How to Clean an Electric Coffee Percolator? 7 Interesting Ways

Coffee stains and clogs are inevitable when brewing your java in an electric coffee machine.

Fortunately, if you practice a routine cleaning, you could prevent your java from tasting bitter and acidic.

A clean electric coffee percolator will also run smoothly and last longer. The performance and longevity will help you notice the value of your money in the long run.

While every coffee enthusiast needs to learn how to clean an electric coffee percolator, the task of cleaning an electric percolator can be both an exciting and intimidating experience.

The good news is, our guide offers tips on how to optimize, maximize the functionality and longevity of the electric percolator. So, it is time to learn how to clean an electric percolator.

Can You Clean an Electric Coffee Percolator?

Does your java taste like an ashtray? It is probably not the coffee grounds. But it is an indicator to clean up your nasty electric percolator.

Repetitive brewing results in the deposition of minerals, oils, and coffee ground particles in the basket. These deposits form a conducive breeding ground of bacteria that causes unwanted aroma.

So, can you clean the electric coffee percolator? Absolutely. But the task can be intimidating if you lack skills on how to clean an electric percolator.

See, many coffee lovers do not prioritize the cleaning of percolators. A cleaning routine helps to improve the taste of the coffee. It also keeps away harmful microorganisms.

Learning the best way to clean an electric percolator is a plus. The tips will help to improve the performance and longevity of the coffee machine.

There are several guides online on how to clean coffee stains from electric percolators, But these cleaning tips depend on the electric percolator brand.

How Often Should You Clean an Electric Percolator?

A morning cup of java needs to have an aromatic taste and flavorsome. The delicious taste might trigger the urge to have another cup and even more.

But when the morning coffee tastes like an ashtray, it implies that your electric coffee percolator is dirty. It is now upon you to consider a thorough cleaning to restore the taste of your coffee cup.

Continuous brewing results in the staining of the stainless-steel carafe. It also causes a buildup of coffee ground particles and oils that make your coffee taste bitter and acidic.

So, how often should I clean an electric coffee percolator? While it would be best to come up with a cleaning schedule we recommend cleaning the appliance immediately after using it.

Cleaning not only removes stains but also helps to improve the lifespan of the coffee machine. Research shows that excessive deposition of lime, calcium, and coffee tinge reduces its durability.

Proper maintenance of the electric percolator will boost performance and eliminate unwanted aroma from your java. Dive here and learn the best way to clean electric percolators.

7 Ways on How to Clean an Electric Coffee Percolator

Cleaning an electric percolator should never be a daunting experience. The cleaning routine should be at the top of the to-do list. It is the best way to enjoy a rich and flavorful java at home.

Our guide provides detailed insights into cleaning electric percolators like a pro. These tips have been tested and proven to be effective. Let’s find out that together in this article:

1, How to Clean an Electric Percolator with Vinegar

White vinegar is a common all-natural cleaning agent and also a decalcifier. The cleaning agent helps to remove calcium deposits in the percolator.

Vinegar also consists of acetic acid that kills bacteria and mold. The cleaning solution is effective and affordable. It is time to say goodbye to the nasty taste of your java.

Cleaning an electric percolator with vinegar is a no-brainer.

Below are steps on how to clean an electric percolator coffee pot with vinegar:

• Remove all the coffee from the machine.
• Remove the filter basket and dump all the grounds. You can use them in the garden.
• Rinse the carafe and filter basket to ensure there are no grounds stuck
• Dilute the white vinegar and fill the carafe halfway. Fill the carafe with water up to the capacity.
• Pour the solution into the water reservoir to the capacity.
• Start a brew and turn off the coffee percolator midway. Allow the solution to sit for an hour or more and restart the brew cycle until the end.
• Dispose of the gross discolored water and rinse the carafe thoroughly with clean water.
• Pour fresh water into the water reservoir and run the brew cycle about three times.
• Allow the plain water to cool between each brew cycle before refilling the reservoir. The purpose is to avoid burning your facial skin with steam.
• Always clean the carafe before refilling with fresh water for each brew cycle.
• Dip the carafe and basket in a hot soapy solution. Rinse with plain water and wipe everything to dry. Ensure these parts are dry before assembling the coffee machine.
• Always clean your electric coffee percolator with vinegar once in a month.

Read More:

How to Clean a Coffee Maker with Vinegar

2, How to Clean an Electric Percolator with Lemon Juice

Lemon juice is a magical alternative to vinegar. It has acidic properties that help to kill bacterial and mold growth in the percolator.

Lemon juice does not leave an unpleasant smell in your coffee maker after cleaning. It is something that makes lemon juice a great deal over vinegar.

