A good cup of Joe starts long before the first sip. Brewing a flavour-perfect cuppa, whether you’re a French press devotee or espresso machine enthusiast, begins with a clean machine. When neglected, you may start to notice a brown ring at the bottom of the pot, or a gross buildup of old coffee grounds and grime in crevices. To help prevent this and keep your favourite coffee appliance running efficiently, we’re sharing our step-by-step cleaning guide.
Cleaning routines
Oils, minerals and residue from the coffee grounds and water build up over time – affecting both flavour and longevity of your coffee appliance. This buildup also creates the perfect environment for bacterial and microorganism growth, causing potential health risks. Whether you use your appliance once a week or daily, you can’t escape this buildup, except with a regular cleaning routine, of course.
Rinsing the appliance after every use is a great habit to incorporate, but a deeper clean is still needed. Aim to clean your coffee appliance once a week, if you don’t use it every day. If you do use it daily, aim to clean it twice a week. However, some people believe that the thin film that develops, which they call the seasoning, adds depth of flavour. However, too much buildup will make your next cup of coffee taste bitter or even rancid, with risks of ingesting harmful bacteria and mould or fungi.
Rather safe than sorry: use our cleaning guide to help you make consistently tasty cups of coffee to fuel your day!
Cleaning guide
For most coffee appliances, the cleaning routine follows pretty simple steps:
- Empty any coffee grounds and rinse with cold water.
- Use a mild detergent (or a 1:1 vinegar and water solution), warm water, and a soft sponge to gently scrub the interior, exterior and any extra bits and crevices.
- Rinse thoroughly to avoid detergent or vinegar aftertastes.
- Dry completely before reassembling.
However, each appliance comes with its own finicky bits that need specific attention. Make sure to read your user manual (you can also find them online if you’ve lost the physical copy) to get exact details on the detergent to use, how to clean any filters, replace gaskets or seals, and when to descale. But, to make the process easier if you need to clean yours more urgently, we’ve listed summarised steps for the most popular appliances below.
French press
- Disassemble, unscrewing the mesh filter from the press. Use a soft-bristle brush and gently scrub with warm water and mild detergent. Rinse with clean water.
- Use a soft sponge to wash the press, lid, interior and exterior of the French press. Rinse with clean water.
- For stubborn stains, oils, or odours, scrub with bicarbonate of soda and vinegar.
- Dry thoroughly before reassembling.
Moka pot/Percolator
- Disassemble according to your owner’s manual.
- Rinse with warm water only. Or with a 1:1 vinegar–water solution.
- Check the rubber gasket and replace it if worn.
- Dry completely before reassembling to prevent oxidation.
Espresso machine/Capsule machine
- Replace the water in the water container with espresso cleaner or a vinegar solution.
- Backflush until all the cleaning solution has been used (this might take a few runs).
- Replace the container with clean, distilled water and backflush again.
- If possible, detach the steaming wand and scrub with mild detergent and a bottle brush. Or, clean the same attached. Replace and run it for 30 seconds to flush and disinfect it.
- Follow the owner’s manual on descaling instructions (this should be done monthly).
However you brew your daily cuppa, keeping your coffee maker clean ensures every cup tastes fresh, not funky. A little care between caffeine doses can make your daily ritual that much more satisfying.
