In case you need to do a double take, the picture above is not depicting the inner workings of a toilet.
Look closely. That’s right, it’s a picture of the innards of a coffee maker. It sort of makes you understand why most brands go for black instead of the easily stainable white.
Ok, it looks gross, but is it just coffee stains on your coffee maker?
The answer is grosser than you may have hoped for.
A 2011 NSF research found out that coffee makers are the dirtiest and most germ-infested part of your kitchen.
The underlying reason for this is that we normally don’t associate it with needing any specific clean up besides cleaning up the filter (or disposing of it) and washing the pot every time.
The consequence of this behavior is that your coffee maker may inevitably become the grossest part of your kitchen. More worrying is the fact that it will hold a treasure trove of mold, bacteria, yeast, and coliform bacteria.
Ok, that’s simply gross but what can it do to your health?
The mold that is normally formed in the coffee residue is linked to cancer, can cause brain damage, can stress out your kidneys, cause hypertension, and even hinder your immune system’s ability to fight infections.
Bacteria that thrives in old coffee residue can cause different health complications. Some studies link it as a factor for developing ulcers. Recent studies also connect it as a cause for bacterial vaginosis.
A dirty coffee maker seems to undo all the reasons why you would drink coffee early in the morning. You really can’t feel functional knowing that you’re gulping down a fresh batch of mold and bacteria.
And in case you may have noticed, the presence of mold and bacteria drastically reduces the taste of coffee.
Fortunately, this is all avoidable by adopting the right coffee maker cleaning habits.
How To Clean Your Coffee Maker
Here’s what you need to do on a daily basis:
After enjoying your coffee, take all the removable parts of your coffee maker and place them in your sink. Then it’s simply a matter of hand washing them with soapy warm water.
Be sure to also clean up the heating plate because it usually is mired with coffee spills that eventually house bacteria and mold.
You basically make sure you’re removing all the coffee, coffee grinds, and oil from your coffeemaker to deny the mold and bacteria any chance to grow.
Finally, keep your coffee maker’s lid open you can limit the level of moisture inside your coffeemaker. Humid temperatures are optimal for mold growth.
Here’s what you need to do on a monthly basis:
Here’s when you bring the heavy guns. Each time you use your coffee maker, minerals slowly become more resilient and build up in the inner mechanisms of your machine.
Instead of brewing a fresh batch, simply fill the coffee maker’s water reservoir with a mix of half water and half vinegar. Place the pot in place and press the brew button.
However, only let it brew half of the vinegar/water solution. When it hit the half mark, turn it off and let it sit for about 30 minutes. Then finish up the brewing process.
Toss the vinegar solution and rinse everything out. Then it’s only a matter of brewing clear water one more time.
Then you’re good to go!
Clean coffee can potentially save your life and by blending some organic butter you can transform it into a super food.
Sources:
https://www.bulletproofexec.com/one-ugly-mug-the-science-behind-just-one-mold-toxin-in-your-coffee/
http://www.livestrong.com/article/380616-foods-to-avoid-to-prevent-bacterial-vaginosis/
http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/cleaning-organizing/cleaning-coffee-maker?dom=prevention_fb&src=syn&mag=ghk&cid=socEP_20150220_40835136&adbid=10153056597216469&adbpl=fb&adbpr=87494991468
