will know that the coffeemaker is clean when you no longer smell vinegar as your coffeemaker goes through its brewing cycle.
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Clean all removable plastic components of your coffeemaker with a mild detergent and water. Rinse them well and replace them in your coffeemaker.
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Tips & Warnings
To optimize your coffeemaker's performance, clean your coffeemaker once a month.
You may need to run several pots of clean water through your coffeemaker to remove all of the vinegar.
A glass marble in the water reservoir can attract mineral and lime deposits instead of letting them collect in the coffeemaker. Remove the marble and wash weekly with mild detergent and water.
Do not use baking soda to clean the inside of your coffeemaker.
Do not use liquid soap to clean the inside of your coffeemaker. It will create suds and be very difficult to remove all of the residue.
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