Owning a coffee maker is not a big deal but maintaining it is the one. The person who drinks coffee daily is the one who owns it because going out to have that cup is expensive.
But due to their busy schedule, they tend to forget to clean it which makes it a breeding ground for bacteria and even leads to the bitter and sour taste of the coffee.
To clean it users generally use vinegar but it comes with various drawbacks. Here in this article, we are going to help you out with the substitutes of vinegar.
Why Not Vinegar?
Vinegar is a nice cleaning agent that is easily available at home but it does come with various drawbacks which are as follows:
- Vinegar leaves its smell in the coffee maker and sometimes it can be felt in the coffee which is brewed after cleaning.
- It doesn’t kill the germs completely
- As it is a highly acidic cleaning agent, so it can harm your health.
- Vinegar and its smell cannot be removed completely even after lots of rinsing.
But you can clean coffee stains from cups with vinager
How to Clean Coffee Maker Without Vinegar?
There are various substitutes to vinegar in the market and at home which are effective as well as affordable.
#1 Lemon Juice
Lemon juice contains citric acid which works as a great substitute for vinegar. As it is completely natural and affordable and leaves a pleasant aroma after cleaning. Just follow these simple steps to get good results.
- Step 1: Make a solution with 50% lemon juice and 50% freshwater
- Step 2: Clean all the removable parts of the coffee maker like filter basket nozzle etc.
- Step 3: Pour the mixture into the water reservoir and run one complete brew cycle.
- Step 4: Turn off the machine and let the mixture sit in there for 10 minutes.
- Step 5: Rinse the machine with fresh water.
#2 Salt and Ice Water
For removing the stains from the coffee maker salt and ice water combination works great. Have a look at the steps:
- Step 1: Take one tablespoon of salt and crushed ice in a bowl.
- Step 2: Rub the mixture of ice and salt on the interior of the coffee maker
- Step 3: Rinse the machine with fresh water and let it dry naturally.
#3 Baking Soda
Baking soda is a kitchen ingredient that is known as the best cleaning agent directly from the kitchen. With great baking properties, it comes with great cleaning properties.
- Step 1: Make a mixture of one tablespoon of baking soda with 1 cup of warm water.
- Step 2: Pour the mixture into the machine and turn on the brew cycle and let it complete one cycle.
- Step 3: Remove the dirty water and rinse it with fresh water.
#4 Hydrogen Peroxide
It is a chemical compound used as a cleaning agent and is available in the market at a cheap price. As it is a chemical so you need to keep it out of reach of children.
- Step 1: Pour a cup of hydrogen peroxide into the carafe and then fill it with water.
- Step 2: Turn on the machine and let the brew cycle complete, repeat it 2-3 times if needed.
- Step 3: Rinse it with fresh water at least 3 to 4 times.
#5 Liquid Dish Soap
You can easily wash your coffee maker’s parts with dish soap like other utensils. Just check the manual which parts of the coffee maker are dishwasher safe and then wash them in it.
Final Thoughts
Cleaning of every appliance is very important whether it is in a kitchen or any other area, maintaining it leads to its long life.
For regular coffee drinkers, cleaning their machines is very important otherwise it will spoil the coffee’s taste.
Every remedy has its features and advantages, it depends upon you.
Doesn’t matter which remedy you are using for cleaning it, the important thing is that you are cleaning it. Just use the one in which you are comfortable and can do easily.
