It was a wet Sunday morning here in Alabama. Work was heavy on my mind. I run a site called Home Pick Guide. We test home tools and helpful kitchen items. Naturally, I need coffee to get through long writing days.
I walked over to my office kitchen. My trusty Bunn Velocity Brew was right on the counter. I made a fresh pot and took a big sip. The taste was very bad and quite bitter. It tasted flat and almost like old metal.
I groaned and poured it down the sink. The main reason was very clear to me. I had skipped my strict monthly cleaning routine. The machine was full of hard water scale. Old oil from the beans was stuck in the basket.
Today, I want to share my best process. I will show you how to clean a Bunn or Mr. Coffee machine. Many bad mistakes happened along my journey. Let us avoid those failures and fix your machine.
Why Regular Cleaning Matters So Much
You might think hot water kills bad things. That is a very common myth. Boiling water does not remove hard mineral scale. It also fails to wash away old coffee bean oils.
When you brew a pot, oils coat the basket. They stick to the inside of the glass pot. Over time, these left oils go totally bad. Bad oil makes fresh coffee taste very bitter.
Then you have the hard water issue. Tap water holds things like calcium and magnesium. These hidden rocks build up inside the tiny tubes. Plumbers like to call this stuff hard scale.
Scale slows down the flow of hot water. It drops the brewing heat down a lot. Your coffee maker works extra hard to finish a pot. Soon, the hidden pump will break down for good.
Cleaning Glass vs Thermal Carafes
The pot is the true heart of your morning. You must treat glass and thermal types in different ways. I own both kinds for very different reasons. Learning to care for them took some real time.
Caring for a Glass Carafe
Glass is simple to clean but breaks fast. Most normal Mr. Coffee models come with a glass pot. You should wash it every single day. Just use warm water and mild dish soap.
Sometimes, dark brown rings build up inside. Do not use a rough scrub pad. Heavy scrubbing will leave cuts on the weak glass. Bad scratches make the glass crack on the hot plate.
Instead, try my favorite safe cleaning trick. Put some crushed ice inside the cold pot. Add two big spoons of coarse salt. Swirl everything around for a fast minute. The ice and salt scrub the glass safe and clean.
Caring for a Thermal Carafe
Thermal pots keep drinks hot for many hours. Some top Bunn models use these thick pots. They have a special air seal hidden inside the walls. Never put a thermal pot in a soapy sink.
Water inside the seal ruins the heat power. I made this exact mistake a few years back. The costly pot never kept my drink hot again. Just rinse it out with warm water after you finish.
For a deep wash, grab some baking soda. Put three big spoons of it inside the pot. Fill it to the very top with warm tap water. Let the mix sit for half an hour. Pour the liquid out and rinse it well.
What Parts Are Dishwasher Safe?
Friends ask me if they can use the dishwasher. The true answer is yes and no. You really have to read your exact product manual. A quick table below shows the basic rules for these brands.
| Machine Part | Mr. Coffee Rules | Bunn Rules | My Personal Advice |
| Glass Carafe | Top rack usually | Top rack usually | Hand wash to be safe. |
| Thermal Carafe | Do not wash | Do not wash | Hand wash only. |
| Filter Basket | Top rack safe | Top rack safe | Rinse out grounds first. |
| Water Tank | Wipe clean only | Wipe clean only | Never get the plug wet. |
I truly prefer hand washing every single part. The heavy dishwasher heat is too harsh over time. The plastic brew cup on my Bunn is easy to wash. Hand washing saves wear and tear on plastic parts.
Common Cleaning Mistakes I Have Made
Testing lots of tools means I break a lot. Here are top mistakes you should skip at home. I ruined a hot plate once in a rush. Another time, a full pot tasted like bad dish soap.
Ruining the Warming Plate
Hot coffee drips on the metal plate and burns. It turns into a hard black crust very fast. I used to scrub this crust with a harsh green pad. That was a very stupid choice on my part.
