Last Updated on November 25, 2022
Brewing coffee has become a ritual in most households because most of us demand a cup of coffee straight in the morning. However, coffee can taste worse if you are brewing in a deposited coffee maker.
Your coffee maker also needs proper cleaning over regular intervals of time, just like all other electronic devices. Due to coffee deposits in the inner surface of the device and with time, taste and efficiency disturb. With little extra effort, you can keep your coffee maker in the best condition. A contaminated coffee maker is a house for bacterias and mildew. The coffee from such coffee makers also tastes unpleasant.
People often clean their coffee makers with white vinegar to get rid of deposits. Vinegar is an efficient cleaning agent, but the smell is very strong. Even after cleaning, you have to wash the coffee maker multiple times. This step requires extra time and effort.
Fortunately, there are ways other than vinegar to clean the coffee maker. With the tips given below, you can clean your coffee maker without any strong odor.
Maintenance tips to clean a coffee maker without vinegar
Although vinegar is a natural cleaner, it has a very strong smell. It disturbs the aroma of coffee even after multiple cleaning and rinsing sessions. Moreover, vinegar is not very efficient to remove the stains of grease. Although, it is very good to kill all the bacterias and mildew that has grown inside the coffee maker over regular intervals of time.
1.1. Use baking soda and dishwashing liquid
Baking soda is a natural cleaner. It is an efficient product to clean the coffee maker, and it also helps to get rid of bacterias and odor from the surfaces.
Things you will require:
- Baking soda
- Warm water
- Dishwashing liquid
Steps:
- Open your coffee brewer and fill it with 2 cups of warm water.
- Now take one-fourth cup of baking soda, one tablespoon of dishwashing liquid, and add it to the water.
- Run a brewing cycle.
- Deposits of hard water and coffee will come off.
- Now take out the dirty water.
- Check out if the deposits are clean or not.
- In case you still notice some deposits, rinse the coffee maker and repeat the baking soda water.
1.2. Use hydrogen peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide is another cleaning agent. It is very cheap to use. Only a small amount of hydrogen peroxide is enough to clean the inner surface of your coffee maker. Make sure to rinse the coffee thoroughly as it is harmful to consume a little of it. Clean with water 3-4 times and then use for brewing coffee.
Things you will require:
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Warm water
Steps:
- Take out your coffee maker and fill 1/4th part of your coffee maker with hydrogen peroxide.
- Now add two parts of water to the pot.
- Run a brewing cycle.
- Hydrogen peroxide will break down the deposits on the surface.
- Take out excessive water. Rinse the pot and check out if all deposits have been removed.
- If some residuals are still there, repeat the cycle two to three times.
1.3. Use lemon
Among the citric acid sources, lemon is a prominent cleaner. The citric nature of lemon works like vinegar, but it does not leave any pungent smell. Moreover, the smell of lemon is pleasant as many people also make lemon tea in their coffee makers.
Things you will require:
- Lemon juice
- Water
Steps:
- Rinse your coffee maker once with clear water.
- Now take out all the water.
- Add a gentle amount of lemon juice to your coffee maker.
- Turn on the brewing cycle.
- Once the cycle is complete, check if any residuals are still there.
- Rinse the coffee maker pot with clear water.
1.4. Use CLR
In the physical and online market, there are many commercially available cleaning agents. CLR is one of them. It is an extremely strong cleaning agent. Hard deposits get off within a few seconds with the help of CLR. Make sure to rinse off the coffee maker pot after using CLR for cleaning.
Note: Always dilute the CLR with water before using it for cleaning.
Things you will require:
- Water
- CLR
- Bowl
Steps:
- Take a bowl. Add three parts water and one part CLR in it.
- Now take the solution and pour it into the coffee maker.
- Now turn on the coffee brewing cycle and give the solution one complete cycle.
- Drain all the CLR and water solutions.
- Rinse the pot with clean water.
- Fill the coffee maker with water again, turn on the cycle with clear water so that no CLR deposits are left.
- Repeat the process three times.
1.5. Denture tablets
Denture tablets are easily available in the market. They are strong cleaning agents and help to kill mildew and bacteria in the inner surface. Moreover, they also help to break down hard mineral deposits on the inner lining of the coffee maker. Dentures can make your cleaning job easier when dissolved in the water.
Things you will require:
- Dentures tablets.
- Water
Steps:
- Fill the coffee maker with lukewarm water.
- Take 2-3 denture tablets and add them to the water.
- Now let the tablets dissolve in the warm water.
- Afterward, turn on the cycle and let the dentures do their job.
- Drain the water after one complete cycle.
- Repeat the cycle with clear water.
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