How to Clean a Coffee Machine With Vinegar

Coffee grounds leave oily residue on coffee makers, and hard water leaves behind ugly mineral deposits that can affect the taste of your brew. If you want to brew a perfect pot every time, it pays to take excellent care of your machine. Just follow these steps to flush out your coffee machine the easy way with common household vinegar and water. Does this Spark an idea?

Things You'll Need

• White Vinegar
• Water
• Coffee Machine
• Dish Soap

Instructions

1. Wash and rinse the coffee machine carafe with dish soap and water.

2. Pour a full pot of white vinegar into the reservoir of the coffee machine. Do not add coffee or a filter. Put the carafe in place, close the machine if necessary and run the brew cycle.

3. Allow the vinegar to cool completely. The same vinegar can be used to clean a coffee pot about five or six times, so if you wish to save it, pour the cooled vinegar through a fine mesh strainer and into an airtight bottle or container. If you do not wish to save it, just pour it down the sink.

4. Fill the coffee machine reservoir with water, put the carafe back in place and brew another pot of just water.

5. Empty the carafe of hot water in the sink. Fill the reservoir with water one last time and repeat the brew cycle again. Empty and dry the carafe.

Tips & Warnings

• If you have hard water in your home, consider using distilled water in the cleaning cycle and, ideally, when you make coffee. Hard water leaves thicker deposits on machines and carafes.

• Some high-end coffee machines may have specialized products that can be used for cleaning. These products may do an even better job of cleaning, but white vinegar is still very effective and cheap.

• Read through your owner's manual carefully before cleaning to determine if there are any special cleaning considerations for your model.