How to clean a coffee maker without vinegar? 7 alternatives!
We can state that coffee lovers consume coffee at least daily. This means that coffee makers also need to be cleaned regularly to maintain the quality of your cup of joe.
Making great coffee is all about maintaining control of the brewing process and to do so, we need to brew our coffee in a clean coffee maker.
Most people or households use vinegar as a substance for cleaning their coffee makers or coffee machines. Vinegar can be bad for your coffee equipment.
As this equipment needs to be maintained regularly and vinegar isn’t always the best choice, we will need to look for other alternatives.
Are you unsure about how to clean a coffee maker without vinegar? We will talk about 7 great alternatives, we don’t advise the best alternative as there are pros and cons to every alternative.
Why is vinegar bad for your coffee equipment?
Vinegar, white vinegar, is one of the most used ways to clean coffee equipment. The coffee makers are cleaned with vinegar. A few batches are brewed with vinegar and at least one batch is brewed with clean water (filtered water is advised). If you’re in doubt, do an extra batch with clean water.
Vinegar isn’t the best way and why is it so bad for your equipment?
There are a few reasons:
Acetic acid: It’s because of the acetic acids. it destroys bacteria, and molds thoroughly. These acids can’t be removed easily, so there’s a risk that the taste will affect your coffee in the future. This downgrades the taste of your coffee (and thus your coffee experience) and can be a source of health issues.
Health issues: Vinegar can cause skin irritation, eye irritation, or even severe burns and eye damage (larger doses). It can be harmful to your lungs or breathing.
The smell of vinegar: Vinegar can give off an unpleasant smell. You’ll need to ventilate your house to get rid of this strong odor.
How can you clean a coffee maker without vinegar?
Thinking and seeing all these negative consequences of using vinegar when cleaning your coffee equipment, might make you look for some alternatives.
Good news, look no further, we’ve collected a few of them as a possible cleaning solution for you!
Knowledge is key!
Pay attention as an espresso machine isn’t the same as a regular coffee maker. Read the instructions in the manual if you’re in doubt. You don’t want to destroy your (pricier) coffee gear.
Always, after using the alternative, it never hurts to run a few cleaning cycles or batches with only fresh water to get rid of any possible aftertaste in your next brew.
We want to keep our coffee standards high right?
#1. Lemon juice
This might be the most natural alternative besides hot water. Lemon juice contains the same degree of acidity as vinegar does as it contains citric acid. It’s a natural cleaning agent.
In many products, be it foods or cleaning, you can find some lemon odor and that’s no coincidence.
Here, you’ll get the same results as you can with vinegar but you don’t have that irritating smell in your house.
Steps:
- Brew a batch with only water (no coffee grounds) to remove coffee residue.
- Use half a cup of water and half a cup of lemon juice
- Fill the water tank with the combination of lemon and water you’ve made. Let it rest for at least 10 to 15 minutes.
- Brew another batch with the combination
- Finally, brew another batch with just water to remove the taste of lemon from the coffee machine unless you want a more fruity taste in your coffee!
#2. Borax
Borax is a cleaning agent for the household and can be used for multiple purposes and kitchen appliances. It doesn’t leave a chemical substance or smell behind.
Steps:
- Brew a batch with only water (no coffee grounds) to remove coffee residue.
- Use 1 scoop or 2 tablespoons of Borax and brew another batch.
- Brew a few times with only water to get rid of Borax and that bad aftertaste from your next coffee brew!
#3. Baking soda
Baking soda isn’t as aggressive as vinegar and can be used for most things around the house. It’s based on natural ingredients.
Steps:
- Brew a batch with only water (no coffee grounds) to remove coffee residue.
- Pour baking soda and water into your carafe, coffee pot, or other pot and mix well until all of the baking soda is dissolved.
- Pour the substance into your water reservoir and brew another batch with this until the water reservoir is empty
- After this, run another few times with only water, just to be sure.
#4. Texture
Baking soda isn’t as aggressive as vinegar and can be used for most things around the house. It’s based on natural ingredients.
Steps:
- Brew a batch with only water (no coffee grounds) to remove coffee residue.
- Pour baking soda and water into your carafe, coffee pot, or other pot and mix well until all of the baking soda is dissolved.
- Pour the substance into your water reservoir and brew another batch with this until the water reservoir is empty
- After this, run another few times with only water, just to be sure.
#4. Hydrogen peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide is a very cheap alternative and perhaps one of the most used in the household for cleaning other home appliances.
Steps:
- Brew a batch with only water (no coffee grounds) to remove coffee residue.
- 1 cup of hydrogen peroxide in your carafe or other pot
- fill up with water
- Fill the water reservoir and brew the next batch
- Brew a few batches with only water to get rid of the hydrogen peroxide
#5. Cream of Tartar
Cream of Tartar is a mild alternative but also contains acids (tartaric acid).
Steps:
- Brew a batch with only water
- Add 2 tablespoons of cream of tartar and stir
- Brew at least 2 times with the substances or until the reservoir is depleted
- Brew at least 2 times with only water
#6. Dishwashing liquid
Many people don’t know that you can use dishwashing liquid to clean your coffee equipment.
Remove all the detachable or removable parts of your machine and clean them with dishwashing liquid.
#7. Alcohol
Alcohol can also be used for a quick cleaning job for your coffee maker. Many households do have a bottle of vodka or anything with strong alcohol (25% at least).
Remove all the detachable parts and clean them with vodka or alcohol.
Steps:
- Fill the carafe or pot with vodka and extra water
- Brew a batch (fill the water reservoir) with the substance
- Run a few batches or cycles with only water
There are other alternatives as well. We don’t name 1 alternative as the best cleaning agent or whatever. Just use this knowledge that there’s more than 1 viable solution for the cleaning process.
Conclusion
Most of you are probably using white vinegar for the cleaning job to get rid of the coffee stain and residue.
One of the cons is that it contains a certain level of acidity, comes with an unpleasant odor, and negatively impacts the taste of coffee and your health as well.
You can try one of these alternatives: lemon juice, baking soda, Borax, dishwasher liquid, alcohol, cream of Tartar, and hydrogen peroxide.
You might be surprised of the availability and convenience when compared to cleaning with vinegar!
Enjoy your coffee!