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With each use, your coffee maker forms build ups, one is of the oil from the coffee beans, the other is of mineral deposits from the water. The oil that builds up can ruin even the best blend, passing on a stale or burned taste into your fresh pot. The mineral deposits can harm your machine and they too, if allowed to build up enough, adversely affect the taste of your coffee.

The best way to prevent problems and avoid having to use harsh chemicals is to regularly care for your coffee pot. To start, the pot and the basket should be rinsed out after every use. A deeper cleaning should be done for every 5 to 10 pots of coffee you make. The first step is to fill the machine 1/4 full (any more than that is unnecessary) with vinegar and the rest of the way with water (distilled is best if you have it). Some machines have a cleaning cycle, which runs the water through at a slower speed, if yours does not, fold a paper towel in quarters or place two coffee filters in the basket to give the water and vinegar mixture more time to work. Start the clean or brew cycle and when it is finished, run two pots of water through to thoroughly rinse out the vinegar. The vinegar will cut through and carry away both the oil and mineral deposits, and leave you with a much fresher machine. Another benefit (among many) of the vinegar is that vinegar is a natural deodorizer, so if there are other lingering odors in the kitchen, it will take care of those at the same time. And if you faithfully follow with the two pots of fresh water, the vinegar scent will mostly be gone by the time you are finished as well.

At this time, the basket and the pot should be washed. Most baskets and glass pots are dishwasher safe, otherwise, wash both by hand. If there are stubborn stains that you would like to remove, the safest and most efficient way is to make a thick paste with baking soda and water and rub it in with a paper towel or bottle scrubber. If you would prefer, bleach can also be used on a glass pot. These are only quick tasks to add to your routine, but you will enjoy the benefits of them with each cup you drink.

Learn more about this author, Christina Orleans.
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