How to Deep-Clean a Coffee Maker

A buildup of hard water scale and rancid coffee oils in a coffee maker is to be expected.

Plain white vinegar is the most common method for cleaning a coffee pot or automatic coffee maker. And if you've been doing it this way, you may have discovered how vinegar comes with its own problems. A far better choice for this job is citric acid. Pixel-Shot/Shutterstock

Performing a deep clean on a coffee maker is important to extend its useful life and ensure you’re brewing the best-tasting coffee possible.

A buildup of hard water scale and rancid coffee oils in a coffee maker is to be expected. Allowing that buildup to remain (and multiply) can be very hard on the machine and make the coffee that comes from it turn stinky.