How to Clean a Coffee Maker: 6 Simple Steps

If you’re the type of person who holds a coffee mug like it’s a life preserver every morning (no judgment here—I’ve been that person since my first all-nighter), then you also know that nothing ruins that morning ritual like funky-tasting coffee. And guess what? Nine times out of ten, your coffee tastes weird because your coffee maker is in desperate need of a scrub. Lucky for you, giving your coffee maker a thorough cleaning is a fairly simple task—it just takes a little time and some straightforward supplies you likely already have on hand.

Below, I’ll show you how to clean a standard drip coffee maker with everyday, non-toxic items, plus share a couple of tips on cleaning more specialized machines—like single-cup brewers and French presses—so you can avoid the heartbreak of sour or musty coffee. Let’s get to it.

Why Bother Cleaning Your Coffee Maker?

Before we jump into the how, let’s talk about the why. That innocuous little machine in your kitchen—whether it’s a homey drip coffee maker or a single-cup brewer—can easily become a miniature science experiment if you don’t clean it regularly. Coffee residue (oils from the grounds) plus warm, damp conditions = a tempting environment for bacterial growth and mineral buildup from hard water. Not only does it look and smell gross, but it can also affect the taste of your brew. Ever have coffee that tasted like stale gym socks? Yeah, not recommended. So, for the sake of your taste buds (and your pride), give that faithful coffee machine a bath every so often.

General Supplies You’ll Need

1. White Distilled Vinegar or Lemon Juice: Both are excellent natural cleaners that break down mineral deposits and kill bacteria without introducing harsh chemicals.
2. Water: Filtered water is ideal, but tap water will also work just fine.
3. Mild Dish Soap (optional): For cleaning removable parts like the carafe and filter basket.
4. Scrub Brush or Sponge: A soft, non-abrasive brush or sponge will help you avoid scratching the carafe or water reservoir.
5. Clean Cloth or Paper Towels: For wiping down exterior surfaces and drying parts post-cleaning.

Step-by-Step: How to Clean a Drip Coffee Maker with Vinegar

1. Empty and Rinse

• Dump out used grounds from the filter basket (if you haven’t already) and give the basket a quick rinse under warm water.
• If there’s a reusable metal filter, set it aside to wash separately with dish soap, or soak it for a bit if it’s especially grimy.

2. Make a Vinegar Bath

• Fill the water reservoir with a mixture of equal parts white distilled vinegar and water. A half-and-half ratio is strong enough to tackle tough deposits without turning your house into a full-blown pickle factory.
• If your coffee maker is super crusty from weeks (or months… or years) of neglect, you can go heavier on the vinegar—just brace yourself for the aroma.

3. Run the Brew Cycle

• Place the carafe in its usual spot, then start a normal brew cycle. Let the machine churn the vinegar solution through the system.
• Partway through the brewing process (around the halfway point), pause the cycle. This gives the hot vinegar-water solution extra time to loosen up any stubborn mineral buildup in the tubes and reservoir. Let it sit for about 15–20 minutes.

4. Finish the Cycle and Discard

• After letting it sit, unpause the machine and let it finish the brew cycle. The used vinegar solution will pool in the carafe, looking a bit murky—that’s all the gunk you just blasted away from the machine’s insides.
• Carefully dump the dirty vinegar solution down the sink, rinse out the carafe, and give it a quick once-over with warm, soapy water if needed.

5. Rinse Cycle (Crucial!)

• Fill the reservoir again, this time with fresh water only. Run a complete brew cycle to rinse away any leftover vinegar scent or taste.
• You’ll likely want to do two full cycles of just water, especially if your housemates prefer not to detect a hint of vinaigrette in their morning java.

6. Clean Exterior and Carafe

• While your rinse cycle is in progress, take a moment to wipe down the exterior of the machine with a cloth dampened in soapy water (or a mild all-purpose cleaner if you like). You’d be surprised at how much coffee splatter can decorate your coffee maker.
• Finally, scrub the carafe inside and out with warm, soapy water, rinse thoroughly, and let everything dry.

Voilà! Your coffee maker is as good as new (well, maybe not brand-spanking new, but definitely way cleaner than before).

Using Lemon Juice Instead of Vinegar

If the smell of vinegar makes you wrinkle your nose, try lemon juice instead:

1. Use the same method as the vinegar instructions, but replace the vinegar with fresh or bottled lemon juice.
2. Follow the same pause-then-resume mid-brew steps.
3. End with at least one full plain water cycle (preferably two).
4. You’ll get a subtle lemony scent, which can be more pleasing than vinegar.

