Why is distilled white vinegar an effective and popular household cleanser?
Because it is inexpensive, readily available in most supermarkets and consumer stores, it is environmentally friendly and it kills a very large percentage of mold and bacteria. Vinegar is natural and free of toxic residues. This explains why vinegar is marketed as a so called green solution for everyday household cleaning problems. Vinegar has good acidic properties that get rid of lime scale, oils, grease and dissolve mineral deposits from glass, coffee makers, and other household surfaces.
Cleaning your coffee maker with vinegar removes all these impurities and deposits that taint the taste of coffee every time you brew a new pot. The cleaning process with vinegar is easy.
Following are some recommended steps:
1. Discard any leftover coffee in the filter and old coffee in the pot. Rinse the pot well. Clean the outside of the coffee maker and the heating element at the base.
2. Fill the reservoir with a mixture of one part vinegar and three parts water. Make sure the reservoir is full.
3. Run the coffee maker as if you were brewing coffee.
4. Turn off the coffee maker and let it cool, about 15 minutes or so.
5. Run fresh water and vinegar mixture 1 to 2 more times repeating steps 2, 3 and 4. Each time use a fresh mixture for best results.
6. Run plain water through your coffee maker 1 to 2 times. Each time, allow a cooling period in between.
7. Have some soapy warm water ready and wash the coffee pot and filter basket once.
8. Rinse the coffee pot and filter basket thoroughly and dry them with a clean fresh cotton kitchen towel. If the smell of vinegar is still present, repeat steps 6, 7 & 8.
Some people go one step further as a last cleaning cycle. They repeat the process one more time and use pure, de-ionized water. Why? Because this step ensures getting rid of any vinegar odor traces. De-ionized water is cheaper than distilled water since more impurities are removed through distillation than de-ionization. Another alternative is to use bottled water. The point is to go the extra step in giving your coffee maker a really good cleaning.
Overall, this cleaning process may take close to one hour. This excellent maintenance routine will extend the life of your coffee maker. More importantly, the extra care will help you prepare better tasting coffee. As a coffee lover, that's what it's all about, right?
During some of the cooling periods, why not take the time to do some extra cleaning to your good glassware and ceramic cups?
For example, if your glassware shows etching by mineral residue, use full-strength white distilled vinegar. Rinse the glassware with hot water before letting it dry. If you decide to dry glassware with a towel, use a clean, cotton towel for best results. If your glassware is cloudy, take a couple of paper towels or a cloth if preferred. Soak the paper towels or cloth in full-strength white distilled vinegar. Wrap the glassware items in the soaked towels and let them sit for about 15 minutes. Unwrap the glassware; rinse it with warm water before drying.
So ready to enjoy a delicious cup of Salvador High Grown Organic specialty coffee?
