What usually goes through the mind of a coffee lover on the mention of ‘coffee’ is aroma and flavor. And to achieve this, you need to utilize your coffee beans on a coffee maker. But did you know that a contaminated machine leads to the high possibility of consuming mold? It’s sad that we assume this when brewing coffee.
It would be hard to imagine that the coffee in your cup contains mold. The sad truth is that germs are in high concentration in the kitchen. In fact, studies show that the coffee makers are the fifth dirtiest kitchen appliance. The filter holder and water tank are the two areas that are constantly moist hence creating an enabling environment for mold to grow. If you consume coffee from a pot that is improperly cleaned, you could experience bloating or diarrhea.
Many people assume that the natural antibacterial in coffee or hot water that runs through a coffee machine is enough to kill germs. But this is not the case. To kill bacteria, you need to heat water above boiling temperature, which no coffee maker for home use can reach. However, the acidic nature of coffee can eliminate about 50% of the germs in the filter and your pot.
Guide to Clean a Moldy Coffee Maker
To avoid the occurrence of the conditions mentioned earlier, you could use some methods to clean your pot. Some methods are better and or safer than others. Thus, we have outlined a guide of how to clean a moldy coffee maker for the best coffee results.
Establish how frequently you use you pot
This is the first step towards achieving a clean coffee maker at all times. If the frequency of use is high, then cleaning should be done on a regular basis, like bi-weekly. For an occasional or average user, then cleaning your pot once a week is a good way to start.
Remove parts for cleaning
If your coffee machines integrate detachable parts, make sure to take them all out. Then use hot, soapy water to remove stains, germs, and residual oils on the carafe, filter basket, drip tray, and any other part. Finally, rinse the parts and allow them to dry before placing back in your pot
Clean further with white vinegar or Baking Soda
Daily washes with hot, soapy water won’t be enough to clean your pot completely. It is for this reason that you will need to use baking soda or white vinegar. Vinegar usually helps to remove any build up and sediments without posing any safety or health risk to you. Here is a step by step instruction guide when using vinegar to clean your pot
Use Vinegar to Clean Your Pot Step by Step
- Fill your coffee pot’s water tank with half vinegar and half water
- Put a paper filter in your pot, but don’t add coffee
- Start the brewing process and wait till about half of the water has emptied into the pot. Then turn the machine off
- Wait until about half hour to turn the coffee maker back on. Then wait until it finishes brewing
- Replace your paper filter with a clean one
- Run plain water through your coffee pot to rinse it out.
- Repeat the previous step. This ensures that you have completely cleaned the white vinegar.
- Complete the process with a soapy water rinse, the process you would normally do on a regular basis.
When Using Baking Soda, Follow the Outlined Steps
- Fill your coffee maker with warm water
- Add baking soda and stir till it dissolves properly
- Pour the water, dissolved with baking soda into the chamber and let it brew
- After the brewing process is complete, run through clean water to rinse the machine
- Repeat the previous process to rinse it thoroughly