Tips To Keep A Home Coffee Machine In Top Condition

No morning is complete without the good old cup of coffee. That fresh brew of coffee hits you differently. You can find a cappuccino, iced coffee or latte anywhere, but nothing beats a home-brewed coffee in your kitchen. 

So if you’re a coffeeholic, buying yourself a home coffee machine is always a good idea. However, a home coffee machine needs regular attention: cleaning and maintenance to stay in top condition.

Read on to explore our seven tips on the cleaning cycle and maintaining the health and performance of your coffee machine. 

Why is it important to clean and maintain your home coffee machine? 

If you are a regular coffee drinker, chances are you already have a coffee machine or are looking to buy one. If you invest a decent chunk of money in a home appliance like a coffee machine, you should also know a thing or two about its maintenance.

There are some coffee machines which don’t need regular cleaning. You only need to change the coffee pods after a few months, and that’s it.  However, some coffee machines need a regular and thorough cleaning. So, it’s always good to do your research before buying. Always check if the coffee machine provider offers regular maintenance services or checkups. 

Ways To Clean Your Home Coffee Machine

Like any other home appliance, a coffee machine needs regular maintenance too. Some coffee machines are easy to clean because of their simple design, and some are much more complex to use and clean. Coffee oil and residues can take root inside your coffee machine, affecting its brew quality and flavour. We always recommend you do some prior research before buying home coffee machines.

Here are a few things we always suggest you should do to clean your coffee machine. After regular usage, residues like coffee grounds start taking root in your steam wand, drip tray and other parts. Even if you remove coffee grounds from your coffee machine, some small particles can be left behind. These can damage your coffee machine in the long run as they can clog up the inner machinery of the machine.

Not just that, it can also affect the brew and temperature of the coffee. Each coffee machine works differently, but as a rule of thumb, you should clean it at least once a week or once a month, especially if you have medium or advanced versions of the machine.

What if I need to clean my home coffee machine regularly?

If you don’t clean your coffee machine regularly, your coffee might taste bitter and leave coffee stains on the machine. The buildup of coffee oils can also attract bacteria. Moulds will start building up if you don’t clean your coffee machine regularly. 

1. Water and white vinegar

Water and white vinegar are proven to best clean coffee machines. This formula is known to remove residues and stains from food, and in this case, coffee residues.

Mix water and vinegar and pour the substance inside the coffee machine; brew the mixture and then rinse with water to flush out the vinegar. Repeat this a couple of times until there is no vinegar smell remaining.

We strongly recommend you read your coffee machine’s manual before trying water and vinegar to clean the machine. Because some coffee machines only need a little cleaning. All you have to do is replace the pod after a couple of months, and that’s it.

How can I clean my home coffee machine without vinegar?

Apart from a water-vinegar mixture, there are a few other ways to clean your coffee machine. One way is to use lemon juice. It has acidic properties, which help break down any residuals in your coffee machine. You can also use baking soda, which is a natural cleanser.

Again, we recommend going through the manual before using any of these mixtures; your coffee machine company might have suggested a specific cleaning solution.  

1. Wipe and Keep Dry

It’s advisable to keep your coffee machine dry when not in use. In doing this, you will prevent moisture from clogging the machine. After cleaning, wash the coffee machine with a dry cloth and keep it off until you use it again.

1. Regularly Check For Any Damages

Like other home appliances, it’s always good to regularly inspect for any damages that can incur after regular usage. Doing this will prevent damage from electrical wiring, clogging, or other damage to a coffee machine.

So ensure you inspect your coffee machine regularly so there are no issues with its proper functioning. Doing this will ensure you get the perfect coffee brew every day.

1. Invest in the right descaling products.

You can create a cleaning mixture at home or invest in buying a quality descaling product. When you are buying or planning to buy a descaling product, make sure to get the right balance between price and quality.

There are a lot of cleaning products available, so it’s always advisable to do prior research before buying. The quality of your cleaner will decide how long your coffee machine will run smoothly.

1. Maintain the sharpness of the machine parts.

Blades tend to get blunt over time, especially coffee machine burrs and grinders. After grinding 800-1000 pounds of coffee, the burrs become dull and blunt.

If the burrs get blunt, they don’t grind properly, losing their excessive force on the coffee machine. To avoid this, we recommend replacing the grinder and other parts when needed.

1. Using the right quality water

Most users don’t think about this when they buy a home coffee machine, but water quality can impact the quality of your coffee and the functioning of your machine.

If you use tap water, ensure the type of water the local municipality provides because tap water has a strong taste and odour. If you are sceptical about tap water, we recommend using filtered or bottled water.

The step-by-step process of cleaning a home coffee machine

Now that you know what you are using to clean the coffee machine, here is a quick rundown of the steps you should follow: 

• Turn off the coffee machine and detach any removable parts.
• Clean and rinse all the removable parts with warm water.
• Wipe the exterior of the coffee machine with a dry cloth.
• Fill the coffee machine’s reservoir with a water/vinegar mixture.
• Run a brewing cycle with the mixture. 
• Flush and discard the mixture with clean water.
• Run a brewing cycle with clean water to remove any remaining residues and the vinegar smell. 
• Dry the coffee machine completely before using it again.
  
  

Conclusion

Keeping your coffee machine clean will help you enjoy hot, fresh coffee every morning or evening as you like and will definitely prolong its life.

Wrapping up, you need to understand the cleaning cycles and procedures for specific machines when buying. Also, invest in the right cleaning products to avoid damage in the long run.

If you have any additional questions about our home coffee machines, feel free to contact us by phone at (08) 8297 5799 or by email at info@coffeecomplex.com.au.