I don’t drink coffee. Ever. In fact, I don’t consume any caffeinated or carbonated beverages, which is why when the holidays roll around and guests are scheduled to arrive, I end up scrambling around.
One of my first tasks is to dig out the coffeemaker. My second task is to clean the coffee pot. Typically, it’s an easy chore, but it can be a pain depending on how well the pot was cleaned before it was shoved back into the closet.
My college roommate worked at IHOP when we were in school and she taught me a useful trick for cleaning glass coffee pots. IHOP’s coffee pots are heavily used and at the end of the day they are cleaned with a mixture of ice, Tabasco sauce and fresh lemon juice. Just add about a cup to a cup and a half of ice to the pot, then mix in the juice from one whole lemon and a dash of Tabasco sauce. Swirl the ingredients in the pot. The lemon and Tabasco will help to break up the oily residue from the coffee while the ice cubes act as a mild abrasive. Once the residue lifts, rinse the pot thoroughly with warm, soapy water.
The aforementioned cleaning method is designed for coffee pots that see a lot of action. However, if you are looking to clean a coffee pot that sees minimal use, then consider cleaning it with a milder mixture of vinegar and water. All you need to do is combine an even mixture of water and vinegar and pour it into the coffeemaker. Place the coffee pot on the burner and allow the machine to flush the water and vinegar through and add it to the pot. Repeat the process a couple of times, then empty the water/vinegar mixture from the pot; wash it with warm soapy water and rinse. Don’t forget to rinse the coffeemaker by flushing it with very hot water at least a couple of times before using it to brew a fresh cup of Joe.