How to Clean Automatic Coffee Makers With Vinegar

Clean your automatic coffee maker regularly with vinegar to keep your coffee tasting fresh.

Automatic coffee makers need to be cleaned regularly to keep your coffee tasting fresh. Instead of purchasing a commercial solution from the store to clean your coffee maker, you can use white distilled vinegar. The vinegar will sanitize the coffee pot and remove debris. Once you clean the coffee pot with vinegar, your coffee will taste better and you will prolong the life of your coffee maker. Does this Spark an idea?

Things You'll Need

• White vinegar
• Dish soap

Instructions

1. Pour out leftover coffee from the carafe. Empty the basket to throw away the filter and old coffee grounds.

2. Rinse the carafe with cold water. Fill the carafe with one part white vinegar and two parts water.

3. Pour the vinegar solution into the automatic coffee maker's reservoir. Turn the coffee maker on to brew a pot of coffee. After the brewing cycle finishes, turn the coffee maker off. Let the vinegar solution sit for 15 minutes, and then pour the solution out.

4. Rinse out the coffee pot to remove any traces of the vinegar. Pour only water into the reservoir. Brew another pot of coffee, and then shut the coffee maker off for 15 minutes. Repeat this process again to ensure that you rinse the vinegar out of the coffee maker completely.

5. Wash the filter basket and the carafe with warm and soapy water. Rinse the carafe and filter and dry them off completely before placing them back onto the automatic coffee maker.

Tips & Warnings

• Clean your coffee maker once a month for best results.

References

• Mad Coffee Maker: How to Clean a Coffee Maker
• Versatile Vinegar: Uses & Tips
• Crimson Cup: How to Clean an Automatic Home Coffee Maker

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• Read this Article in UK English