A gleaming stainless steel carafe makes a statement in a gleaming kitchen. It can also become stained from coffee and tea brewed in the stainless steel decanter. Removing the stains on a regular basis can keep the coffee pot working at its full potential and keep you from having to spend hours getting rid of the stains and shining up a dingy pot.
From commercial cleaners to natural astringents found in most home pantries, the best coffee maker cleaner is one that works for you.
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Clean Stainless Steel Coffee Pot
A stainless steel coffee pot can be hard to clean due to the way it is designed. To keep that beautiful amber liquid piping hot, the wide base narrows to a small opening. This maintains a warmer temperature than other types of coffee carafes.
To clean a stainless steel coffee pot, you may need to get a long-handled brush or thin nylon brushes made for cleaning metal or plastic reusable drinking straws. A pair of tongues and a scrub sponge can also work in getting a good scour on at the base of the pot.
Baking Soda to Clean a Metal Coffee Pot
Wash the pot out with a mild detergent and warm water. Dry it thoroughly and let it sit for an hour or so to ensure that no moisture is trapped inside the metal coffee carafe.
Pour a quarter cup of baking soda into the dry carafe. Swirl the baking soda around the pot to lightly coat the insides. Slowly fill the carafe to half way with white distilled vinegar.
Be prepared for the mix to bubble out of the top of the carafe. Vinegar can etch granite or other countertop material, so have a clean towel ready and work over a sink or on a flat, durable work surface, such as a cookie sheet or cutting board. Add hot water to fill the pot and let the mix rest for 15 minutes before rinsing out the pot thoroughly.
Lemons to the Rescue
Stubborn stains in a stainless steel coffee pot may need more than a good scouring and wash of baking soda and vinegar. For more serious stains, wash the pot as thoroughly as possible and make sure it is free of any baking soda or other cleaning product residue. This works best for pots with layers of dried or hardened coffee lining the bottom of the carafe.
Cut up a lemon and squeeze the contents, seeds and all, into the carafe. Pour in enough table salt to cover the base of the pot. Swirl the lemons and salt to mix and leave it in the pot overnight.
Rinse thoroughly with plain water and scour the pot with the rough side of a dish sponge. The citric acid will loosen the tough particles that have found a place within the surface of the metal coffee carafe. The process can be repeated as much as necessary without harming the stainless steel carafe.
Commercial Cleaner for Cleaning Coffee Pots
A commercial coffee decanter cleaner should be carefully chosen so that the smooth stainless steel surface isn't scratched or further discolored.
A commercial-grade cleaner for coffee pots is safe to use on stainless steel, as well as glass and plastic. It can wipe away the natural oils in coffee that sink into the surface of the stainless steel carafe.
Some commercial cleaners require application and scrubbing while others use the coffee pot cycle to clean out the entire machine, as well as the carafe.