Tasty coffee starts with a clean coffee maker! In this article, you’ll learn how to naturally clean a coffee pot with simple household ingredients such as baking soda, vinegar, and citric acid.
If you’re a daily coffee drinker, you may notice that your favorite blend can start to taste bitter or a bit off. No, it’s not time to switch to a new roast… it’s time to give your coffee maker a cleaning!
The good news? Cleaning your coffee pot is easy and can be accomplished with simple, natural ingredients you probably have in your kitchen! (Hint: it’s white vinegar, baking soda, or citric acid.)
Jump to:
Should I Clean My Coffee Pot?
To put it simply, a clean coffee pot makes the best coffee.
You might notice that your coffee doesn’t taste as good, the coffee is not brewing as quickly, or there is grit in your pot. If you’ve experienced any of these issues, it’s time to clean and descale your coffee maker!
Cleaning will remove hard water buildup, prevent the natural oils found in coffee from turning rancid, remove stains from the carafe, and make your coffee taste as fresh as possible.
3 signs your coffee maker needs cleaning:
- Your coffee tastes bitter or gritty. A dirty coffee machine can ruin the taste of your brew. Coffee oils left behind during brewing can turn rancid, making your coffee taste bitter. This same residue builds up in the machine, on the pot lid, and in the filter basket.
- You can see white deposits inside your machine. Water contains calcium, magnesium, and other minerals that produce white, hard water stains. These mineral deposits build up inside the machine and restrict water flow.
- Your machine seems slow or clogged. If your coffee maker takes longer to brew than it used to, is louder than normal, spews coffee everywhere, or allows grounds to overflow into the carafe, it is suffering from mineral buildup or blockage.
Dirty Coffee Makers Hide Bacteria and Mold.
While having a great-tasting cup of coffee is important, you also want to make sure that your coffee pot is not harboring bacteria or mold. Studies of residential coffee makers have found that they can get pretty gross without routine cleaning:
- According to the National Sanitation Foundation, the water reservoir (the part of the coffee maker that stores water) can harbor mold or yeast.
- A study by the University of Arizona found that parts of the coffee maker (including the handle and the top of the machine) can be a breeding ground for bacteria and germs.
Definitions
Before we dive into deep cleaning your coffee maker, let’s make sure were using the same lingo! These are 5 terms you’ll come across in this article:
- Coffee Maker – The appliance in which coffee is brewed either single serve (one cup at a time) or multi serving (brews an entire pot).
- Coffee Pot or Carafe – The pot with a spout used for both serving coffee and as a receptacle for coffee during the brewing process. (The coffee pots that are sold as part of a coffee maker are often referred to as carafes in American English.) Coffee pots that come with coffee makers are usually made of glass, stainless steel, or plastic lined in stainless steel.
- Limescale or Mineral Scale – A white chalky deposit on the inside of pots, tea kettles, drinking glasses, and appliances that use water caused by the buildup of minerals in hard water.
- Descale – Remove limescale or mineral build-up from an item.
- Coffee Build-Up – Oily residue and/or brown sludge or stains left inside the coffee pot, coffee maker brew basket, and lid during the brewing process. This acidic residue is created by the oils and tannins in coffee grounds.
How Often Should You Clean?
You don’t have to turn into a total germ-a-phobia to keep your coffee maker clean! Follow these simple steps daily, weekly, and monthly to keep your machine in top working order.
Daily Coffee Maker Cleaning
Rinse the carafe or coffee pot, brew basket, and lids after each use, empty the water reservoir and allow all the parts to dry completely. Bacteria and mold need a moist environment to grow, if you eliminate the moisture, you eliminate them.
Weekly Coffee Maker Cleaning
Wash all the removable parts of the coffee maker (the carafe, brew basket, and lid) in hot soapy water once a week to remove as much coffee build up. Cool and unplug the machine then use a damp rag or paper towel to wipe the hot plate, drip tray, and outside of the machine. Make sure to remove as much coffee build up as possible.
