Vinegar for Cleaning a Coffee Maker

Vinegar removes buildup and stains from coffee makers.

A dirty coffee pot not only looks bad, it spoils the taste of freshly brewed coffee and reduces the machine's efficiency. Water and dish detergent will not readily remove this grime from the decanter and machine, either, because the buildup mostly consists of mineral deposits. You have two effective options for cleaning it: a commercial cleaner for coffee makers or vinegar. Does this Spark an idea?

Benefits

Although commercial cleaners provide an effective solution to cleaning stains from a coffee maker, they are costly in comparison to white distilled vinegar. This cheap alternative is an eco-friendly solution, too, as it does not contain harmful chemicals or irritants. The acidity of vinegar dissolves mineral deposits within the machine, thus removing the buildup that causes coffee makers to brew slowly. With routine cleaning, you can prolong the life of your coffee machine and keep your coffee tasting fresh.

Machine Cleaning

Diluted vinegar sufficiently cleans a machine that receives routine cleaning; however, a thoroughly grimy machine benefits from a dose of undiluted vinegar. After emptying the filter basket and decanter of old grounds and coffee, fill the decanter with the cleaning solution and pour it into the coffee maker's water reservoir. The vinegar runs through the machine as water would when you set the machine to its brewing cycle. By running one or two cycles of nothing but clean water afterward, you remove any lingering vinegar from the machine.

Decanter Cleaning

If you allow hot vinegar to sit in the decanter after running it through the brewing cycle, it will loosen and dissolve coffee stains from the inside of the decanter. Scrub it with a sponge and dish detergent once the vinegar cools. To clean the decanter without cleaning the entire machine, simply soak it in undiluted vinegar prior to washing it. If stubborn stains persist, scrub them with a sponge and baking soda.

Tips

Mr. Coffee recommends that you clean the entire machine with vinegar every 40 to 80 brews. Mrs. Clean suggests once monthly cleaning as a good rule of thumb. A solution of water and vinegar removes dirt and stains from the outside of a coffee machine, too. During routine kitchen cleaning, use a vinegar-dampened cloth to wipe off the top and sides of the machine. To keep the decanter in good condition between deeper cleanings, rinse it out after each use and wash it with dish detergent.

References

• Mrs.Clean: How to Clean a Coffee Pot With Vinegar
• Mr. Coffee: FAQs