Coffee makers are such an essential kitchen equipment that are often neglected. Normally, we don’t give enough credit to these every-day products that make our lives so much easier.
But do you know that cleaning your coffee maker regularly is not just a choice but a necessity? Here is why. Over time, you might have observed a change in the coffee flavor. It’s a sign that your coffee maker needs attention, more accurately put – it needs cleaning.
So, what’s a good way to clean coffee makers? Is it the same like the other appliances or are there some special hacks for consistent flavor and quality?
In this post, we will discuss a popular and effective method to clean your coffee maker with apple cider vinegar. Keep reading to find out more.
How Cleaning Your Coffee Maker Can Help Make Your Coffee Better
There are obvious advantages to cleaning your coffee maker. Mainly, it’s about adopting hygienic habits to ensure what you consume is clean and healthy. Secondly, clean your equipment can help your appliances last longer.
There are many chemical solutions readily available for cleaning your coffee maker. However, if you’re the type of person who prefers to keep it natural, Apple Cider Vinegar makes an excellent and cheaper alternative.
Here is a quick look at some of the reasons why you should clean your coffee maker and how to do it.
Prevent Bacteria
Coffee makers can be home to a high concentration of bacteria. Normally, they are placed in the kitchen. Hence, they are prone to catching bacterial growth. Moreover, coffee residue and heat make it a more hospitable environment for the bacteria to grow.
So, when you don’t clean the coffee maker for some time, it becomes a colony of germs and mold, so the coffee you consume will be unhygienic and risky for your health.
Coffee Tastes Better
When you clean the coffee maker with apple cider vinegar, it helps remove not just dirt and bacteria but oils too. Therefore, the machine works more smoothly and produces better results. Additionally, it also ensures that there are no coffee grounds or any type of residue inside the coffee maker.
Enhance Machine Efficiency
A clean machine will produce efficient results, that’s the rule of any type of machine, big or small. When you clean a coffee maker, it improves the machine’s efficiency. Moreover, you can prevent any possible damage due to unclean parts.
Cleaning Coffee Maker with Apple Cider Vinegar – How to Do It?
When it comes to cleaning metals, vinegar comes across as a popular and effective agent for this purpose. Whether it is white vinegar or apple cider vinegar, both have the acidic properties that cut tough oil compounds to give a clean and shiny output.
To clean your coffee maker with apple cider vinegar, follow these simple steps:
Make the Cleaning Solution
Take two parts of water and one part of apple cider vinegar and fill your coffee maker’s water reservoir with this solution.
Start a Brew Cycle
Just like you make coffee, run the coffee maker. Also, if you have an option to pause brew, allow the machine to pause as it will help keep the solution a bit longer in the coffee maker and allows for more effective and deeper cleaning.
Rinse With Water
Once the solution has cleaned the inside of the maker, time to rinse it thoroughly with water. Clean the water reservoir to get rid of any residue of the cleaning solution. Then, fill it up with clean water. Now run another brew cycle (without adding any coffee grounds). You might want to run a second brew cycle just to make sure you get rid of every bit of the cleaning solution.
Optional – Charcoal Filter Replacement
If your machine uses a charcoal water filter, you might want to check up on it, too. If it’s been a while since you replaced it, then perhaps it is time for a new one. If your coffee maker does not have a charcoal water filter, then make sure you’re always using bottled filtered water to brew your coffee. This will improve the taste of your coffee as well as keep your coffee maker running properly.
Cleaning a Coffee Maker is Easy and Effective
Keeping your coffee maker clean is an essential part of kitchen equipment maintenance. It helps the machine to last longer and produce better results every time. So, cleaning your coffee maker with apple cider vinegar, or any cleaner you choose to use, can be an effective and low-cost solution.
Moreover, you should also try to use pure and filtered water because there are lesser contaminants. These impurities often consist of minerals that can clog the coffee maker.
Common Asked Questions
Will My Coffee Taste Like Vinegar After Cleaning with Apple Cider Vinegar Solution?
No, if you rinse the machine after the cleaning process, your coffee should taste just fine. Just to be sure, run your coffee with clean water twice after your finish cleaning it.
Can I Use Regular Vinegar Instead of Apple Cider Vinegar?
Yes, you can use white vinegar. Both type of vinegar have the same benefits, however, Apple cider vinegar has a milder and more pleasant scent than white vinegar. So it is easier to get rid of when you’re cleaning the machine.
How Often Should I Clean My Coffee Maker?
It is recommended that you clean your coffee maker at least once a month, if you’re using it daily. Maybe less if you’re not using it that often. This is enough to get rid of any coffee residues or mineral/oil build ups.
Is It Safe to Use Vinegar to Clean a Coffee Maker?
Yes, absolutely. It is a natural solution, that we normally consume with our food anyway. So it is certainly safer than any chemical solution you can use to clean your coffee maker.