Deep Cleaning and Descaling
Clean the inside of your coffee maker every 2-4 months using a deep cleaning and/or descaling solution. These solutions can be made at home (keep reading to see how you can use vinegar, citric acid, or baking soda) or they can be purchased commercially. Deep cleaning removes the oily build-up and residue left behind by coffee grounds. Descaling removes the mineral build-up left behind in the coffee maker from hard water.
4 Ingredients You Can Use to Clean a Coffee Maker
1. White Vinegar
White vinegar naturally contains acetic acid, an acidic cleaner that deodorizes and dissolves minerals. It’s also used as a natural food preservative to prevent bacteria such as E. coli from spoiling food.
Where to buy it: The white vinegar commonly sold in US grocery stores is a solution of water with a five percent concentration of acetic acid.
How to use it: A white vinegar and water solution will remove mineral build-up and hard water stains without scrubbing. Use half water and half white vinegar for coffee pot cleaning.
Benefits: Vinegar is widely available, non-toxic, and cheap.
Drawbacks: The vinegar smell from cleaning a coffee machine can linger for a few hours.
2. Citric Acid
Citric acid is a naturally occurring odorless and colorless compound that can be found in citrus fruits or manufactured. It is an acidic cleaning agent that removes soap scum, hard water stains, limescale, and rust. It’s also used as a flavoring and preservative in food, beverages, candy, and nutritional supplements.
Where to buy it: Citric acid is commonly sold in U.S grocery stores in the spice aisle or near the canning supplies. It’s a white powder that can be dissolved in water.
How to use it: A solution of citric acid and hot water will remove mineral build-up and hard water stains without scrubbing. Dissolve 2 tablespoons of citric acid in 64 ounces (one-half gallon) of warm water.
Benefits: Citric acid is odorless, non-toxic, and affordable. Learn more about using citric acid for cleaning.
Drawbacks: Citric acid can be hard to find in US stores. I order mine online.
3. Baking Soda
Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) does not descale coffee makers, but it is great at removing coffee build-up. It helps remove these brown stains and oils in several ways:
- It is a base (pH 8) that neutralizes the acidic residue left by coffee (pH 5)
- Baking soda adds a slight amount of grit that can help physically scrub away stains and residue
- It is a great deodorizer that can help remove bad tastes and smells.
Where to buy it: Baking soda is sold in small containers in the baking aisle or in large bags or boxes near the cleaning supplies. It’s a white powder that can be dissolved in water. (Note: You need to bake SODA, not POWDER.)
How to use it: A solution of baking soda and hot water can be used to help eliminate coffee build-up after descaling your machine. Dissolve ¼ cup baking soda in 64 ounces of warm water (½ gallon)
Benefits: Baking soda is affordable, non-toxic, odorless, and easy to use.
Drawbacks: Baking soda can clog a coffee maker that has mineral build-up, it should only be used to deep clean a coffee maker after descaling with an acid.
4. Store-Bought Cleaners
Commercial coffee maker cleaners can be purchased in stores and online they come in two basic formulations: cleaners and descalers. It can take a little investigating to see which you are purchasing because they are often both labeled “coffee maker cleaner.”
Cleaners come in both liquid and powdered form and typically cost $4 to $10 dollars. They contain cleaning agents such as sodium metasilicate, Tetrasodium pyrophosphate, or Sodium percarbonate as the active ingredient. The package of coffee maker cleaners will often say, “remove oily residue” or “removes coffee build up” or “removes stans”.
Descalers come in both liquid and tablet form and typically cost $4 to $8 dollars per use. They contain some type of acid as the active ingredients to clean and descale your coffee maker. Some of the acids used include citric acid, acetic acid, glycolic acid, hydrochloric acid, and formic acid. The package of coffee maker descalers will often say, “removes mineral build-up” or “increases the life of machine” or “eliminates hard water stains”.
Benefits: Commercial descalers are widely available and easy to use.
