Single-serve coffee machines are a popular choice in homes. You can find a variety of coffee makers on www.helixcoffee.com. Single-serve coffee makers are easy to brew coffee but need maintenance from time to time. Just as it is not hygienic to use a soiled utensil to take or cook food, similarly it is not recommended to brew coffee in a brewer that’s less than clean.
Watch out for the below signs to understand it’s time to clean your precious single-serve coffee maker:
- You get lesser quantity of coffee than expected.
- There are more grounds in your cup of coffee.
- The coffee maker takes longer than usual to brew a cup of coffee.
- The brewed coffee smells moldy.
- You find mold or mineral buildup when opening the water reservoir.
- What is descaling?
Descaling is a term often associated with coffee makers. It is the process of cleaning the coffee maker so that the coffee brewed is fresh and flavorful. The instructions to descale a coffee maker comes in the box in which the coffee maker arrives. It is provided by the manufacturer. But in case you misplaced the instruction leaflet/booklet, you can always look up online on the site of the manufacturer. For example, if you purchase a single-serve coffee maker from Helix, you should visit www.helixcoffee.com to learn how to clean your coffee maker.
- How to clean my single-serve coffee maker?
The most common way to descale or clean your single-serve brewer is by using a solution of white vinegar and water. All you need to do is brew cups of the solution in your coffee maker for a few times to get rid of the buildup that have accumulated over time. Ensure the filter is removed at this stage. Let the coffee maker sit with the solution for a few hours. Once you are assured that your coffee maker has let go of the accumulated buildup, you have to run cycles and rinse repeatedly with plain water. Note that this step is necessary otherwise your next cup of brewed coffee will smell of vinegar. So it is important to rinse as many times as needed and until you’re sure that your single-serve coffee maker is squeaky clean.
You should also remove any removable parts of the coffee maker after unplugging it. Then wash them with warm, soapy water. This includes the water reservoir too. Air-dry these parts and do not use any cloth to dry them. You should then wipe down the body of the coffee maker as well.
If in case your machine cannot be descaled with the vinegar-water solution because of its design, then you should consult the manufacturer instruction for cleaning it. There is no need to worry as there are other ways to clean a single-serve coffee machine which are available in the market.
- Few tips to keep in mind to maintain a clean coffee maker
Follow the below tips to keep the machine in a general healthy state.
- Use only filtered water to brew coffee.
- Use a coffee pod only once.
- Replace filter as instructed by manufacturer.
- Empty the water reservoir daily and refill it.
- Leave the lid off so that the machine can “air out”.
- However you still need to deep clean your coffee maker few times in a year.
