We count on our coffee makers each and every day to make hot, fresh coffee.
Over time these need cleaning, and they can develop bacteria and mineral build-up.
Both of these can affect the taste of your coffee and ruin your machine. It is important to take care of the machine and clean it often and descale every few months.
This is an easy process and doesn’t use much elbow grease. Look after your machine, and it will look after you with coffee right when you need it.
Table of Contents
How To Clean Kitchen Aid Coffee Maker?
When it is time to clean your kitchen aid coffee maker, you have a few options. You can use vinegar or cleaning tablets, and even plain baking soda. If you prefer not to wash it yourself, you can get it commercially cleaned.
Cleaning Your Coffee Maker With Cleaning Tablets Or Vinegar
You need to get rid of the mineral deposits in your coffee machine often as this can affect the taste and brewing time.
If your machine is gurging or making funny noises, is showing a warning light, or has an excessive brew time, it is time for a clean.
Most coffee machines will send off a signal when they need to be deep cleaned and descaled.
For this, you can either use a commercial cleaning tablet or white vinegar.
Both of these work the same, although vinegar is safer without the added chemicals.
Your manual will tell you exactly how to use the tablets or vinegar to clean the kitchen aid, coffee maker.
It mostly entails filling the carafe with half vinegar, half water, or full water with a cleaning tablet dropped in.
Cleaning Coffee Maker With Baking Soda
Baking soda is popular around the home for many things such as stains and for cleaning your oven or shower.
Baking soda can actually clean your coffee machine, to believe it or not!
The good thing about baking soda is most people already have it in their pantry, and if you don’t, it is readily available at the grocer’s and is cheap!
All you need to do for this process is add ¼ cup to warm water and pour it into the water dispenser of your machine.
Turn your machine on and let it go through a full cleaning cycle. After it has been done, put the coffee maker through a rinse cycle to get rid of any baking soda residues.
If you have the type of coffee maker that has a grid above the water reservoir, you can simply crush up the cleaning tablet and pour the powder in.
Descaling Your Coffee Maker
Before you go ahead and descale your coffee maker pull out the water filter and remove any coffee filters, coffee beans, or grounds.
Put your cleaning product into the water reservoir and let it go through a cleaning cycle. If the warning light is still indicating it needs cleaning, repeat the steps.
Sometimes if you haven’t cleaned the machine for a while, it will take two turns.
This is especially true in areas with hard water. Extra build-up can occur that will need repeated cleaning.
Rinse out the coffee maker by putting it through a cycle that contains just clean, fresh water in the reservoir.
Cleaning The Outside Of Your Coffee Maker
Warm soapy water squeezed out on a clean cloth is all you need to clean the outside of your machine.
If you have stubborn stains like coffee or sticky sugar, you can use part vinegar part water and wipe over.
Ensure you squeeze out the excess water. You only want the cloth damp.
Other removable parts like the water reservoir, filter areas, and the coffee ground cup can all be washed in soapy water then fully rinsed and dried before putting back.
Mold can grow in the machine so ensure everything is dried well before replacing.
Do I Have To Clean My Coffee Maker?
It is important to keep your coffee machine squeaky clean for a variety of reasons.
Better flavor
The flavor of the coffee can change when your machine is dirty. When you use the machine, the residue is left behind, and over time these build up.
Your machine should be cleaned often, and it will result in better-flavoured coffee.
Preventing Hard Water Buildup
Calcium and other mineral deposits will end up building up after a while, and they can be hard to remove.
The water flow and the brewing temp can be reduced when there is too much build-up.
Killing The Germs
Your coffee machine is a moist and warm environment, and we all know what that can lead to.
Yup, you guessed it, mold and bacteria. Deep cleaning your machine often will ensure no bacteria is growing.
The coffee grounds cup is also nice and moist, and mold will grow here very fast.
Don’t open your grounds dispenser one day and find white mold growing. Clean it often.
When you are not using your coffee machine, open up the grounds dispenser and any other lids that can be opened or removed to help air-dry the machine when you are not using it.
Conclusion
It is actually quite effortless to clean your coffee machine and using cheap ingredients like vinegar, and baking soda also makes cleaning affordable.
Don’t drink yucky coffee or coffee contaminated with yeast and bacteria. Kitchen aid coffee makers do come with a large price tag so let’s look after them.
You didn’t buy one to deal with cold, murky coffee. Clean it, and it will reward you with freshly brewed hot coffee. Is there really anything better?
Frequently Asked Questions About Cleaning Coffee Makers
Can I Use Bleach To Clean My Coffee Maker?
Cleaning a coffee maker with bleach is a big no, no. Bleach is damaging to surfaces as it’s very harsh. Bleach is also deadly to ingest, which can occur if the bleach hasn’t been rinsed out of the machine properly. Stick to the safe methods above.
How Often Should I Clean My Coffee Maker?
Basic cleaning of the brew basket and emptying grounds should be done after each use. Deep cleaning and descaling need to be done every three months.