To clean a coffee maker, fill the reservoir with a 50/50 mix of white vinegar and water, run a brew cycle (pausing halfway for 30 minutes to let it soak), then run two or three cycles of plain water until the vinegar smell is gone. Descale every two to four months — sooner if your coffee tastes bitter or the machine smells — and leave the lid open between uses so the inside can dry out. Citric acid, lemon juice, or baking soda work too if you’d rather skip vinegar.
You might think your kitchen is clean and tidy, but what germs are lurking where you can’t see them? Germs love warm, damp environments, and the inside of your coffee maker is a perfect place for them to multiply. In a 2011 NSF study, the coffee reservoir was one of the five germiest spots in the entire home — yeast and mold turned up in 50% of reservoirs tested and coliform bacteria (the family responsible for salmonella and E. coli) in 9%.
If that worries you, don’t panic. Our cleaning Pros know how to get into even the hardest-to-reach areas. Follow these tips to keep your coffee maker as clean as new.
How often should you clean a coffee maker?
Clean your coffee maker every two to four months, depending on how often you use it — but don’t ignore it the rest of the time. Mold likes darkness and humidity, so one of the best ways to prevent it is to open the lid when the machine isn’t in use. This lets the water inside evaporate and lets light reach the spots where mold likes to grow.
If your coffee tastes bitter or the machine has a strong odor when running, it’s time to clean it — even if it hasn’t been long since the last time. Many variables affect coffee makers, from water hardness to the beans you use, so watch for the signs. A buildup of mineral deposits (limescale) hurts performance and shortens the machine’s lifespan.
Pro Tip: Learn how to tackle mold anywhere in your home!
How do you clean a coffee maker?
Many commercial coffee maker cleaning solutions are sold as descaling tablets, powders, or liquids. Most work using the method below, but always follow the product’s instructions.
Step 1 — If your coffee maker has a reservoir, measure your cleaning solution and add it.
Step 2 — For tablets and powders, add enough water to activate the cleaner. Check the packaging for details.
Step 3 — Run the coffee maker as usual until the reservoir is empty. Discard the dirty water.
Step 4 — Fill the reservoir and repeat.
Step 5 — Remove and discard any remaining cleaning product from the reservoir.
Step 6 — Fill again with clean water and run at least two cycles to flush out any last traces of cleaner.
Pro Tip: Your coffee maker isn’t the only humid spot in your kitchen. Keep mold at bay by cleaning your dishwasher too!
How do you clean coffee pot stains?
Coffee makers and pots suffer from a range of stains — from the coffee itself to hard water marks and limescale. The good news: all of them come out with a little care.
- To remove coffee stains, fill the pot with boiling water and add a dishwasher detergent pod (or a squirt of dish soap). Let it sit half an hour, then empty and rinse with clean water.
- Use salted water for stains. Salt is a natural abrasive and strongly absorbent. Sprinkle it inside the pot, leave 5-10 minutes, then fill with boiling water. Stir to dissolve, let sit 30-60 minutes, then empty and wash with fresh water.
- Most hard water deposits are calcium carbonate, a base, so acids break them down: vinegar, lemon juice, or citric acid. Soak the pot in a 50/50 mix of water and your acid to lift the deposits.
Pro Tip: Keep cleaning! Learn how to clean your oven like a Pro.
How do you clean a coffee maker with vinegar?
Vinegar is a fantastic all-purpose cleaner. It’s food-safe, so it won’t harm your health if you don’t get every trace out (though it will make your next cup taste funky).
Step 1 — Fill the reservoir with 50/50 white vinegar and water.
Step 2 — Run a brew cycle, but stop halfway through.
Step 3 — Let it sit 30 minutes so the vinegar can work.
Step 4 — Finish the brew cycle and discard the dirty water.
Step 5 — Run at least two cycles of plain water, until you can no longer smell vinegar.
That’s all there is to it. You can use distilled vinegar, white vinegar, or apple cider vinegar — don’t worry about the flavor or odor. As long as you flush thoroughly afterward, you won’t notice any unpleasant smell or taste.
If you’re not sure you flushed enough, make a small test cup of coffee. It might not taste great, but vinegar isn’t harmful, so there are no negative side effects.
Pro Tip: Your humidifier can also get dirty and attract mold. Learn how to keep your humidifier clean now.
How do you clean a coffee maker without vinegar?
No vinegar? Use citric acid or lemon juice instead — they work just as well because they’re also mildly acidic, breaking down the calcium carbonate that collects inside. Many people prefer them because the smell is more pleasant, though lemon juice in particular can get sticky if it isn’t fully removed.
Both lemon juice and citric acid are food-safe, so there are no harmful side effects. Fresh or bottled juice both work.
Pro Tip: Keep cleaning, and keep pests at bay. Learn how to get rid of gnats!
How do you clean a coffee maker with baking soda?
Baking soda is a great cleaner, especially combined with others.
- Fill a stained pot with boiling water and add 2 tablespoons of baking soda. Stir to dissolve and let sit 30 minutes to lift stains.
- Fill the reservoir and add 1/2 cup baking soda. Run the machine to flush it, discard the water, then run two more cycles with fresh water to remove residue.
- Add a tablespoon of baking soda to the bottom of the pot before running a cleaning cycle with vinegar or lemon juice — the reaction between soda and acid creates extra cleaning power.
- You can also use baking soda to test whether you’ve flushed all the acid out: add a pinch to the bottom of the pot and run a freshwater cycle. Any fizzing means there’s still acid inside.
How do you clean a single-serve or Keurig coffee maker?
Most commercial cleaning products work on single-serve (Keurig-style) machines, and you can also use a DIY solution of vinegar, citric acid, or baking soda safely. Always add the cleaner to the reservoir and run the cycle without a K-cup installed.
Note that Keurig recommends one particular brand of descaling solution for its machines, and advises cleaning every three to six months depending on usage.
Final thoughts
Cleaning your coffee maker is simple, but easy to overlook. With the Pros in your corner, you can stay ahead of mold, bacteria, and limescale — keeping your family healthier and your coffee tasting better.
