Q&A for How to Clean a Coffee Maker with Vinegar

If your machine is clogged or fails to brew coffee, you may need to take it in for repairs or replace it.

Yes! As long as the vinegar is white (transparent, no color) and you dilute it with water beforehand.

Yes! So long as the vinegar is white and diluted with water, it's safe to use in your machine. Use 1 part vinegar and 3 parts water if you worry the vinegar might damage the machine.

You don't need to use a coffee filter while cleaning with vinegar. Simply run the brew cycles and rinse cycles without one.

Unfortunate, no. Other vinegars may have particulate or lingering flavors that can contaminate your machine.

Use a sponge and about 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda to scrub away any residue on the hot plate.

Your machine may be clogged by grounds or hard water buildup. If liquid can't run through it, or it's not properly taking up water from the reservoir, you may have to replace the machine. Clean your machine regularly to avoid clogs!

Yes, white works best. The other types of vinegar like balsamic, apple cider, red wine, etc., have more particles in them that can make the coffee maker dirtier.

You can get one from your local hardware store and even some grocery stores.

It is likely that the coffee maker alerts you after a certain number of brewing cycles instead of any kind of residue sensor. The reason you don't see residue is because not enough has built up due to frequent cleanings. Nothing wrong with a clean coffee maker!

Fill to the max and run with just water, then make another water/vinegar mixture and fill to the max and run again, then run one more time with just water to rinse. There could just be a large buildup in the system that it's having trouble cleaning. If this does not work, try contacting Cuisinart customer service and see what they recommend.

Removing your charcoal filter may be beneficial, to prevent water that runs through the filter afterwards from picking up any leftover vinegar.

Yes, a deep cleaning process known as descaling is recommended every three to six months.

Descale the kettle with vinegar. Fill the kettle about one-half full with a 1:1 solution of water and distilled white. Descale the kettle with lemon juice or citric acid powder. You can substitute freshly-squeezed or bottled lemon juice. Unplug and disassemble the kettle. Before you clean any further, unplug the cooled kettle. If it has a water filter, clean or replace the water filter. If your model has a water filter or water filter cartridge, clean the removed filter.

Once your coffee maker shuts off, you'll need to start a new brew cycle to ensure the entire contents of the reservoir is used. Basically, you'll need to run two or more "brew cycles"; If you continue to have issues, try checking the manual that came with your coffee maker for the "troubleshoot" section. If you no longer have the manual, a quick online search should easily provide you with an electronic version of it.

Yes, just be sure to run at least two full rinse cycles through your machine afterward.

A Keurig won't need an internal rinse with vinegar, but will need descaling every now and then. If you would like to do it anyway, check out How to Clean a Keurig with Vinegar .