The climate in coffee makers is perfect for bacteria, and can coffee machines get moldy in high volumes. Valerie Li, our kitchen and cuisine writer, explains that mold prefers damp, dark environments.
How to Clean Mold Out of Coffee Maker
Has the smell of mildew and mustiness crept into your daily coffee? Your coffee machine may be home to mold growth, which is harming your health and making your coffee taste strange.
Immunocompromised people can become ill by consuming or inhaling mold spores, which is a health risk. Drinking coffee from a moldy coffee maker can cause allergies and digestive problems in otherwise healthy people, therefore, it’s crucial to regularly deep clean your coffee makers.
What You’ll Need for Coffee Machines Get Moldy?
A cleaning solution for industrial coffee makers, which is frequently offered under the same brand as your coffee maker, can be used to clean it. Nevertheless, you can also make your own cleaning solution at home with everyday items like vinegar and baking soda that are just as efficient! You’ll need the following:
- White vinegar
- Baking soda
- Fine salt
- Paper filter
How to Clean Moldy Coffee Maker: A Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1: Fill the Water Reservoir with Vinegar Solution
Make a solution of 1/4 cup table salt, 1-2 cups baking soda, and 6 cups white vinegar. The vinegar should remove the mold spores from your coffee maker, and the baking soda will help. Avoid using coarse salt since big chunks could get stuck in your coffee maker and instead use fine salt as an abrasive scrubber.
Put the vinegar solution directly into the coffee maker’s water reservoir. Close the tank lid after completing the reservoir’s maximum fill line. Baking soda and vinegar may over-boil and make a mess if put together in the water tank, so make sure to mix the solution separately.
Step 2: Add a Paper Filter
Put the coffee maker in place and fill the filter basket with a filter to catch the grounds that drip out. When cleaning your coffee maker, use a fresh filter instead of reused ones because you’ll need to get rid of them when cleaning is over.
Step 3: Run a Brewing Cycle
Run a brew cycle on the coffee maker to let it clean itself; this is essentially the same as making coffee, just without the beans. Discard the water that has accumulated in the coffee maker after allowing the cycle to complete. After washing it thoroughly, put the coffee maker back in its rinse cycle location. The paper filter does not need to be changed, but you can.
Step 4: Run 2-3 Rinse Cycles
To clear up any leftovers from your coffee maker, fill the reservoir with plain water and perform a rinse cycle. If your coffee makers still have a vinegar odor, you might need to run them through two or three rinse cycles. Rinse again until the water that has accumulated in your coffee pot no longer has a musty or sour scent.
Step 5: Clean the Coffee Pot
Take out the filter and throw it away. Separately, wash the basket and coffee maker with soapy water. Let the steam escape by opening the water reservoir’s cover. Wipe down your machine thoroughly to clean the outside of your coffee maker as well.
Step 6: Let Everything Dry
Before putting the machine back together, let everything dry. Using a kitchen towel or allowing them to air dry, dry the removable portions. To be sure there is no moisture remaining in the appliance before storing it, let the coffee maker dry before you secure the cover to the water reservoir.
Tips to Maintain Your Coffee Machine
- After every coffee brewing cycle, empty the filter basket in your coffee makers. When used coffee grounds are left in the machine for an extended period of time, they can become damp and grow mold.
- Following coffee brewing, maintain your coffee machine. By doing this, you will remove any leftover residue or coffee from the brewing process.
- Even when not in use, weekly machine cleaning. By doing this, you can keep your machine from accumulating minerals and clean out any dust or debris that managed to get into the pipes.
- While not being used, cover coffee machines. By doing this, dust and other particles won’t enter the machine. Before covering your machine, ensure sure it is dry.
- To stop the growth of mold and mildew, let your freshly cleaned coffee maker dry. When reassembling the machine, thoroughly dry any removable parts that have been cleaned. To let the leftover moisture evaporation, open the hot water tank.
Keep Your Kitchen Clean
Cleaning up your house and kitchen is one technique to stop mold from getting inside your appliances. Mold in your coffee makers is an indication of mold in your home, which our staff at Luce Home can get rid of for you! Our cleaning services will keep your kitchen clean and organized so you can enjoy a great, hot cup of coffee.
Faqs
How often should I replace my coffee maker?
The average lifespan of a good coffee maker is five years. Well-maintained, high-end equipment can last for more than ten years. Although a good coffee maker typically lasts for this amount of time, there are a number of variables that can affect this.
Can espresso machines get moldy?
Because of inconsistent cleaning, mold, yeast, and bacteria could be growing in your machine. Whether you have a fancy espresso maker, a Keurig, or a coffee maker, these little devils don’t care; they can grow in any type of machine.
Can coffee makers grow bacteria?
Research on the bacteria and germs that thrive within coffee makers when they aren’t cleaned frequently is comprehensive. Bacteria can flourish in the drip trays of coffee makers and spread throughout the entire machine as a result of the dampness, according to a study on nine Nespresso and nine Krups machines.
What coffee makers don’t get moldy?
It’s simple to regularly clean coffee makers like the Techinvorm Moccamaster, Oxo On Barista Brain, or Bonavita, and they also produce excellent coffee. Excellent option if you want a nice coffee maker but don’t want to be concerned about mold or bacteria.
