People who brew their own coffee understand the comfort of a warm cup of coffee at home, as well as how much money they can save by not buying it from a convenience store or coffee shop every morning. But a coffee maker can get quite dirty after a while, which compromises the taste of a fresh brew. Washing out the coffee carafe and filter basket regularly aren’t always enough. Here are two ways to thoroughly clean your coffee maker inside and out. Any regular coffee drinkers who have never cleaned their coffee makers out before can expect a much more delicious taste after following these steps.
Cleaning with Baking Soda
Baking soda is an inexpensive, ecologically friendly, and effective product for cleaning. For this method, make sure the coffee carafe and filter are free of any loose grounds or leftover coffee. Fill the filter with two cups of baking soda (one cup is adequate for small coffee makers that brew four cups at a time or less). Then fill the reservoir with water and an additional half cup or quarter cup of baking soda, and brew the mixture in the same way coffee would be brewed. When all the water has been brewed, allow it to sit in the carafe for five to ten minutes.
If the coffee maker seems really dirty, don’t hesitate to brew another batch of baking soda in the same way. Afterwards, wash the carafe and filter basket thoroughly with regular dish soap and water. Wash the reservoir and the outside of the coffee maker as well as possible.
Cleaning with Vinegar
Vinegar is another natural and inexpensive product that cleans very well. For this method, there is no need to put anything in the filter basket. Just pour some white vinegar into the reservoir (the same amount as would be made for a pot of coffee), and let it brew through. Repeat if desired. After brewing, wash all coffee maker parts thoroughly with soap and water.
Keep in mind that vinegar has a strong scent and may cause the whole house to smell of vinegar for a day or two. If possible, use this method outside or next to an open window.
It may be tempting to combine both methods: don’t! Mixing baking soda and vinegar will cause a chemical reaction, and the mixture will erupt. (Elementary school students often use this mixture to create model volcanoes.)
When the coffee maker is clean, brew a new pot of coffee and enjoy its fresh taste!
Ursula Wheeler - Ursula Wheeler holds a B.A. in English with a concentration in writing from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. Her work has been ...
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