Does Your Coffee Taste Odd? That is a Sure Sign it’s Time to Clean the Coffee Maker.

Cleaning the Coffee Maker

I’ve always been a morning person and I have my trusty coffee maker to thank for that, because I love my coffee. Without it, I’m pretty sure hellfire would come out of my ears and people would run away screaming.

So “why,” I once asked myself, “do I always manage to forget to clean my coffee maker?” I should remember this simple act, after all in warm, damp environments, bacteria and mold can grow. Water also contains minerals which can cause buildup that can ruin the coffee machine. A dirty coffee maker just makes coffee taste bitter.

So every now and again, you should clean the coffee maker to keep it running smoothly and so you have a great cup of coffee every morning.

Cleaning the Brew Basket and Water Reservoir

The brew basket is where the coffee filter is placed with coffee grounds. Have you ever forgotten to empty your coffee filter before heading out on vacation? It’s like little micro-men have started their own herb garden in the old coffee grounds. Ick!

Even if you do dump and change the coffee filter daily, this area needs to be cleaned. Many filter baskets can be removed and washed it in the dishwasher.

If the brew basket cannot be removed, simply walk over to the sink and wash the basket, reservoir and the rest of the coffee maker under warm water and a bit of liquid dish soap.

If a bit more scrubbing is needed because of residue, use a soft bristled brush or toothbrush for maximum cleaning. Rinse completely when done.

At this point you can also wash all exterior parts of the coffee maker as well.

Cleaning the Carafe or Coffee Pot

The carafe should be washed with warm soapy water after each pot of coffee. At the very least you should rinse it after each use and washed every few days to avoid buildup. If there is coffee buildup on the inside that doesn’t come off with rinsing or washing, use a soft scrubby and carefully clean to avoid scratch marks.

The carafe can also be washed in the dishwasher if you choose to wash it this way.

Heavy Duty Cleaning (Descaling the Coffee Machine)

If the coffee pot has not been cleaned in a while you may have to go a bit more heavy duty in your cleaning method. Even if you keep the coffee machine clean, this is good to do at least every six months.

Simply mix equal parts white vinegar and water together and empty in the reservoir. Brew a pot of coffee (without the coffee). Repeat if necessary. This will help remove any buildup that is inside the coffee maker.

After running the vinegar/water mixture through be sure to run a couple more pots of coffee with just water to get rid of any vinegar taste.

How to Clean a Keurig

Cleaning the Keurig is pretty much the same as a regular coffee maker except you will be making individual cups versus a whole pot of coffee.

Remove any pods of coffee that may be in the holder then fill the tank with a 50/50 mix of water and white vinegar.

Begin brewing cups (dumping out after each cup) until the tank is empty. Run plain water through it next in the same manner to remove any vinegar taste.

Next, pop out the K-Cup holder and rinse with warm soapy water, use a toothbrush to remove any coffee residue. Wipe around the K-Cup holder with a damp paper towel to remove any coffee grounds.

Clean the needle as well while you have the K-Cup holder out. It’s a sharp needle so be careful and wipe down with a damp cloth.

Put it all back together when you are finished.