How To Clean Your Coffee Maker For The Freshest Cup Every Day

To keep your coffee maker running smoothly (and your mornings enjoyable), you need to keep it clean. Oily residue, hard-water deposits, and other impurities build up over time, slowing down the inner workings of your machine and influencing the taste of your coffee. Whether you have a traditional percolator, automatic drip coffeemaker, or a single-cup "pod" system, the machine is a moist environment where mold and bacteria can grow. And it doesn't matter how expensive your coffee beans are: If the pot is dirty, you aren't going to get a great-tasting cup of joe. Here are simple steps for how to clean your coffee maker and keep it in tip-top condition.

How Often to Clean A Coffee Maker

Clean the removable parts of your coffee maker every day of use, and give it a deeper clean once a month. Here's what we recommend:

• Daily Cleaning: Use warm, soapy water to remove coffee, grinds, and oil from the removable parts. These parts are usually dishwasher safe, as well.
• Monthly Cleaning: Use white vinegar and water to clean the interior and remove buildup. We find that white vinegar is an effective cleanser for descaling and deep cleaning a coffee pot.

What You Need

• Dishcloth
• Dish soap
• Clean wash cloths
• Towel
• Distilled white vinegar (for monthly cleaning)
  

How To Clean A Coffee Maker With Soap & Water

1. Wash the carafe, filter basket, water tank, and any other removable parts in warm, soapy water. (If you have dishwasher safe parts, you can wash them on the top rack of the dishwasher instead.)
2. Rinse removable parts and let dry before putting them back in place.
   
3. Wipe down the outside of the coffee maker and the warming plate with a damp cloth.
   

How To Clean A Coffee Maker With Vinegar

1. Fill the water reservoir with a 50/50 mixture of distilled white vinegar (this common household product sanitizes and removes mineral buildup) and water.
2. Turn on the coffee maker. Let several cups run through, then turn it off and let sit for an hour.
3. Start the machine again to complete the cycle.
4. Some machines have a cleaning indicator light. If the light remains on after completing step 3, empty the carafe, refill it with a 50/50 mixture, and run the coffee maker again.
5. Pour the vinegar mixture out in the sink. Wash the carafe and other removable parts in warm, soapy water.
6. Rinse removable parts and let dry before putting them back in place.

Tips To Keep Your Machine Clean Longer

• Don’t leave coffee sitting in the carafe all day. As the liquid evaporates, it can cause a ring on the pot if the burner is kept on.
• Using distilled water helps prevent mineral buildup.
• Leave the reservoir lid open after use so it can dry out—germs love moisture.