Thoughts of Spring Cleaning...

Lately, I have been creating a Spring Cleaning List to post.  I have received a few emails from friends and family with some wonderful tips that I have been saving to share with you.  Then this morning my awesome neighbor Jackie emailed me a great cleaning idea to share with you as well. 

This really made me even more excited to SPRING CLEAN and I cannot keep these to myself anymore!  So in the coming weeks I will share some reminders, tips, and natural OCDelightful motivation to help you through your Spring Cleaning:)

I know you are on the edge of your seat...so I will share Jackie's tip with you to hold you over;) 

 

Double Duty Cleaning!!!

This is for anyone with a Drip Coffee Maker & Refrigerator w/Drip Tray.  Cleaning your drip coffee maker should be done every month, but at the very least it can be cleaned every three months. 

The reason is mineral deposits from water and coffee residue can build up in the components of your coffee maker and over time, these can not only affect the taste of the coffee, but it can also impair your brewer's drip operation. housewares.about.com

You can purchase mineral removers from the store but the cheapest method (Jackie uses this method as well) is making a vinegar and water solution. 

1. Make sure your coffee maker is rinsed and empty.  Remove the permanent coffee filter and water filter, if your maker has these.
2. Fill the water reservoir with a solution of equal parts of water and regular white household vinegar.
3. Run it through a drip cycle.
4. When the cycle is finished, turn off your coffeemaker but allow the water/vinegar to sit in the carafe for a few minutes, to remove any scale deposits, then discard the solution.
5. Then you should run clear water (no vinegar) through your coffee maker at least twice, allowing your brewer to cool down between cycles. This will remove any lingering vinegar residue.
6. This is a good time to thoroughly wipe the exterior of your coffee maker and clean the removable filter basket, permanent filter and carafe with hot soapy water. A change of water filter is also a good idea if applicable.
7. Your coffee maker is back in operation and coffee should taste much better.

How to Clean a Coffee Maker

Now for Jackie's tip...if you have refrigerator/freezer with an ice and water dispenser then you know the drip tray can get the build up of hard water.  Take the hot cycled water and vinegar solution from the coffee maker and pour some of it into the refrigerator drip tray.  Let is soak for a few minutes and then wipe clean. 

Cannot get any easier that this.  Do this now and you can check it off our Spring Cleaning List before we even start.