How to Clean a Coffee Maker with Vinegar

The best way to make sure you coffee tastes great is knowing how to clean a coffee maker with vinegar.  There are other types of cleaners on the market but vinegar is a natural cleaner and is gentle on your coffee maker.

Coffee beans contain natural oils that can build up and cause bitterness or an off taste to the coffee.  In addition, water contains minerals that can also build up.  Pretty soon your coffee begins to taste flat, stale, and bitter.  You should plan to clean your coffee maker every six to eight weeks.  This is not a large investment of time; you will only need about one hour to thoroughly clean the machine.  Keeping your coffee maker clean on a schedule will keep minerals from building up and will ensure that your coffee tastes fresh and delicious.

Removing these mineral deposits, or scale, will also keep your coffee maker running at peak efficiency and help it to last longer.

You will need the following items:

• Rag
• White vinegar
• Dish soap
• Water

1. Mix vinegar and water in a ratio of one part vinegar to three parts water.  For a twelve cup coffee maker this means three cups of white vinegar to nine cups of water. Use the carafe to mix the vinegar and water.
2. Pour the mixture into the water reservoir of the coffee maker.  Replace the carafe on the warming plate. Turn the coffee maker on and let it run through a brewing cycle, as if you were brewing coffee.
3. Allow the vinegar and water solution to cool. 
4. Pour the solution back through the coffee maker.
5. Now, pour out the vinegar solution.  It will make your garbage disposal smell great.  Run a full carafe of clean, cold water through the coffee maker.  Pour out and repeat with another carafe of cold water.
6. If you have a permanent filter this is a great time to clean the filter and the carafe as well.  Wash the filter out thoroughly and then soak it in a solution of one part of white vinegar to three parts of water, just like you used for the coffee maker.  Leave it soak while you are working on the coffee maker and then rinse thoroughly.  Wash both the carafe and filter in hot soapy water, rinse thoroughly and allow to air dry
7. Wash the appliance off with hot soapy water, paying special attention to cracks, designs, or anywhere that could harbor dirt.  Wipe off the cord.

At this point your coffee maker is just like new.  In order to keep it that way you can try this little trick.  Drop a marble in the water reservoir of your coffeemaker.  Leave it in there for the month.  It will attract the minerals and other deposits and keep these things from building up between cleanings.  Once a week remove the marble, wash it thoroughly and replace it.

Knowing how to clean a coffee maker with vinegar can save you money both in the cleaning and by lengthening the life of your coffee maker.