Archive for November 6th, 2009
Establish a Coffee Machine Maintenance Schedule
Like all consumer appliances, every make and model of coffee maker is different. Overarching rules about maintenance and cleaning are just that – general tips. Once you’ve owned and used a particular machine for several months or years, you’ll get to know it inside and out. Most importantly, you’ll be able to detect the slightest variation in taste and compensate for it immediately.
If you live in an apartment with a roommate, spouse or significant other, it’s best to coordinate your coffee machine maintenance schedule. Leave each other notes on the fridge if and when you took care of the cleaning. It’s a good rule of thumb to descale coffee makers once every few months. Some people also invest in a container of canned air – the tool many people use to clean keyboards – for dusting the coffee machine.
As we alluded to above, you’ll develop an ability to taste it when the coffee maker acquires a lime scale buildup. This is caused by an overabundance of mineral content in the water, but it’s not necessarily a cause for concern. If you know that your household has hard water, that just means you’ll need to decalcify it more often using either vinegar or a specialized product like Durgol.