But it is cumbersome to crush lemons to extract adequate juice for cleaning your coffee machine. Besides that, lemon fruits are expensive, and this makes the entire procedure costly.

Here is the best way to clean an electric percolator with lemon juice:

• Extract enough lemon juice from the fruits.
• Make a solution of an equal amount of plain water and lemon juice.
• Fill the carafe with the solution up to the capacity.
• Remove the filter and nozzle from the machine. Wash separately in warm soapy water.
• Empty the electric percolator to remove any remains in the reservoir.
• Pour the lemon solution into the water reservoir up to the capacity.
• Switch on the electric coffee percolator and stop halfway.
• Allow the solution to sit in the machine for about one hour.
• Restart the second brew cycle. Ensure all the lemon solution passes through it and collect in the carafe.
• Discard the lemon solution and run the machine with plain water. Repeat the steps until no more unpleasant odor is released.

3, How to Clean an Electric Percolator with Baking Soda?

Baking soda is an excellent kitchen ingredient for removing tough stains and odor from your electric coffee percolator.

The natural cleaning agent is suitable for those coffee enthusiasts looking to perform a deep cleaning of their coffee appliance.

The baking soda cleaner also helps to extend the lifespan and boost the performance of the electric coffee percolator. The result of using this kitchen ingredient is priceless.

However, the cleaning agent is not effective in descaling mineral buildup in the coffee machine. The solution of baking soda is alkaline and not acidic. You will need an acidic cleaner to descale hard water deposits.

Below are steps on how to clean an electric percolator with baking soda:

• Remove the filter and coffee grounds. Discard in your garden the grounds.
• Pour lukewarm water into the carafe up to the capacity.
• Add a small amount of baking soda to the warm water.
• Shake the mixture until all baking soda particles dissolve. Keep in mind that baking soda only dissolves when heated.
• Pour the baking soda solution into a water reservoir. Place the carafe to its original spot.
• Switch on the electric percolator and leave it to brew the solution up to the end.
• Discard the dirty water. Rinse the machine with clean plain water.
• Repeat the procedures if the coffee machine still emits an unpleasant odor.

How to Clean Percolator with Baking Soda and Vinegar

Supplies Needed:

• Baking soda
• White vinegar
• Soft sponge or cloth
• Soft brush (old toothbrush works well)
• Dish soap

Instructions:

1. Fill the empty percolator basket with 1-2 tbsp of baking soda. Then fill the percolator pot with enough vinegar to cover the basket area.

2. Let it soak for 30 minutes to an hour. The baking soda and vinegar will react and help loosen mineral deposits and built-up oils.

3. Scrub the inside of the pot, basket, lid, and any tubing with a sponge or soft cloth. The brush can help clean small corners and the tubing.

4. For stubborn stains, make a paste with baking soda and vinegar and use the brush to gently scrub.

5. Once cleaned, rinse very thoroughly with clean water. Make sure to rinse away any baking soda or vinegar residue.

6. Optionally, wash with a small amount of dish soap and rinse again. This helps remove any lingering odors.

7. Allow all parts to air dry fully before reassembling and brewing coffee.

Tips:

• Clean right after use to prevent buildup.
• Repeat process if needed for very dirty percolators.
• Always check manufacturer instructions too.
• Avoid harsh abrasives that can scratch.

4, Cleaning an Electric Percolator with a Dish Detergent

Cleaning your electric percolator with liquid dish soap is a no-brainer. But it is recommended to read the manufacturer’s precautions before using any dish detergents.

Some brands get damaged after running liquid dish soap solutions into their systems. The cleaning method is suitable for coffee lovers with experience in cleaning an electric coffee percolator.

Research shows that some liquid dish soap solutions expose the internal parts of the coffee machine to corrosion. It would be wise to exercise precaution or avoid using the soap solution.

• Read the manufacturer’s manual on how to separate parts.
• Take apart the electric coffee percolator removable parts.
• Wash each part separately after disassembling the machine using your hands.
• Rinse each part thoroughly with clean plain water
• Wipe everything and allow the parts to dry out.
• Follow the manufacturer manual to assemble the coffee maker.

5, How to Clean an Electric Percolator with Alka Seltzer

Alka seltzer is a medicinal tablet that has versatile usability. Alka seltzer is an excellent cleaner and deodorizer.

It implies that the product will help to remove stains and the nasty smell from your electric coffee percolator with ease.

Cleaning the electric percolator with Alka seltzer is super easy. But all you need is to learn how to clean my coffee percolator first.

Below are some of the tips to consider when cleaning your coffee maker with an Alka Seltzer tablet:

• Fill the water reservoir with water and drop three tablets of Alka seltzer.
• Allow the tablets to sit and fizz for about 15 minutes.
• Run a complete brew cycle in the electric percolator system.
• Discard the solution and run two other brew cycles with plain water.
• Repeat the procedure until all the fizzy residues are removed.

