For many, coffee is an essential part of daily life. If you prefer to brew your own at home rather than spend money at coffee shops like Starbucks, it’s important to regularly clean your coffee maker. Fortunately, the cleaning process is straightforward, making it manageable when it’s time to do it every few months. While vinegar is a popular choice for cleaning, not everyone has it readily available or appreciates its strong odor. If you’re looking for alternatives, there are other household options to consider.
Baking soda is another common choice for cleaning various items. It’s effective for scrubbing away stubborn grime or deodorizing, but it falls short when it comes to eliminating bacteria. This is why vinegar is often recommended as a cleaner.
If vinegar and baking soda aren’t suitable for your coffee maker, there’s another household item that works well: hydrogen peroxide. It’s likely already in your home, so there’s no need to purchase an additional cleaning product.
Inexpensive commercial products will clean as effectively as vinegar
Frequent use of your coffee machine can result in a slow drip and, more importantly, a buildup of germs and mold. This not only poses health risks but can also affect the flavor of your coffee. To keep your machine in top condition, it’s recommended to deep clean it monthly if used daily, and every six months for less frequent use. You can use hydrogen peroxide from your medicine cabinet along with a measuring cup for this purpose.
To clean your coffee maker with hydrogen peroxide, mix two parts water with one part hydrogen peroxide—such as 2 cups of water to 1 cup of peroxide. Pour this mixture into the coffee maker’s water reservoir and run a brewing cycle. The heated solution will effectively kill germs as it circulates through the machine. Afterward, empty the reservoir and run several cycles with plain hot water to remove any hydrogen peroxide residue.
This cleaning method is suitable for both Keurig-style and drip coffee makers. Simply run a cycle with the solution followed by a few with just water. Hydrogen peroxide not only cleans effectively but is also a less toxic option, allowing you to enjoy your next cup of coffee with peace of mind!
