The 2-Ingredient Trick for Cleaning a Smelly Coffee Maker

If you haven’t cleaned your coffee maker in a while, you may want to add this chore to your routine ASAP. Over time, sludge from coffee grounds and mineral deposits from tap water can build up inside the machine, resulting in an unsightly pot and bitter-tasting brew. A dirty coffee maker can also become a breeding ground for potentially harmful germs and even mold. The good news? Rejuvenating your smelly coffee maker is probably a lot easier than you think.

How To Clean a Smelly Coffee Maker

Ideally, you should be cleaning your coffee maker about once a month, or less if you don’t use it every day. To clean a stinky coffee maker, you only need two simple ingredients: water and distilled white vinegar. Along with tackling gross odors, vinegar’s acidic properties help sanitize your machine while cutting through hard water deposits. 

First, fill the coffee maker’s reservoir with equal parts tap water and vinegar. Put a filter in the basket, and then turn on your coffee maker. Turn the brew cycle off halfway through, and let the vinegar sit in the carafe for up to an hour, depending on how dirty it is. Then, power the coffee maker back on. Once the cycle is complete, throw away the paper coffee filter and pour out the vinegar. 

Your coffee maker should be clean now, but you’ll want to flush away the vinegar smell next by filling the reservoir with water, adding a new filter, and running one more brew cycle. Do this twice to make sure your coffee doesn’t taste like vinegar.

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How To Use Vinegar to Clean a Keurig

If you use a Keurig rather than a traditional coffee maker, you can also use vinegar to break down mineral deposits that can impact your coffee’s taste. Fill the empty reservoir with 16 ounces of distilled white vinegar, put a mug on the drip tray, and lift the handle like you’re inserting a K-cup. Brew a large cup size and run cycles until the reservoir is empty (the ADD WATER indicator should turn on). 

After 30 or so minutes, empty and wash the reservoir, fill it with fresh water, and perform 12 rinsing brews to clear away any of the excess vinegar taste from the machine.

Other Ways To Clean a Coffee Maker

If you’d rather not use vinegar, or you just don’t have any on hand, you’ve got options. Baking soda is another good choice if you’re dealing with smelly residue. Just mix one part baking soda with four parts water and run it through the brew cycle following the same steps as you would using vinegar. Equal parts water and lemon juice also works, but make sure you don’t accidentally put any seeds or pulp into the machine.

Never use harsh chemicals, such as bleach, to clean a coffee maker. Bleach, even when diluted, could damage your appliance — or worse, it could leave behind harmful residue that ends up in your coffee. If other cleaning methods aren’t cutting it, it may be time to invest in a new coffee maker.