cleaning a coffee maker and descaling a coffee maker are two different jobs.
cleaning gets rid of coffee oils and old grounds.
descaling deals with minerals left behind by water.
start with the daily stuff. throw out the grounds. wash the carafe, filter basket, and any other removable parts with warm water and dish soap if your manual says they are washable. rinse them well and let them dry.
wipe the area around the spray head and basket with a damp cloth. do not dunk the machine in the sink. it is still an appliance, even if it has seen you before coffee.
then check the water tank. if it is removable, clean it the way the manufacturer recommends. do not let old water sit there forever.
if the machine is brewing slowly, making less coffee than usual, or showing a clean light, it may need descaling.
this is where i want you to read the manual.
some machines allow a vinegar mixture. some tell you to use a specific descaling solution. the amount and cycle are different from model to model. do not pour random acids into an expensive machine because one person online sounded confident.
run the approved descaling cycle. then run the plain-water rinse cycles the instructions call for. you do not want tomorrow's coffee tasting like cleaning day.
how often you descale depends on the machine, how much you use it, and how mineral-heavy your water is. the clean light or manual is a better guide than a made-up universal calendar.
tl;dr: wash the removable coffee-contact parts regularly. descale mineral buildup separately, using the exact method in your machine's manual. rinse with plain water afterward.
or come to Couplet and let our coffee equipment have the responsibilities.
coupletcoffee.com / @couplet
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