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Coffee makers are incredibly convenient ways to make coffee with little work. However, like many items in your household, they can be full of bacteria and become dirty over time.
Fortunately, you don’t need any harsh cleaners to clean your coffee maker. You can use apple cider vinegar for cleaning the coffee maker. You should follow these steps:
Step 1
To begin cleaning your coffee maker, empty out the tank and remove the filter. Next, push down on the plunger to move any remaining coffee grounds left in your machine into an easily accessible pile.
Step 2
Fill up your coffee maker’s water tank with one part apple cider vinegar and three parts fresh water. Then run your equipment through a full cycle without any coffee in the filter. This will rid your coffee maker of any gunk that may have built up, creating a fresher taste for your next cup of joe.
Step 3
After running through an entire cycle of just water and vinegar, run fresh water through to ensure that all of the vinegar has been removed. This will stop any vinegar taste from infiltrating your morning coffee.
Step 4
The last step for cleaning your coffee machine is to run a few cycles with fresh, clean water. It will rinse out any residual vinegar or hard water deposits that may have built up as a result of mineral content in the tap water.
These steps should be followed every 1-2 months to keep your coffee fresh and tasting great. You will find that your cup of coffee becomes even more flavorful. Thanks to the purified water used in the cleaning process.
So, next time it’s time for you to clean your machines, use apple cider vinegar instead of commercial cleaners.
Regular Vinegar VS Apple Cider Vinegar
Both white vinegar and apple cider vinegar are incredibly beneficial to your household. Apple cider vinegar is particularly good for cleaning coffee makers since it has a stronger acetic acid content than regular white distilled vinegar.
Having a stronger acid content is important because it allows the vinegar to dissolve and clean away hard water stains as well as kill off any bacteria that may be living in your coffee maker.
In addition, apple cider vinegar’s natural malic and citric acids help restore alkalinity to the mineral-rich acidic tap water used for brewing.
By restoring the alkalinity of this water, apple cider vinegar helps to ensure that your coffee continues to taste as good as possible with every use.
You can also use regular distilled white vinegar for cleaning your coffee maker. But it is not as effective as apple cider vinegar and may leave behind a residual taste after use.
Cautions and Other Tips for Cleaning Your Coffee Maker with Apple Cider Vinegar
If you choose to use apple cider vinegar as your go-to coffee maker cleaner, there are a couple of things that you should keep in mind:
Make sure that your coffee maker’s tank and filter basket are completely dry before you turn on your machine. Failure to do so can result in the build-up of mold and mildew. In addition, it will impact the taste of your coffee and pose a potential health risk.
If possible, use cold water when running your equipment through its cleaning cycle. This can help prevent mineral deposits from hard water, which can accumulate and eventually clog your machine’s brew head.
While the vinegar smell will dissipate after a few coffee cycles, it is a good idea to run fresh water through several times after completing the cleaning process.
It will ensure that any residual apple cider vinegar odors have been eliminated.
With all that said, using apple cider vinegar for cleaning your coffee maker can be a great way to avoid using potentially harsh chemicals. It will leave your machine looking and tasting great!
How Can You Take Care of Your Coffee Maker Properly?
When it comes to taking care of your coffee pot, many people tend to focus their attention on how often they should be cleaning the machine.
However, what people fail to realize is that there are a number of other factors that can impact the quality and taste of their coffee as well.
Using Clean & Fresh Water Each Time
You should always remember that you are using clean fresh water each time you brew a pot of coffee. Filtered water is best since it can help prevent the build-up of mineral deposits in your coffee maker, which can affect the flavor of your beverage.
Avoid Using Foreign Substances
You should also avoid introducing any other foreign substances into your machine. This applies to coffee filters, cleaning tabs and spoons, and other utensils.
Type & Quality of Coffee
Another consideration is the type of coffee you use. While your favorite variety may be affordable and tasty, it could leave behind a residue that builds up over time and begins impacting the taste of your morning cup of joe.
Proper Cleaning
Your last tip is always to be sure that you are properly maintaining your coffee maker between cleanings.
If the machine has a self-cleaning cycle, it is imperative that you run this every so often in order to keep any mineral deposits from building up.
If there is no cleaning cycle, you should take the time to remove and clean the removable parts of your machine every so often. Either of these options will help to ensure that your coffee maker continues to run as efficiently as possible over its lifetime.
Wrapping Up
Using apple cider vinegar for cleaning your coffee maker can be an effective way. It can cut through any film or buildup that has accumulated on the inside of your machine.
However, it is only one part of the equation when it comes to keeping this important appliance in top shape. You should also take steps to ensure that you are using clean water.
Also, ensure that you are properly maintaining your machine between cleanings. These may seem like small steps, but they can help to ensure that your coffee maker remains in good working order for many years to come.