Vinegar is a popular choice among natural cleaning agents due to its effectiveness in cleaning without being harmful or toxic. It has gained recognition for its ability to clean coffee makers efficiently. With numerous types of vinegar available, the question arises: which vinegar should be used to clean a coffee maker?
In the below part of the article, you will find information about some of the best variations of vinegar that you can use for cleaning the coffee maker. So, keep reading the article.
Benefits of Using Vinegar to Clean Coffee Maker
A common cleaning method for a coffee maker is by using vinegar. Vinegar is a non-toxic kitchen ingredient, which is also a natural cleaner. Vinegar contains acetic acid, for this, it can easily remove the buildup from the coffee maker. It is edible most of the time and not harmful to the human body. So, you can use it as a cleaner. Some other benefits are:
- As we said, vinegar is non-toxic clean, and completely edible.
- It contains acetic acid which can help to remove the hard deposits from your coffee maker effectively.
- It also kills the Bactria inside the machine, assuring your machine’s hygiene.
- Vinegar leaves no residue while you cleaning your machine, making the cleaning easier.
- You can use it as a multipurpose cleaner, suitable for home, kitchen, floor, toilets, and others.
What Kind of Vinegar to Clean Coffee Maker?
There are different types of vinegar you can find in the market. At this point, you will probably think about what kind of vinegar is best for your coffee maker?
The truth is almost all variation of vinegar is useful for cleaning. But some of them are not recommended to use due to few reasons. Below, we will let you know about the best vinegar to use for cleaning coffee makers.
Distilled White Vinegar
Distilled white vinegar is made by feeding oxygen to grain alcohol, which causes bacteria to grow and acetic acid to be produced. This is the acid that gives vinegar its sour taste. Usually, it’s made from a combination of about 5.0% to 10% acetic acid and approximately 90-98% water. This kind of vinegar is also the best for different kinds of cleaning.
This vinegar is also known for its excellent cleaning properties. It is a natural and non-toxic cleaner. You can use it for cleaning the coffee machine. However, be aware of the smell.
Apple Cider Vinegar
In apple cider vinegar is mostly apple juice, when yeast is added into the juice, the sugar in the juice turns into alcohol. This is a process called fermentation. Then, bacteria convert alcohol into acetic acid. This is what gives vinegar its sour taste and bitter flavor. The vinegar is good in taste and it is also very healthy. Some people drink Apple cider vinegar for weight loss.
It has an acidity similar to white vinegar. That means you can use it to clean your machine like the coffee maker. It is also completely natural and edible.
Balsamic vinegar
Balsamic vinegar is slightly sweet, dark color, richly flavored vinegar, which is made from grape juice. This vinegar stays in the barrel for months even years and it can be quite expensive. It is known for its distinctive, intricate taste and a tart aftertaste. Balsamic vinegar has become a popular ingredient in food preparations, especially salad and marinades.
We don’t recommend it to clean your machine with it. Because, it has a dark color, which can stain the machine and other parts. Also, it’s quite expensive more than white vinegar.
Wine Vinegar
This vinegar is made from fermenting carbohydrate sources with alcohol. Red wine vinegar is also made by fermenting red wine, then straining and bottling. Before bottling its stays in the barrel for months, because this process reduces the intensity of the flavor.
Some people enjoy using red wine in recipes. Wine vinegar has acetic acid and a strong flavor. It is also similar and effective like white vinegar. That means you can use it for cleaning the coffee machines.
How to Use Vinegar for Cleaning Coffee Maker?
One of the best ways to clean your coffee maker is by vinegar. When you use tap water to make coffee, it causes buildup inside your machine. As a result, your machine performance decrease gradually and also affects your coffee taste and flavor. That’s why you need a deep clean of the machine to remove the deposits.
Below, we will let you know how to clean your machine with vinegar. Before starting the cleaning process make sure that water, vinegar, and towel are close to your hand.
- At first, empty the carafe, water reservoir, and filter. Also, remove the coffee ground from the filter.
- Add one part of vinegar and two parts of water into the water reservoir and run a full brew cycle.
- After a full brew cycle, discard the carafe and other removable parts from the machine. Clean them with clean water.
- Now, you need to run the cycle again with clean water. It helps to get rid of the vinegar flavor and remaining solutions inside the machine. Vinegar is not harmful to your body but its flavor can affect coffee taste and flavor.
- You might repeat the process of clean water brew as it will help to eradicate the vinegar flavor and smell. It will take around 2 to 5 cycles based on the vinegar you are using.
Once after the cleaning, you may also clean the exterior part of the machine. Use a clean and dry cloth to wipe the exterior to remove any residue or dirt from it. Typically you need to clean the machine with vinegar once within 60 brews.
Conclusion
There are several ways to clean the coffee maker to descale the buildup inside it. Amongst them, vinegar will be the best as it’s natural and non-toxic. it is a perfect alternative to the usual acidic and harsh cleaners which are harmful to both you and the machine. We hope that you will find the above steps effective to clean the coffee maker.