6, Cleaning Electric Percolator with Hydrogen Peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide is yet another household product ideal for cleaning an electric percolator. It has the reputation of removing tough deposits and odor from the coffee maker.

But the household ingredient is more effective after mixing with baking soda. You need to have some experience before using this method.

Below are guidelines on how to clean an electric coffee percolator using hydrogen peroxide:

• Pour boiling water into the reservoir halfway.
• Add half a cup of hydrogen peroxide and three tablespoons of baking soda.
• Leave the solution to sit for some minutes and run a complete brew cycle.
• Discard the solution. Run the coffee machine with plain water again.
• Repeat running the machine with clean water about three times.
• Allow the appliance to dry out. Repeat the procedure if there is still an unpleasant odor. But baking soda is enough to remove any strong odor in the coffee maker.

7, How to Clean an Electric Percolator with Denture Cleaning Balls

Denture cleaning balls are excellent cleaners when dealing with stubborn stains on the stainless-steel carafe and cups.

We all know that coffee stains are among the leading tough stains to remove. But this cleaning agent is a real gem.

Cleaning your coffee percolator using this product is super easy. There is no need to read the manufacturer manual.

Below are the steps of cleaning an electric coffee percolator using denture cleaning balls:

• Add warm water to the coffee percolator.
• Add two denature cleaning balls.
• Allow the mixture to sit for an hour.
• Rinse the coffee machine thoroughly with plain water.
• Repeat the procedures if the coffee percolator still emits a nasty smell.

How to Clean Coffee Stains from Electric Percolator

Cleaning coffee stains from your electric percolator is super easy. The technique helps to preserve the silver appearance of your kitchen appliance for an extended period.

Keep in mind that coffee stains are stubborn to remove. All you need is to exercise patience and implement the procedures highlighted in the guide for a better result.

Below are steps on how to get coffee stains out of an electric percolator:

Mix Baking Soda with Water

Baking soda is an excellent cleaner for removing stains and odor. If your electric percolator produces bitter and nasty tasting coffee, consider cleaning with baking soda.

Here are steps to follow:

• Fill the reservoir with warm water
• Add 2-3 tablespoons of baking soda.
• Shake the mixture until all baking soda particles dissolve.
• Use a non-abrasive tool to scrub the inside of the percolator.
• Use a plastic scrubber if the stains prove to be stubborn. Avoid scratching the kitchen appliance.

Mix Vinegar with Water

Vinegar contains acetic acid properties. The chemical ingredient is excellent when it comes to the removal of old coffee stains from your percolator machine.

Here are procedures to follow:

• Mix an equal amount of white vinegar with water.
• Fill the electric percolator with the solution.
• Run the machine until the brew cycle is complete.
• Discard the solution and fill the machine with plain water.
• Restart the machine until the vinegar smell is removed.
• Repeat the steps using a mixture of baking soda, vinegar, and water.

Is It Good to Use Bleach to Clean an Electric Coffee Percolator?

Not really. Never use bleach to clean inside your electric coffee percolator. Most brands are highly against using bleaching agents for cleaning.

It would be best to read the manufacturer manual of your electric percolator. The guidelines will help you know which cleaning products never to consider.

Bleaching agents are highly corrosive and are likely to damage the inside of your percolator machine. Besides that, ingestion of bleaching agent residues can damage your body organs.

Tips for Keeping Your Electric Coffee Percolator Clean

Keeping your electric percolator clean will help to avoid cases of bacterial breeding and mold growth. These creatures happen to be the reason behind the nasty taste of the coffee.

Here are daily tips to consider:

• Leave the reservoir cover open when the machine is not in use. It helps to prevent the growth of molds in the machine.
• Use liquid dish soap to wash the removable parts. The tactic helps to prevent coffee stains from getting stuck on these parts.
• Remove coffee grounds in the filter basket and wash the basket. Accumulation of these grounds will hinder the performance of the machine. Besides that, result in a breeding ground of bacteria.
• Always clean your electric coffee percolator once every month. Deep cleaning with baking soda, vinegar, and hydrogen peroxide is commendable.

In Conclusion

An electric coffee percolator is a backbone for coffee lovers. The kitchen appliance allows coffee enthusiasts to make their morning cup of java at home.

But many coffee lovers find themselves at a crossroads when it comes to cleaning. The steps offered in the guide have been tested and proven to be effective.

Take the time to learn how to clean an electric coffee percolator in this article. We have also provided tips on how to keep your electric coffee percolator clean when not in use.

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