By 
Coffee is great. That’s why over two billion cups of it are consumed on our planet every single day. It gives us that little kickstart at the beginning of the day and keeps things moving along. It’s a no-brainer having one at home too.
Some folks are very into their coffee, and for such coffee-lovers, it might be interesting to redirect to Good Fika. No matter how into your morning cup you might be, though, your home coffee maker is one appliance you have to keep on top of.
Table of Contents
Keep Rinsing
They say that prevention is better than cure, and this can often be true with coffee makers.
Ensuring that your coffee maker is routinely rinsed after use can slow down the build-up of sediments that clog things up.
The specific breakdown will differ for loads of reasons like regional water types, particular coffee blends, and so forth, but these sediments are mostly calcium carbonate. It can accrete onto surfaces throughout your machine if left unrinsed.
The Vinegar Method
If you begin noticing a bit of built-up sediment forming, there’s a tried and tested home remedy that’s relatively mild. It’s a first step choice, for when there’s slight accretion or maybe even a slightly inconsistent taste in your coffee.
If you’re not a big rinser, you might find this problem crops up quite a lot. If you catch it early enough each time, you’ll probably get away with just pouring a 50/50 mixture of water and white vinegar into the reservoir.
Once filled, you can start your coffee maker and let it run for a while. Then turn it off mid-cycle so that the vinegar mixture can soak into the scale for a few minutes. After that, you just run it through to completion with a flush of pure water afterward.
The Descaler Method
The descaler option is a second step if the vinegar didn’t quite work. It’s also aimed solely at calcium deposits (scale) in your coffee maker instead of coffee sediments or stains.
Descaler is an acid that corrodes the scale on the side of your pot or in the pipes of your coffee maker. As with the vinegar, you run the machine for a little while to get the mixture into the mechanism, and then allow it to soak before rinsing.
There’s Even a Baking Soda Option
Baking soda is better than you might think at scouring surfaces, so it may also be helpful as a cleaning agent for coffee makers. If you’re a bit unsure about it, it can at least be very useful for scrubbing the outer parts of the appliance.
Just make up a mixture with water, and apply it all over the desired surface for a few minutes. Once done, you can just rinse off and see the difference.
Regular Washing
The one main trick to keeping on top of your coffee maker’s maintenance is regularly washing it. This way, you will enjoy a more consistent cup of coffee in the mornings and never be bothered by the excessive build-up in your machine.
Depending on usage, you may only need to properly wash it every month or so. Clearly, if the machine is used a great deal, it may have to be done more often, but most home devices aren’t used that much.
Conclusion
For those who live in areas of highly calcified water, it will end up being a more regular issue, but it’s an easy fix either way. It really is well worth the minimal trouble to have that good old cup of joe right when you need it.
Comments