If you make lots of coffee with an automatic coffee maker, you have to know how to clean it properly. The buildup of the oils from the coffee can cause it to slow down and also distort the taste of your coffee. Since no one likes to wait for 30 minutes for a pot of coffee to brew and then have it taste like rubbish, the following steps should be followed to ensure that your coffee machine performs optimally.

One way is to purchase a solution that is specifically made for cleaning automatic coffee makers. It is simple to apply and all you have to do is pour it in, run it through and your coffee pot will be clean. However, if you do not want to use this method, you can mix your own solution.

Use an ounce of citric acid or white vinegar dissolved in four cups of hot water from the faucet. Add four cups of cold water from the faucet and pour this into the coffee maker just as you would the water when making coffee. Take out the coffee filter, putting it aside, turn your coffee pot on and only four cups of the citric acid and water run through the pot.

Turn your coffee pot off and let it sit for about twenty minutes. You are now ready to turn it back on and let the remaining water and citric acid to flow through. This should remove any residue within the coffeemaker. The lime that can built up from your water will be cleaned out of the coffee maker as well. This is another issue that can cause your coffee maker to malfunction.

When it is completed, depending on the amount of buildup in your coffee maker, you may need to redo it again. If so, wait until the coffee maker has cooled down. Do not forget to rinse your coffee maker. You will need to run at least eight cups of cold water from your faucet through your coffee maker at least four times to make sure it is rinsed. When the water that cycles through is clear, your coffee maker is clean. This will probably last about three or four weeks before you have to do it again.

Another product that is recommended instead of the citric acid or vinegar is baking soda. About four tablespoons mixed with eight cups of water is used. Run it through the same as above and see if it works.

If this process does not work, it may be too late for your coffee maker. A lot depends on how well it has been cleaned from the beginning. After a certain amount of buildup within the coffee maker it may be futile to get it to dissolve. When this happens, it is time to purchase a new coffee maker.

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Natalie Williams is the author of CoffeeMachines101.com. Visit her site for more free tips on how to select the right coffee machine for your needs.