How to Clean and Descale Your Coffee Machine the Right Way
This is a collaborative post.
None of us stays on top of all those little jobs around the home like we’re supposed to. Whether it’s stretching your dishwashing or forgetting to throw your pillowcases in the wash, we are all guilty of a few cheats for convenience.
If you’ve been putting the basic maintenance of your coffee machine on the same list, however, it’s time to rethink. Not only does a clean machine make better-tasting coffee (and prevent any health risks), but it will also significantly extend your machine’s lifespan.
Luckily, keeping your coffee machine clean and ready for work is easy.
Photo: coffeefriend.co.uk
Why Cleaning and Descaling Matters
Who wants an icky-tasting cup of coffee? No one! Over time, even the best machines will accumulate grit and debris from brewing. It doesn’t matter if you favour a bean-to-cup coffee machine, a classic drip, or an espresso-style model.
This can lead to a stale or bitter taste in your coffee. And where damp organic matter and hidden water drops sit unattended, you soon get yeast, bacteria and other disgusting things.
Limescale is a subtler beast responsible for that cloudy white build-up you see over time in any appliance that uses water.
It’s just a mineral deposit from the water itself, but it can have a profound impact on the taste of the water, clog the machine, and impact its lifespan and efficiency. It’s worse in areas with hard water.
Cleaning a Bean-to-Cup Coffee Machine
It is essential to clean a bean-to-cup coffee machine, as with the grinder incorporated into the machine, there’s extra scope for oils from the beans and fragments of coffee beans to get left behind. Here’s how to clean your bean-to-cup coffee machine easily.
Every day, empty the used coffee grinds and rinse the water holder and drip tray. This alone will work wonders to ensure a delicious, fresh brew every time.
Once a week, unclip the brewing unit and rinse it out thoroughly. Wiping the machine with a damp cloth will help keep it clean and sparkling. At least once a month, clean out the coffee grinder. Be careful of the blades, and follow the manufacturer’s instructions for disassembly and cleaning.
It is as easy as wiping out the grinder with a soft, clean cloth. Ideally, you won’t use water on the grinding unit. You can do this daily for the best taste experience, of course!
If there’s a built-in milk frother, it will also need special daily attention. There’s nothing like sour milk to turn you off your coffee! Use warm, soapy water, rinse well, and dry thoroughly.
The water tank and filters will need regular attention too. Remember to follow the user manual for specific cleaning instructions tailored to your bean-to-cup coffee machine.
Regular cleaning ensures the machine’s longevity and optimal performance and provides you with a consistently delicious cup of coffee- it is worth a little effort.
What About Other Models?
We highlighted the bean-to-cup coffee machine because the in-built grinder needed a little extra TLC. However, you can follow the same steps for any other coffee machine:
- Daily: Rinse everything out well, and be sure to allow jugs and carafes to dry thoroughly. Use soapy water for any bits that contain milk.
- Weekly: Wipe down the machine, clean out any harder-to-remove parts you miss daily, refresh reservoir tanks, and be sure there’s no trapped moisture or debris to feed bacterial growth.
Photo: coffeefriend.co.uk
Let’s Talk About Descaling a Coffee Machine
Depending on the hardness of your local water, you should run a descaling cycle every one to three months. There are many special descaling products on the market, and for hard water areas, it is a smart idea to find one that suits your machine or is recommended by the manufacturer.
There’s the DIY option of using a 50/50 solution of either white vinegar or citric acid to water, too- pick one or the other, not both!
This may not be tough enough for thick limescale build-up but will get the job done otherwise. And remember- if you are descaling regularly, you won’t have to deal with tough build-ups.
If you’re using a commercial product, check the instructions. However, in most cases, you will pour the solution into your coffee machine’s water reservoir and start the brewing cycle.
Stop it at the halfway mark and allow the machine to sit with the solution for at least 4 hours. Overnight is super convenient. You will then finish the brewing cycle and discord the solution.
To thoroughly rinse the machine and ensure none of the descaling solutions remains, run one to two more ‘empty’ brewing cycles with fresh water each time. Dry everything up, and you’re done.
Regularly cleaning and descaling your coffee machine is surprisingly easy. With extra time spent to keep things fresh, you will be rewarded with a long-lasting machine and the perfect cup of coffee every time. And what could be better than that?
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