What About Baking Soda?

You might’ve heard that baking soda is a great deodorizer, which it is—but using it to flush out your coffee maker can be tricky. Baking soda doesn’t dissolve as easily as vinegar or lemon juice, so it can clump and get stuck in the machine. Still, you can sprinkle baking soda into the carafe or the filter basket when you’re manually scrubbing if you need a little abrasive action. However, proceed with caution if you plan to run it through the entire brewing system.

Tips for Single-Cup Brewers (e.g., Keurig-Style Machines)

Single-cup coffee makers can also develop mineral buildup and moldy residue. The good news is the cleaning approach is roughly the same, but with a bit more detail:

1. Remove and Wash Removable Parts: Take out the water reservoir, drip tray, and K-Cup holder (if applicable). Wash them with warm, soapy water.
2. Vinegar or Descaling Solution: Fill the reservoir with either half vinegar/half water or a specialized “descaling” solution from the machine’s manufacturer.
3. Run Brew Cycles (No Pod!): Start the brew cycle repeatedly, letting the vinegar solution run through. Dump each cycle into the sink. Keep going until the reservoir is empty or you’ve run about four cycles (depending on machine size).
4. Let It Soak: If possible, let the machine sit for 15 minutes or so after a couple of cycles. This dwell time breaks up clogs and buildup.
5. Rinse Cycles: Fill the reservoir with fresh water and keep brewing until there’s no vinegar smell. Depending on your machine, you may need three or four cycles of plain water to do the trick.

Extra Hack: Don’t forget to clean out the machine’s needle (the little spout that punctures the pod) using a paperclip or manufacturer’s tool if it’s getting clogged with coffee grounds.

Don’t Forget the French Press

For the old-school coffee purists, the French press is a simpler beast to clean, yet still needs some love:

1. Discard Grounds: The easiest way is to swirl some water around and dump the mixture into a fine mesh strainer over the sink, so the grounds don’t clog your drain.
2. Disassemble: Most French presses let you twist off the plunger/filter assembly.
3. Scrub: Wash each part with warm, soapy water, using a soft brush or sponge to remove any coffee residue trapped in the mesh.
4. Rinse Thoroughly: Be sure to get rid of all the soap—nobody wants soapy aftertaste in their brew.
5. Air Dry: Reassemble after everything is clean and dry.

Bonus Tip: If you notice coffee oils lingering on the glass carafe (they can leave a slight film), soak it in a warm water and vinegar solution for a few minutes, then wash it as usual.

A Few More Coffee Maker Maintenance Tips

• Clean Weekly: At the very least, wash the removable parts (carafe, filter basket) with warm, soapy water once a week—or daily if you’re a high-octane coffee fiend.
• Deep Clean Monthly: Depending on your water hardness and coffee intake, consider running a vinegar or lemon juice cycle once a month (or every two months) to keep minerals from building up.
• Use Filtered Water: If you’re battling frequent mineral deposits, switch to filtered water. Your machine (and your palate) will thank you.
• Dump Grounds Quickly: Don’t let used grounds fester in the basket for days. Bacteria love that environment, and your coffee maker will start to smell like day-old sludge. Gross.
• Wipe Spills Immediately: Coffee spills can turn sticky and breed bacteria. A quick wipe with a damp cloth prevents a lot of headache later.
• Store it Clean & Dry: If you won’t be using the coffee maker for a while, make sure it’s completely dry inside and out before putting it away. Trapped moisture can turn into mildew, especially in a dark cupboard.

Enjoy a Better-Tasting Cup

Congratulations—you’ve made it through the not-so-glamorous but oh-so-crucial process of cleaning your coffee maker. While it might sound tedious at first, keep in mind that each cleaning session extends the life of your beloved caffeine machine, saves you from expensive professional descaling products, and, most importantly, ensures your morning (or afternoon, or evening—hey, I’m not judging) cup of coffee tastes the way it should: smooth, fresh, and free from any suspicious tang or bitterness.

Think of it this way: If you’re going to rely on coffee to power you through the day, you might as well treat the machine that brews it like royalty. A little scrubbing here, a vinegar rinse there, and you’ll be back to cradling that piping-hot mug in no time, with far fewer unwanted life forms lurking in your kitchen. Drink up—and enjoy!