If you’re a coffee drinker, you rely on your coffee maker to get your daily fix. But how often do you clean your coffee maker? If you’re like most people, the answer is probably “not often enough.” Like any other appliance in your home, your coffee maker needs regular cleaning and descaling to keep it functioning properly.
Coffee makers can become clogged with all sorts of things like oils, calcium deposits, and coffee grounds. Descaling is the process of removing these buildups from your coffee maker. This should be done at least once a month, but more often if you use your coffee maker frequently.
Not sure how to descale your coffee maker? Don’t worry. Read on for a step-by-step guide to descaling your coffee maker quickly and easily.
Descaling Your Coffee Maker
Step 1: Fill the water reservoir with equal parts water and white vinegar. Alternatively, you can use a commercial descaling solution designed specifically for coffee makers. Vinegar works great for descaling your coffee maker.
Step 2: Run the brew cycle without putting any coffee grounds in the filter basket. Let the mixture sit in the pot for about 30 minutes before proceeding to the next step. Allowing the mixture to sit maximizes the descaling of your coffee maker.
Step 3: After 30 minutes have passed, finish running the brew cycle. Pour out the solution and rinse the pot with fresh water several times to remove any lingering vinegar taste.
Step 4: Fill the reservoir with fresh water and run another brew cycle to flush out any remaining residue. Discard the water and put everything back together again.
Voila! Your coffee maker is now clean as a whistle and ready to brew fresh coffee.
A monthly descaling session is crucial for keeping your coffee maker functioning properly. By taking just a few minutes to clean your coffee maker, you will have better-tasting coffee in your mug and fewer problems down the road. So grab some vinegar (or pick up a commercial descaling solution) and get started today! Your coffeemaker will thank you for it.