Did you know that you should clean your coffee pot at least every 3 months? Coffee residue builds up and can affect the taste of your morning cup. If you're experiencing a burnt taste, oily coffee, or if your coffee machine is brewing more slowly than normal, you may want to consider cleaning your coffee maker!
If you still have the manual, follow the instructions there. Many times you can find instruction manuals on Google by searching for the brand and model number.
If your coffee maker does not have instructions for how to clean effectively, here are some tips!
The most effective way to clean your coffee pot is to use a cleaner that was specifically designed to clean coffee residue. We like to use a product made by Urnex for professional coffee equipment, called Cafiza. Here's how:
1. Add clean water to the max fill line in your coffee pot's reservoir (ie. if you have a 12cup pot, fill the reservoir to the 12cup mark)
2. Add a small amount of cleaner to the water in the reservoir (if you use Cafiza, use a very small amount -- less than 1/2 tsp as it is very concentrated)
3. Insert your brew basket without a filter or coffee grounds
4. Run a brew cycle
5. Discard soapy water & rinse carafe and brew basket thoroughly
6. Add clean water to your reservoir to the max fill line
7. Run 2 more brew cycles with clean water until brewed water is clear and not soapy
Tips:
Many people will suggest using vinegar and water to clean your coffee pot. This isn't recommended because it can leave an aftertaste for a long time.
Similarly, avoid using dish soap to clean your coffee maker. Dish soap can be difficult to clean out and can leave a soapy aftertaste.
If your coffee pot has black stains in the carafe, brew basket, or inside of the reservoir, you can soak these parts with the coffee pot cleaner for 15 minutes to remove these stains.