You are a coffee lover; that’s why you are here. It is great that you are interested in the cleaning of your coffee maker. Most people ignore proper hygiene, but let me tell you that the hot environment of a coffee maker is a favorite place for bacterial growth.
In a study conducted by NSF (National Science Foundation), the result is shocking: half of the coffee makers have molds. So now you understand why it is so important to clean it regularly.
Bleach is an inexpensive and easily available option. Moreover, it has strong stain-removing properties. Because of its strong nature, it can easily kill all bacteria and inhibit fungal growth. All these properties make it a perfect cleaner.
So, let’s get directly into the process of how you can use bleach to clean coffee machines.
Material Required:
- 1 tablespoon of bleach
- 6 gallons of water (that’s a lot of water!)
Cleaning Process
There are a few steps in this process, but each step is important if you want effective cleaning.
1. Prepare Solution
Use a dilute form of bleach to ensure the safest cleaning. For example, mix one tablespoon of bleach with one gallon of water.
2. Run the Coffee Maker
Pass bleach solution through the coffee maker and make sure that every part gets clean.
3. Pour Out the Liquid
As the coffee pot fills with the solution, switch off the coffee maker instantly to avoid contact of bleach solution with the heating plate. Next, pour all the liquid out.
4. Repeat the Process
You have to finish a full gallon of water and bleach solution. Therefore, this step needs several retakes. This is a time taking process, but it will change your old and dirty coffee maker into a new one.
5. Clean With Hot Water
It is important to remove bleach properly to avoid any health issues. For this, wash the coffee maker with 4 gallons of clean and hot water.
6. Smell the Water
To confirm the complete bleach removal, smell the last batch of water you added to the coffee maker. If it has no smell, then well done; you did a great job. Your coffee maker is clean and germs-free.
7. Air Dry
Dry it to hinder the future growth of fungus and bacteria. For this purpose, open the coffee maker and keep it upside down. You can dry it either in the sun or inside the house for a few days.
Precautions
To keep this process safe, it is essential to follow these safety precautions.
- Never use more than 2 tablespoons of bleach for a gallon of water.
- Do this process in the open air because bleach vapours make breathing difficult and can irritate your eyes.
- Rinse coffee maker efficiently. Even traces of bleach in your coffee can be harmful to health.
Conclusion
Having a coffee maker is fantastic, but it comes with the responsibility of regular cleaning to get a perfect cup of coffee. Cleaning a coffee maker with bleach is cheap, easy and anyone can do this. In addition, it is the best option to stop bacterial and fungal growth. With all these benefits, still, you need to be careful while working with bleach.
