How to Clean a Drip Coffee Maker

If you don't clean your coffee maker regularly, your coffee might start tasting bitter. To ensure the best tasting coffee, clean your drip coffee maker about once a month. It's quite easy to do and only takes a little vinegar.
The hard water deposits that tend to collect inside drip coffee makers are what makes the coffee taste bitter. The vinegar is an acid that dissolves salts of calcium and magnesium, which is what hard water deposits are mostly made up from.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• White vinegar

1. The best way to clean a drip coffee maker is to use 1/3 vinegar and 2/3 water mixture. Use the coffee pot to mix the vinegar and water. Start by filling the pot 2/3 full with water, and then add the vinegar to fill the rest of the pot.

2. Completely fill up the coffee maker's water reservoir with the vinegar cleaning mixture and turn the coffee maker on.

3. Allow the vinegar mixture to run through, and then turn the coffee maker off. Wait about 15 minutes for it to cool off.

4. Dispose of the vinegar mixture by dumping it down the drain. Use warm water to rinse the pot thoroughly.

5. Fill the coffee maker's water reservoir with water and turn it on. Allow the water to run through, turn off the coffee maker, and wait for it to cool off again. Repeat the rinsing procedure at least one more time.

6. 
    

   Make some coffee and enjoy!

Resources

• I Love Coffee!: Over 100 Easy and Delicious Coffee Drinks
• Uncommon Grounds The History Of Coffee And How It Transformed Our World
• How to Clean Coffee Cups and Mugs

[FrazzledNanny]

on 6/5/2009 My mom does this to her coffee maker. Thanks for the great tips. 5*

[ljbinkop]

on 4/22/2009 Cleaning a drip coffee maker is so imprtant if you want your coffee to taste good. 5*!

[waters]

on 4/21/2009 Nice details; how to clean a drip coffee maker.