How to clean a drip coffee maker is not as complicated as one might think. The pot itself is glass, just like any of the glasses in your cabinet, therefore any good dish liquid will clean it. If it is really stained, ice and salt will clean it very effectively. Crushed ice works best but use the smallest pieces you have and fill the bottom of the pot with it, add about a tablespoon of salt and swish it around. For the top, simply take some of the ice and salt mixture in a cloth and rub it along and around the rim.

The outside of the pot is no different than your toaster or any other appliance. Any good surface cleaner should do the job. Make sure it is unplugged when you clean it to be on the safe side. The ice and salt will also clean the burner. If your coffee maker is white and there are coffee stains that would not come off with your regular cleaner, one drop of bleach on a sponge will take it off. Rinse it well.

For the inside of the coffee maker where you pour the water, white vinegar cleans it quite nicely, but it does need a little scrubbing if you have not cleaned it for a while. A dish-mop comes in handy for this job. If you are unfamiliar with the dish-mop, they look like miniature mops, usually on a wire handle. Their primary use is for cleaning tall glasses, baby bottles and things of that sort. They can be purchased anyplace that sells kitchen utensils such as dish drainers or dish cloths.

Pour some vinegar, about a cup or so, into the coffee maker. Use the dish-mop to clean the buildup, running the dish-mop all around the bottom and sides, then tip the coffee maker over the sink and pour it out. Fill it about half-full of water, swish it around and pour it into the sink as well.

Mix one part white vinegar with one part water (the amount of which your coffee pot holds) and pour it into the coffee maker. Place the coffee pot under the brew basket, plug in the coffee maker, and turn it on. Allow the water and vinegar to go through.

Once it has gone through the coffee maker, turn off the brewer, pour the solution out, pour fresh water into the coffee maker, and turn it back on. Run two or three more pots of clean water through the coffee maker to finish rinsing it.

There you have it. Now you have a fresh and clean coffee maker ready to brew you a fine cup of coffee or tea. For regular maintenance, one pot of the white vinegar and water solution should be run through the coffee maker each week, followed by at least two pots of clean water.

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About the Author

Before buying a coffee maker,check out the award winning Presso at Presso America. Focusing on the area of coffee makers, and espresso makers, Anthony Sastre writes articles for Presso America