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3 Tips: Coffee Pot Cleanliness and Care

Three easy ways to clean your coffee pot of grime and residue

1. Run vinegar through your coffee machine to clean impurities and mineral buildup from the inside.

Follow any care instructions for cleaning your pot from the manufacturer, but don't feel obligated to use any specific type of coffee pot cleaner, since vinegar will do just fine. Also, vinegar is not only less expensive, but a natural, non-toxic product.

Be sure to run several pots of clear water through the water reservoir to rinse it out. It won't hurt you if you don't get it all cleared out, but you probably won't enjoy the taste of your coffee!

2. Clean coffee buildup from your glass carafe with baking soda. It effectively scrubs the inside of your pot with almost no effort.

All it takes is a palmful, about 1/4 cup of baking soda, sprinkled directly into your pot and damp rag. You'll see the residue washing away as you lightly rub it off. Then all you need is a quick rinse and you're ready to use your pot again, all shiny and clean.

3. Wash the filter basket in the dishwasher on a regular basis (if it's the removable kind) to remove the residue that builds up over time.

With most black coffee pot baskets, it's hard to see the layers of grime that build up. The dishwasher can get into all those crevices and give it an extra good cleaning.

Do this clean up on a regular basis, and you'll never have to worry about a gunky coffee pot again.

If it's too late for your coffee pot—that grime just will not come off—consider purchasing a new carafe or coffeemaker. Then, follow the above cleaning routine on your new machine once a month. You'll never have to worry about residue build-up again.

I've always liked the Gevalia coffeemakers. Consider giving them a try; you get the coffee and the coffeemaker, plus a thermal carafe and travel mug for a steal.