If your daily cup of coffee tastes different from when you first started using your percolator, it’s most likely because your percolator needs a deep clean.
A clean electric percolator not only functions smoothly but also makes the coffee taste much better.
So how to clean an electric percolator?
7 Simple Ways to Clean an Electric Percolator at Home
An electric percolator makes coffee brewing much easier
However, using the electric percolator repeatedly results in deposits that slow down its operation.
These deposits also become a breeding ground for bacteria and germs, making coffee unsafe for consumption.
So it’s essential to clean this appliance at regular intervals to remove all deposits.
Apart from cleaning it regularly after each use, an occasional deep clean is also necessary to keep it in top condition.
Here’s how to properly clean and maintain your electric percolator for the best results.
1. Clean It Immediately After Use
Cleaning an electric percolator after each use is recommended to keep it clean by removing used coffee from the appliance.
Regular cleaning prevents tough coffee stains from developing.
It will also get rid of deposits that can harbor bacteria and germs.
A quick rinse of the jar with warm water is usually enough to clean it immediately after use.
This will wash out any stains and deposits.
However, you can also use soapy water if you wish to clean it thoroughly.
Just make sure to rinse the soap thoroughly so that your next cup of coffee doesn’t have a soapy taste.
2. Clean with Dish Soap
Normal dish soap is suitable for regularly cleaning a percolator and removing stains.
Most liquid soap detergents can remove coffee stains while they are still fresh.
However, you should clean the appliance quickly after brewing to prevent stains from setting.
To clean an electric percolator regularly, gently scrub the carafe and filter basket with soap to remove any residues and stains.
However, if you wait for too long to clean it, the dish soap may not be able to get the stains out.
You will need stronger cleaning agents.
Recommended Further Reading: How to Know When A Percolator Is Done? | How Do Percolators Understand When To Stop?
3. Clean the Percolator with Vinegar
You may already know that white vinegar is a household cleaning agent.
It has strong acidic and excellent de-calcification properties that make it very useful.
Hence, it’s one of the best natural ingredients to remove limescale and mineral deposits from household appliances.
Vinegar also acts as a disinfectant and gets rid of germs and mold.
An added benefit of using vinegar is that it’s organic and safe to use on surfaces and appliances used for cooking.
To use vinegar to clean your electric percolator, get rid of all the coffee in the machine.
Dump all the coffee grounds and residue from the basket as well.
Now, replace the basket and stem before filling the carafe with diluted vinegar.
Use equal amounts of water and vinegar to prepare the mixture.
Then, run the percolator and turn it off mid-cycle.
Allow the mixture to sit for at least half an hour, and restart the percolator.
You will observe the water change color, and the vinegar absorbs all the foul smell and coffee residue.
Finally, clean the percolator and fill it with plain water.
Run it two or three times to complete the cleaning process.
Rinse and wipe it with a dry cloth.
Repeat this process every month or more frequently, depending on how much you use your percolator.
4. Clean with Baking Soda
Like vinegar, baking soda is another popular cleaning agent for household appliances.
However, baking soda isn’t acidic like vinegar.
Hence, it will not remove limescale deposits.
It will only do a thorough job of cleaning and disinfecting coffee residue from the appliance.
To clean the percolator with baking soda, first eliminate all the residual coffee grounds in the basket.
Then, fill the carafe with water and add some baking soda. Swirl the water around till the baking soda dissolves.
Next, run the percolator for an entire cycle and let the mixture sit for several minutes.
Finally, get rid of the dirty water and rinse well with plain water.
If the percolator still smells of coffee or the stains remain, you can repeat the process once more.
5. Clean the Percolator with Lemon Juice
Lemon juice is a natural cleaning agent with excellent disinfectant properties.
An added benefit of using lemon juice instead of vinegar is that it has a pleasant odor.
However, you will need the juice of several lemons to clean a percolator.
To prepare the cleaning mixture, use equal parts of lemon juice and water.
There should be enough to cover the carafe up to the indicator level.
Remove the basket and clean any stuck residue from it.
Then load it back and fill the carafe with the lemon mixture.
Run the cycle halfway and then stop and let it rest for at least half an hour. Then, resume the brewing process.
Discard the lemon solution and rinse it thoroughly.
You can run one or two cycles with plain water to eliminate any odor before using it to brew coffee again.
6. Clean the Percolator with An Alka Seltzer Tablet
Alka Seltzer is a medicinal tablet used as a cleaner and deodorizer.
It removes unpleasant smells from percolators and other kitchen appliances.
It will also attack and remove any stains from the surface of a percolator.
To use this tablet, fill the percolator with water. Drop three Alka Seltzer tablets into the percolator.
It will immediately start sizzling. Wait for the fizz to settle. It can take around fifteen minutes.
Then, run the electric percolator for an entire brewing cycle.
Discard the dirty water and run two more cycles with plain water to eliminate any residual grime or build-up.
You can now resume using the percolator as usual.
Related Reading: Exact Steps to Froth Milk with A Hand Mixer
7. Clean with Baking Soda and Vinegar
To optimize your cleaning process, you can use baking soda and vinegar together inside your electric percolator.
This method is useful when you haven’t cleaned your percolator in a long time and the stains have got set.
It will dislodge even old stains and leave your percolator spotless.
Firstly, fill the percolator with warm water and add baking soda.
Run a cycle and wait till it cools down to discard the water.
Then, gently scrub the insides with a non-abrasive cleaning sponge and rinse it with clean water.
Following this, fill the percolator with vinegar and water in a ratio of 1:1.
Let it brew for half a cycle, then switch it off and let the liquid mixture sit for an hour.
Next, run the percolator for an entire cycle.
Once it cools down, eliminate the liquid, and rinse the inside thoroughly.
Complete the process with two more cycles of plain water.
Finally, scrub the insides clean, and it’s ready for use.
While running the brewing cycles, soak the filter basket in a solution of vinegar and baking soda to get rid of stubborn stains and make it shiny again.
