Q&A for How to Clean a Coffee Maker

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Question

How often should you clean a coffee maker?

Marcus Shields
House Cleaning Professional
Marcus is the owner of Maid Easy, a local residential cleaning company in Phoenix, Arizona. His cleaning roots date back to his grandmother who cleaned homes for valley residents in the 60’s through the 70’s. After working in tech for over a decade, he came back to the cleaning industry and opened Maid Easy to pass his family’s tried and true methods to home dwellers across the Phoenix Metro Area.

Marcus Shields

House Cleaning Professional

Expert Answer

Try to deep clean your coffee maker once a month so mold doesn't grow inside of it, especially if you use it every day.

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Question

How do I clean my coffee maker without vinegar?

Jonathan Tavarez
Cleaning Specialist
Jonathan Tavarez is a Cleaning Specialist based in Tampa, Florida. He is the Founder of Pro Housekeepers, a premium cleaning service catering to residential and commercial clients across the United States. Founded in 2015, Pro Housekeepers uses rigorous training methodologies to ensure high-quality cleaning standards. He has also since founded Germaphobix, a hygiene and sanitization product company, where he leveraged his expertise in the cleaning industry to make innovative products. Jonathan has over nine years of professional cleaning experience and has over six years of experience as the Communications Director for the United Nations Association, Tampa Bay. Jonathan earned a BS in Management and Marketing from the University of South Florida in 2012.

Jonathan Tavarez

Cleaning Specialist

Expert Answer

Denture cleaning tabs tend to work well when left in a carafe full of water for about 30 minutes!

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Question

How can I get rid of the vinegar taste after cleaning with vinegar?

Community Answer

Do a full cup of water. Let it run through.

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Question

How can I clean a Keurig coffee maker?

Community Answer

Put a mixture of vinegar and water in the water reservoir. Run a cycle of a few cups without the k cup, they have plastic k cups for normal coffee at Walmart for about a dollar. Use one of those, after you have run all the solution through, repeat the process with plain water.

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Question

How do I clean my coffee pot if I don't have any vinegar?

Community Answer

Use a pot's worth of water and two denture tablets. Dissolve the tablets in a separate container of water and not the coffee-maker water reservoir. Undissolved tablets can make the rinsing process lengthy.

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Question

What should I do when no vinegar drips through when cleaning a coffee maker?

Community Answer

This likely means your heater line is completely clogged with hard mineral deposits. Your only options at this point would be to buy a new coffee maker or take yours apart and try to clean it out. It's almost just always better and easier to buy a new machine. Just make sure to run 1/3 vinegar to 2/3 water through your machine once in a while to prevent another clog up.

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Question

Do I need to remove the filter before I clean the coffee marker?

Community Answer

Empty the filter as usual. Place empty filter back in the maker. What you're doing is making coffee without the coffee but with all the maker's parts.

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Question

Do I have to replace a new charcoal water filter after cleaning the coffee maker?

Community Answer

If it has been more than 3 months since the filter was changed, it's a good time to replace the charcoal filter. You don't have to replace it at the same time you clean the coffee maker.

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Question

How do I clean the stainless steal carafe that came with the coffee maker?

Community Answer

Fill the carafe with boiling water and one dishwasher detergent pod. Close the carafe, swirl it around, and let it soak for 20 minutes. Rinse it out well with clean water.

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Question

Why is the water moving through the filter so slowly that it is causing it to overflow?

Community Answer

It could be that your coffee pot isn't on securely and is keeping the exit closed.

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Question

How do I shut off a blinking clean light on my coffee maker?

Community Answer

Try unplugging the machine and plugging it back in after 1-2 minutes. If that doesn't work, run the coffeemaker through the clean cycle.

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Question

How do I clean the base of a coffee maker?

Community Answer

Run the machine with plain water until you have about a half cup of hot water, then turn the machine off and pour the water onto the burner area. Wipe it away (carefully) and spray the rest of the machine with a disinfectant before wiping that away as well.

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Question

How do I clean mesh coffee filters?

Community Answer

This depends on the type you're using. Read the manufacturer's instructions.

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Question

Will filtered water damage a coffee pot?

Community Answer

This should not damage most coffee pots, but it's a good idea to refer to your instructions manual just in case.

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Question

Can I use red vinegar to clean my coffee maker?

Community Answer

White vinegar is a better option. It works better in terms of removing mold and debris.

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Question

Can I use cider vinegar?

Shannon Green

Community Answer

Yes, the method for cleaning your coffee machine with vinegar, whether plain white or apple cider, is the same.

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Question

How do I get rid of the moldy smell if the vinegar/water method does not work?

Community Answer

Just clean it again, but use more vinegar than water.

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Question

Can apple cider vinegar be used in place of white vinegar?

Lyn Conlon

Community Answer

It seems to work just as well, but you usually have to rinse it a bit more to make sure the vinegar taste is completely gone.

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Question

Can a coffee thermos be cleaned the same way?

Community Answer

It depends on the method that you are using, but it should be able to be cleaned the same way.

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Question

Why do I have to use a paper filter when cleaning? What is the reasoning behind it?

Shannon Green

Community Answer

To catch any solids that will be cleaned out. It's easier to remove a paper filter than to clean your internal filter again, but the paper filter isn't an essential step.

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Question

How do I clean the top of a thermal pot? If I shake it over the sink, I can see that the old coffee never really clears out.

Community Answer

Use some soap and water to dislodge any loose coffee debris. You can also deep clean the pot with vinegar once a month.

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Question

How can I clean a coffee maker that has a permanent filter?

Community Answer

This can be cleaned like any other coffee maker.

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Question

How do I get rid of the coffee smell from the machine?

Community Answer

Run two cycles with vinegar, and then run water through once to get the vinegar out.

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Question

Does the off and on switch need to be tuned off after making coffee?

Community Answer

You can leave the on switch on for awhile to keep your coffee warm, but turn it off before leaving your home. Leaving it on too long or unattended is a fire hazard.

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Question

What do I do if my coffee maker isn't working?

Community Answer

Consult your instructions manual. This should advise you on how to troubleshoot common problems. If your coffee maker still does not work, you may want to buy a new one.

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Question

Is it okay to use apple cider vinegar to clean a coffee maker?

Shannon Green

Community Answer

The method for cleaning your coffee machine with vinegar, whether plain white or apple cider, is the same.

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Question

Can I use apple cider vinegar to clean a coffee maker?

Community Answer

Yes, but it will require more rinsing to flush out the taste. This is due to tannin in the apple cider vinegar. It is recommend to use white vinegar.

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Question

How can I clean the carafe?

Community Answer

Yes. All parts of a coffee maker should be cleaned regularly.

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Question

Can I use dish soap to clean my coffee maker?

Community Answer

If you do this, then when you drink coffee it will taste like dish soap for a bit. Instead, take some water and put it on the stove and pour hot water into the coffee maker. Leave it for a bit, then pour all the water out.

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Question

How do I get rid of the smell of vinegar and detergent from my coffee maker?

Community Answer

Add hot water inside (heat the water on the stove top). Let it sit for a while, then empty out the water. After this, the smell should be gone but repeat if necessary.

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