How often do you give your coffee machine’s warming plate a thorough cleaning? It’s quite uncommon for this task to be done more than annually, if it even happens. While you might clean out the carafe and filter with regularity, the warming plate is frequently overlooked. As time passes, this plate can become coated in grime. Accumulated coffee spills, mineral deposits, and other debris can prevent the plate from maintaining an optimal temperature, meaning it may no longer keep your coffee sufficiently warm. Furthermore, the unwelcome odor of scorched coffee might greet you upon using your coffee maker, a direct result of the warming plate’s neglect.

You can restore the appearance of your warming plate using common household items by following the steps below.

Clean Your Warming Plate With These Items

1. Vinegar or Baking soda: If your coffee maker’s warming plate is dirty or burnt, you don’t need fancy items to take care of it. The only things you need are vinegar and baking soda.
2. Soft cloth: A lint-free cloth should also be used to clean it.
3. Toothbrush: An old toothbrush can be useful if your warming plate is extremely dirty.

Steps To Clean The Warming Plate

In no time at all, your warming plate will appear like nothing ever happened by following these steps. The steps should be repeated if tough dirt cannot be removed. Any stubborn spots should disappear after that.

Step 1. Unplug Your Coffee Maker

Make sure your coffee maker is unplugged before you begin to clean. Leaving the coffee maker plugged in could result in electrocution since you will be using liquid. Also, a spark may cause your coffee maker to malfunction.

Before cleaning your coffee maker, be sure the warming plate is completely cool if you have just used it. You or the cleaning products can get burned.

Step 2. Add Baking Soda 

On rusty areas or stains, sprinkle baking soda. The baking soda you use should contain sodium bicarbonate. For small coffee makers, use 1/4 tsp of baking soda, and for large ones, use 1/2 tsp. There might be a need for up to 1 tsp, depending on how dirty the warmer plate is. 

Step 3. Pour Vinegar On Top

You can pour white vinegar over the baking soda and leave it for a few minutes. No fancy and expensive vinegar is needed. You can use any store’s cheap white vinegar.

It is a great way to get rid of stubborn stains by mixing baking soda and vinegar because one is a base and the other is an acid. As a result of the chemical reaction, bubbles will be created, which will dissolve rust and dirt from the warming plate.

Step 4. Brush And Clean

Using a brush, clean the warming plate of your coffee maker if it is very dirty. Don’t be too aggressive so you don’t damage or peel off the surface.

Just wipe off the vinegar and baking soda with a damp cloth if the plate isn’t too dirty. This final step may need to be repeated several times until the warming plate is clean.

Other Items To Clean The Warming Plate

There are other products that you can use to clean your coffee maker’s warming plate instead of vinegar if you don’t have any on hand or don’t like the smell of vinegar.

1. Dishwashing Soap

You can use dishwashing soap instead. Although it does a good job cleaning some dirt, older stains may require more vigorous brushing. You’ll need to wipe the warming plate down several times to remove all the soap.

2. Coca Cola

If you want to clean, Coca-Cola will do the trick. Since it is made from carbonic acid, it is ideal for getting rid of rust.

To remove rust from the warming plate, you simply need to pour some coke over it and let it sit overnight. You can then wipe the surface with a soft cloth.

3. Oxalic Acid

If you desire something more professional, you should consider oxalic acid. There is just about nothing you can’t clean with oxalic acid. The product removes rust and stains and bleaches.

You can use it on a warming plate by mixing water and oxalic acid. Leave it on the plate for 30 minutes. After wiping off the solution, use a cloth to dry the surface.

Conclusion

A coffee maker makes our lives easier. We are then surprised when they malfunction or cause issues. Coffee makers require a lot of care just like any other home appliance. There isn’t a lot of work required. You can maintain your coffee maker’s cleanliness and functionality quickly and easily. The little time you spend now will repay you with a nice cup of coffee and a coffeemaker that will keep brewing quality coffee for years to come. It’s well worth it.