How to Clean a Coffee Maker

If you’re like me, you like your morning cup of Joe to get you going. My husband and I tend to drink a couple cups each day to get, and keep, us going.The thing that many coffee drinkers don’t realize is that their coffee maker could be filled with bacteria, mold, and scale deposits. Not only do those additional “ingredients” affect the taste of the coffee, but they can also be giving you an unwanted dose of gross with each cup you drink.

There was a study published in November of 2015 that revealed between 35 and 67 different bacteria living in the coffee makers they tested. This study focused on a particular brand of single cup coffee makers, but similar findings have been discovered in the past with other types of coffee makers. That means that, no matter what type of coffee maker you use, it likely has some level of unwanted bacteria floating around in it.

Domestic CEO also covered How to Clean Every Small Kitchen Appliance 

Luckily, cleaning a coffee maker is a very easy process. It takes just a minute or two each day, and then about five minutes of hands-on work each month. Going through the quick steps to clean your coffee maker on a regular basis will help ensure that you are getting the best tasting coffee on the block and aren’t getting any of the additional ickies in your brew.

Daily cleaning of your coffee maker

On a daily basis, it’s important to take a few steps to clean out your coffee maker. Bacteria loves warm, damp environments, so it makes sense that it can start to grow in the coffee maker.

To clean your coffee maker each day, first allow it to cool. The water that gets sent through the machine gets very hot, so opening the top door can release a bunch of steam the can cause burns. Also, some coffee carafes are made of glass. If you take the glass carafe straight from the heating element to cooler washing water, it may cause the glass to shatter. To make sure that you are staying safe, turn off the coffee maker and allow it to cool for at least 30 minutes before cleaning it out.

An easy way to remember to let your machine cool off before cleaning is to simply turn it off when you pour your last cup, and clean it when you bring that cup back into the kitchen when you’re finished.

Once the coffee maker is cooled, open the top and remove the used grounds. Toss them into the trash, or put them in your compost pile if you use them for your gardening.

Next, remove the filter basket, carafe, and any other removable parts from the machine. Use a...

Keep reading on Quick and Dirty Tips