How to Clean a Coffee Maker

Steps on How to Clean a Coffee Maker

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No matter what type of coffee maker you have, eventually you are going to need to clean it. Most manufacturers recommend cleaning your coffee maker at least once every three to four months. So here are some tips on how to clean a coffee maker. You'll know when it's time to clean your coffee maker when your coffee start to taste bitter and you start seeing an oily film on the surface of the coffee in your cup. If you regularly clean your coffee maker every three months or so, this is less likely to happen. Cleaning your coffee maker is rather simple. You need either a coffee cleaner that you can purchase or you need some plain white vinegar.

If you're using a store bought coffee maker cleaner to clean your coffee maker, you need to follow the directions provided with that cleaner. If you choose to use the vinegar and water method this is what you need to do:

How To Clean a Coffee Maker:

Here are the steps you should take to learn how to clean a coffee maker:

1. Make sure that your coffee pot is clean and that the coffee maker is ready to go through a brew cycle.

2. Add one quart of white vinegar into the water tank. It doesn't matter what brand of white vinegar it is. Get whatever costs the least or use your favorite brand. However, don't use cider vinegar or other flavored vinegars as these vinegar types contain sugars and other substances that can harm your coffee maker.

3. Add water to the water tank, filling it. Make sure that your coffee pot is on the plate and ready to collect the vinegar/water mixture. Also, be sure that the filter basket is in place. You don't need to use a filter.

4. Start the brew cycle. As soon as the vinegar/water mixture starts to drip out, turn off the coffee maker. Some models may require that you unplug the unit.

5. Let you coffee maker with the vinegar/water mixture in it sit for about an hour.

6. After an hour, turn the coffee maker back on and let the brew cycle start and run to completion.

7. Turn off the coffee maker, allow it to cool before dumping out the water/vinegar mixture.

8. Fill the tank up again with fresh cool water and run it through another cycle. Continue to do this about three or four more times, and then smell and taste the water that comes out. If the water smells and tastes all right, you're done cleaning.


If the water still smells and tastes like vinegar, you have to keep running the cycle with fresh clean water until the vinegar smell and taste are gone.

Cleaning your coffee maker is not difficult; it's something you should be sure to do on a regular basis. Regularly cleaning your coffee maker ensures that your coffee always taste great and you get the maximum life out of your coffee maker.