How to Clean an Automatic Coffee Maker

When your automatic coffeemaker becomes dirty, the result will be bitter tasting coffee as well as the possibility of consuming mold. Not only can this affect the taste of your coffee, but you may also experience gastrointestinal problems such as diarrhea, gas or bloating when you consume coffee from an automated coffee pot that has not been cleaned properly. In order to avoid drinking coffee from a dirty coffeemaker is a good idea to learn effective methods, as well as safe methods of cleaning it. There are number of methods people use in order to clean up their automatic coffeemaker, some of these methods work better than others, and some of them are safer than others. The following is a list of things that people do in order to clean out their automatic coffeemaker.

Commercial Products

There are a number of commercial automatic coffeemaker cleaning products on the market. Many people do not like using these products, because they fear that they are not safe. In some cases these people are right, using chemicals to clean something that you will be drinking from, may not be the best idea. Fortunately, there are many products that are perfectly safe for human consumption in the event that any of the residue should be left behind, after cleaning the automated coffeemaker with them. However, this is not to say that commercial coffeemaker cleaners should not be used, it just means that a little bit of common sense and precautions should be taken when doing so.

White Vinegar

White vinegar can be used to clean many things such as glass and surfaces as well as removing stains from some fabrics. In addition, using full strength white vinegar to clean out your automatic coffeemaker will help remove sediment and build up, without posing any sort of health or safety risk to you. To do this you simply use full strength white vinegar by pouring it into the chamber that you would normally pour water into. After doing this, turn on the coffeemaker and allow the vinegar to brew through into the coffee pot. Once that brews and the pot has finished, run clear water through several times to eliminate the possibility of the taste of vinegar from entering your coffee when you make the next pot of coffee.

Baking Soda

Baking soda is another wonderful household product when it comes to cleaning. You can use baking soda to clean out your automatic coffee maker much in the same way you would use the white vinegar. Simply fill your coffeepot with water stirring in a quarter cup of baking soda, you will want to be sure and use warm water so that the baking soda dissolves properly. Once you have dissolved baking soda into the pot of water, pour the water into the chamber and allow it to brew as if it were a pot of coffee. When you have finished run two complete pots of water through your coffeemaker to ensure that it has been rinsed properly. This can be done once a week in order to keep your automatic coffeemaker clean.

Avoid Mildew

Because water sits in your automatic coffeemaker, there is a high probability that mold and mildew will develop as it does in all areas that are moist. In order to avoid this from happening, leave the top of your automatic coffeemaker open allowing air to get into the chamber. This will help dry out the extra water. In addition after using your automatic coffeemaker is a good idea to take clean paper towel and run it along inside of the chamber to get rid of any excess water. Always remember that where there is standing water there’s also a possibility of mold. Mold, as I’m sure you know, can be very detrimental to your health, especially if consumed.

A Word on Using Bleach

Some people are firm believers in the running bleach through their automatic coffeemaker in order to clean it. However, there are precautions you should take in order to be sure that you do not melt or corrode the elements with in your automatic coffeemaker by using bleach. Bleach is highly corrosive and will surely damage your coffeemaker it is used excessively or irresponsibly. If you plan on using bleach to clean out your coffeemaker remember to use only a few tablespoons of bleach diluted by the entire pot of water. If you use bleach sparingly in this way, it is perfectly safe to use in your coffeemaker. Never, under any circumstances, use straight bleach inside of your automatic coffeemaker.

In addition to taking all of these steps to keep your automatic coffeemaker clean, it is also best to replace your automatic coffeemaker at least once a year. While you can keep your automatic coffee maker clean, replacing it every so often will eliminate you possibly becoming ill from mold and other harmful things that may build up on the inside of your coffeemaker, which you are not able to get to.

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  1. I disagree with replacing your coffee maker once a year. Clean regularly with vinegar or baking soda and clean the pot or carafe with 1 to 4 mixture of bleach and water to get the brown stain out. Then wash with soap and hot water. Works for me for years and years.

  2. We have a Kitchen Aid coffee maker and love it actually. But the brew cycle has become very slow. It takes 45 Minutes if not longer to brew a pot of coffee when it should only take maybe 15 minutes.

    I have used the Afresh to clean the coffee maker twice tinighyband the brew time hasn’t improved at all. What other options do I have that so could do to speed up the brew cycle?

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