How to Clean Up Your Coffee Pot

People who like using natural products to clean cooking and drinking items, have used this simple system for years with great success. It is easier to clean the coffee pot at the same time as cleaning the coffee maker with vinegar. You can, of course, heat the vinegar on the stove top and clean the pot or glass carafe if that is all you need or want to do.

Vinegar is an excellent cleaning solution since it is nontoxic, has no noxious fumes and easily rinses with water. Plus, it is inexpensive and you most likely already have some in your kitchen pantry. Use white vinegar preferably, a 50/50 mixture of water and vinegar. White vinegar is fairly colorless which makes it good for removing the dark "coffee ring" that begins to form on the pot after regular use. Apple cider and red wine vinegar do not work as well as white vinegar does for cleaning a coffee pot.

To clean a coffee pot that has a stubborn coffee ring, leave it soaking for 24 hours. Pour enough vinegar to fill the pot so it covers the ring. Use undiluted vinegar this time. Put the lid on it, move it aside where it will not be disturbed. The next day, scrub and rinse it. Repeat the same steps as often as needed until satisfied with the results.

The exact same procedure can be used to clean anything that holds coffee. For example, mugs, carafes, canister, coffee grinders, coffee makers, and anything else that comes in contact with soluble coffee. The same vinegar solution is an excellent cleansing solution for the outside of the pot and other kitchen appliances. It helps remove fingerprints and gives appliances a little extra shine.

If you like to recycle, you can pour the vinegar and water solution into a plastic container with a lid and reuse several times before finally discarding it. No refrigeration required. Discard the solution when it gets dark or soiled after reusing it about two to four times.

Because coffee tastes better with a clean coffee maker and a clean coffee pot, we recommend following these directions:

• Pour enough vinegar to fill the coffee maker with it instead of water as normally done for coffee brewing. Use a 50/50 water to vinegar mixture.
• If you prefer to use just vinegar, that works fine as well.
• Put the coffee pot in the coffee maker just like you do when brewing coffee. Turn the coffee maker "on."
• Some people recommend using a paper filter, others prefer not to do that. This is a personal choice.
• Once the pot is filled with the vinegar and water mixture, turn it off and let it cool. Pour the solution back into the coffee maker or back into the pan if doing the coffee pot only.
• Go through the whole process one more time.
• Pour out the vinegar mixture and run two pots full of water through the coffee maker to remove the vinegar residue.
• Pour the coffee pot out again and fill the sink to half full with warm water. Add some dish soap, stir and put the coffee pot in the soapy water.
• Scrub the pot with a soft kitchen brush or a sponge to remove any rings, marks or debris missed.
• Rinse with warm water instead of cold water to prevent possibly cracking the glass.
• Towel dry the pot and run it through the dry cycle in the dishwater. If you prefer not to do this, then simply dry very well with a clean towel.