How to Clean Mineral Deposits on a Coffee Maker

A clean coffee maker brews better-tasting coffee.

Mineral deposits form on surfaces due to the microscopic minerals, such as lime and calcium, found in your water. With regular use, white spots or a white film from minerals in your water form on your coffee maker as well. While using bottled or purified water for your coffee maker is one way to combat the problem, you can also clean your coffee maker regularly to remove mineral deposits. Home remedies using supplies found at home effectively remove these spots and stains and save you the money you would spend on a commercial coffee pot cleaner.

Things You'll Need

• 1 cup white vinegar
• 4 effervescent cold tablets
• Kitchen towel

Instructions

1. Rinse out your coffee maker pot as well as the basket for the coffee grounds to make sure any errant grounds aren't left in the coffee maker.

2. Pour 1 cup white vinegar into the water reservoir compartment of your coffee maker. Let your coffee maker process through one cycle so the vinegar can work its way through the entire coffee maker to loosen and remove mineral deposits.

3. 

   Always rinse a hot coffee pot with hot or warm water as cold will cause the glass to crack.

   Empty the vinegar from your coffee maker pot, then rinse with warm water.

4. 

   Effervescent cold medicine relieves cold symptoms and cleans your coffee maker.

   Fill the water reservoir almost to the top with plain water. Plop four effervescent cold tablets into the water in the reservoir and allow them to effervesce completely until they stop bubbling.

5. Turn on your coffee maker and let it go through one brewing cycle. Pour out the effervescent water and rinse your coffee pot.

6. Run your coffee pot through two to three brewing cycles with water only. This removes all cleaning agents and any remaining mineral deposits. Dry your coffee pot with a clean kitchen towel.

Tips & Warnings

• Rinse your coffee pot after each use to reduce mineral deposit staining.

• Brew vinegar in your coffee pot once per week to keep the coffee maker clean and your coffee tasting fresh.

• Purchase an inexpensive water purifier to use for your coffee water.

References

• Vinegar Tips: 1001 Uses for White Distilled Vinegar: Remove Mineral Deposits from Coffee Makers
• Apple Cider Vinegar Benefits: Cleaning With Vinegar Best Tips: Coffee Maker -- Cleaning With Vinegar
• Reader's Digest: 7 Surprising Cleaning Products: Alka Seltzer: Clean Your Coffee Maker