Drawbacks: The products can be expensive and due to lax US labeling regulations they can contain unknown ingredients that are unsafe for human consumption.
Ingredients You Should Not Use to Clean a Coffee Maker
It’s hard to rinse the inside of a coffee maker thoroughly. Your cleaner should not leave behind residue that can damage the machine and/or contaminate your coffee.
Do Not Use Poisonous Cleaners
NEVER use cleaners inside your coffee maker that are poisonous for humans to consume. These include:
- Bleach
- Borax
- Washing Soda
Do Not Use Residue Depositing Cleaners
NEVER use cleaners that can leave residue inside your coffee maker. These include:
- Dish Soap (can leave behind soap bubbles)
- Lemon Juice (can leave behind pulp or natural sugars)
- Apple Cider Vinegar (can leave behind cellulose or pulp)
How to Clean a Coffee Maker with Vinegar
- Empty the coffee pot and grounds. Put machine back together with no filter in place.
- Next, make a solution of ½ white vinegar and ½ fresh water. Fill the water reservoir with the vinegar/water solution, put the coffee pot in place and press “brew”.
- Optional: Halfway through the brew cycle turn off the machine and let it sit for approximately 30 minutes. This allows the vinegar solution to soak the inner parts of the coffee machine that may have mineral deposits.
- Allow the coffee maker back on to finish brewing. (If the inside of the carafe is stained or has mineral deposits, allow the hot vinegar mixture to stand in the carafe for 30 minutes.)
- Dump the warm vinegar down the kitchen sink (You’ll get a bonus drain deodorizing/cleaning).
- Then fill the water reservoir with clean water. Put the coffee pot in place and press “brew”. Once the cycle is complete, dump the hot water down the kitchen sink.
- Allow the coffee maker to cool and unplug. Open the top and brew basket and use a small brush or rag to wipe away any visible hard water deposits or stains. Use a damp rag or paper towel to wipe the warming plate, drip tray, and outside of the machine clean.
- Reassemble machine and fill the water reservoir with clean water. Put the coffee pot in place and press “brew”. Once the cycle is complete, pour the hot water down the kitchen sink.
- Finally, check the machine for a vinegar smell. Run an additional rinse cycle if you can still detect an odor.
How to Clean a Coffee Maker with Citric Acid
- Empty the coffee pot and grounds. Put machine back together with no filter in place.
- Then make a solution of 2 tablespoons of citric acid in 64 ounces of warm water.
- Fill the water reservoir with the citric acid/water solution, put the coffee pot in place and press “brew”.
- Optional: Halfway through the brew cycle turn off the machine and let it sit for approximately 30 minutes. This allows the citric acid solution to soak the inner parts of the coffee machine that may have mineral deposits.
- Allow the coffee maker back on to finish brewing. (If the inside of the carafe is stained or has mineral deposits, allow the hot mixture to stand in the carafe for 30 minutes.)
- Dump the warm solution down the kitchen sink (You’ll get a bonus drain deodorizing/cleaning).
- Next, fill the water reservoir with clean water. Put the coffee pot in place and press “brew”. Once the cycle is complete, dump the hot water down the kitchen sink.
- Allow the coffee maker to cool and unplug. Open the top and brew basket and use a small brush or rag to wipe away any visible hard water deposits or stains. Use a damp rag or paper towel to wipe the warming plate, drip tray, and outside of the machine clean.
- Reassemble machine and fill the water reservoir with clean water. Put the coffee pot in place and press “brew”. Once the cycle is complete, pour the hot water down the kitchen sink.
- Finally, check the machine for an oily or slick residue by feeling inside the water chamber. Run an additional rinse cycle if it feels greasier than plain water.
How to Clean a Coffee Maker with Baking Soda
- Descale and clean the machine with either vinegar or citric acid following steps above.
- Make a solution of baking soda and hot water by dissolving ¼ cup baking soda in 64 ounces of warm water. Fill the water reservoir with the baking soda/water solution, put the coffee pot in place and press “brew”.
