Coffee Maker Descaler
A vinegar brew cycle that removes mineral scale from drip and single-serve coffee makers
1 hr beginner Yields 1 treatment
Ingredients
- 4 cups White vinegar
- 4 cups Water
- 1 tbsp Baking soda (for the carafe)
- 1 Damp cloth
Steps
- Empty used grounds and remove the filter.
- Mix 4 cups white vinegar with 4 cups water and pour into the reservoir.
- Place the empty carafe on the warming plate.
- Start a brew cycle. Halfway through, turn off the machine and let it sit 15 minutes.
- Turn back on and let the remaining solution brew through.
- Pour out the vinegar solution.
- Run 3 full cycles with plain fresh water to flush all vinegar.
- Wash the carafe with warm water and 1 tablespoon baking soda. Wipe the exterior with a damp cloth.
Why It Works
Acetic acid dissolves calcium carbonate scale that builds up inside heating elements and tubing. The mid-cycle pause gives hot vinegar extended contact time where scale is thickest.
Tips
- Descale every 1-3 months depending on water hardness.
- For single-serve machines, run brew cycles without a pod until the reservoir empties, then 3 plain water cycles.
- Soak reusable metal filters separately in vinegar for 30 minutes.
- Filtered or distilled water for daily brewing reduces scale dramatically.