- Allow the coffee maker back on to finish brewing. (If the inside of the carafe is stained or has mineral deposits, allow the baking soda mixture to stand in the carafe for 30 minutes.)
- Next, dump the warm water down the kitchen sink (You’ll get a bonus drain deodorizing/cleaning).
- Fill the water reservoir with clean water. Put the coffee pot in place and press “brew”. Once the cycle is complete, pour the hot water down the kitchen sink.
- Allow the coffee maker to cool and unplug. Open the top and brew basket and use a small brush or rag to wipe away any visible coffee residue or stains.
- Reassemble the machine and fill the water reservoir with clean water. Put the coffee pot in place and press “brew”. Once the cycle is complete, dump the hot water down the kitchen sink.
- Finally, check the clean machine for baking soda residue. Run an additional rinse cycle if you can still see white residue.
How to Clean a Coffee Pot
You’re might be thinking, “Wait… didn’t we just clean the coffee pot?” You actually cleaned the coffee maker (the appliance used to brew coffee). This usually makes the coffee pot or carafe (the receptacle used to collect the brewed coffee) much less dirty, but you may still see some residual stains or residue that need extra attention.
There are tons of cleaning tutorials online that recommend everything from lemons and rice to denture cleaner to clean the stains from your coffee pot! Luckily the pot (or carafe) is usually easy to rinse clean so you don’t have to worry about build-up or residue (like when washing the inside of a coffee maker), however… some of the recommendations are simply a waste of time and money.
1 – Daily Coffee Pot Cleaning
Rinse the carafe or coffee pot and lid with warm water after each use, and allow all parts to air dry completely before reassembling.
Why: A quick rinse keeps coffee from discoloring the pot. Drying the parts well keeps bacteria and mold from forming.
2 – Weekly Cleaning
Wash the carafe or coffee pot and lid inside and out with hot soapy water and a dish brush, sponge, or cloth. If any stains remain, sprinkle them with baking soda and scrub.
Why: A thorough weekly cleaning with hand-washing dish detergent helps remove oily coffee residue. Baking soda adds abrasive grit to help remove tough coffee stains.
3 – Monthly Cleaning and Stain Removal
Rinse the pot, then add 1/4 cup washing soda (sodium percarbonate) or 1/4 cup dishwasher detergent (one detergent pod) into the carafe and fill it with nearly boiling water. Allow mixture to soak for 30 minutes to one hour, drain liquid, and wipe stains away with a dish brush or cloth. Rinse well and allow to dry completely.
Why: Deep cleaning the inside of your coffee pot every month using dishwasher detergent or washing soda will remove coffee tannin stains and build up.
Caution! Be careful if using this trick on a glass pot, make sure the pot is warm before pouring the boiling water in or the glass could crack. You can warm the pot by filling it with hot tap water and then pouring it out.
FAQ
You can clean a coffee pot or carafe (the receptacle that catches the coffee) with dish soap because it can easily be rinsed clean. You should never clean the interior of your coffee maker with dish soap because it can leave behind a bubbly residue which will make the coffee taste soapy.
Vinegar, citric acid, and baking soda can all be used to clean a coffee pot or coffee maker. See detailed instructions above.
Remove any visible exterior mold with warm water and a rag then follow the steps above to deep clean a coffee maker with vinegar.
Citric acid makes a great deep cleaner and descaler if you don’t have vinegar. Follow the steps above to deep clean a coffee maker with citric acid.
Use citric acid or baking soda to clean a coffee pot with virtually no odor. Follow the steps above.
No, apple cider vinegar may contain sediment that can become trapped inside the machine. Use white vinegar or citric acid to safely clean your coffee maker.
A clean coffee maker makes better tasting coffee! I hope you give one of these easy cleaning methods a try!
Love iced coffee? Try my easy tip for making sure it never gets weak or watery!
Leave a Reply