I peeled the black skin right off the metal. The bare metal started to rust the next day. The hot plate looked bad and smelled odd. Now, I just use a soft wet rag.
Let the hot plate cool down completely first. Put a damp towel over the burnt spot. Leave it resting there for ten full minutes. The crust gets soft, and you just wipe it away.
Using Soap in the Water Tank
Never pour liquid soap into the back water tank. Trying to be super clean caused a giant mess. It took ten full pots of water to clear the soap. The drink tasted like lemon soap for a whole week.
The back tank only needs a wet paper towel. The harsh soap leaves a bad film inside. The proper acid process handles the deep cleaning phase. Stick to simple wet wipes for the back plastic.
My Monthly Descaling Guide
Descaling is the biggest part of good machine care. This step removes hard water rocks inside hidden pipes. I do this big chore on the first Sunday. Building a set routine makes it an easy habit.
You only need cheap white vinegar and clean water. Vinegar is totally safe and works like magic. It breaks down the tough rocks without bad chemicals. Keep a large bottle in your home kitchen.
The Standard Vinegar Method
This easy method works for almost every Mr. Coffee. First, empty the whole machine out completely. Throw away any old paper filters left inside. Next, you need to mix your sour cleaning fluid.
Fill the glass pot halfway with cheap white vinegar. Fill the rest of the pot with tap water. Pour this huge mix into the back water tank. Put a blank paper filter into the empty basket.
Turn the main power switch to the on spot. Let the machine run until the pot is half full. Turn the power switch off right away. This fast pause is the true secret step.
The hot sour mix sits inside the heating tubes. Let the liquid rest there for thirty full minutes. Vinegar needs real time to eat away the hard rocks. Turn the switch back on to finish the job.
Dump the dirty hot acid down your sink drain. Finally, you must flush the hidden inner pipes. Fill the tank with plain cold tap water. Run a full brew cycle three whole times to clean it.
Special Steps for Bunn Machines
Bunn units are built in a very different way. Models like the Velocity Brew keep hot water ready. This neat design means you cannot just pour acid inside. You must act with a bit more total care.
Always unplug your Bunn from the wall socket first. Take off the round plastic spray head part. Hard minerals love to clog these tiny little holes. Soak the whole round head in a bowl of vinegar.
Bunn packs a long wire spring in the box. Insert this bendy tool into the open head tube. Slide the metal wire in and out a few times. This moves hard chunks of rock stuck far inside.
Pour your vinegar mix into the top lid area. Let the cold machine sit quiet for a few hours. Flush the unit out with pots of pure cold water. It takes effort, but the clean taste is worth it.
Daily Habits for Better Coffee Maker Lifespan
Deep cleaning once a month is very vital. Yet, your daily kitchen choices matter just as much. I have learned a few neat tricks over the years. These simple steps keep my tools running very smoothly.
Empty the Basket Immediately
Leaving wet grounds in the pot is a bad idea. Wet coffee grows nasty mold very, very fast. The warm space inside is perfect for sick germs. I used to leave grounds sitting until the next morning.
It made the whole office room smell super stale. Now, I dump the paper filter right away. I rinse the plastic basket while the pot is hot. It saves so much annoying cleaning time later on.
Leave the Lid Open
Moisture is the worst foe of any home tool. After you make a pot, the inside tank stays wet. If you close the top lid, that wet air stays trapped. Trapped wet air leads to odd smells and gross mold.
Always leave the top lid wide open after use. Let the inside of the tank dry out in fresh air. Fresh air keeps the whole unit smelling very nice. It is a simple step, but it helps a lot.
Pay Attention to Your Water Quality
The kind of water you use changes everything. Alabama water can be a bit hard in places. Hard water builds up thick rock scale super fast. If your tap water tastes bad, your drink tastes bad.
A pricey machine cannot fix poor tap water quality. I highly urge you to use good filtered water. A pure pitcher filter makes a very huge change. Your morning cup tastes much sweeter and better.
Conclusion
People ask me how often to clean their gear. There is no single perfect answer for every person. It depends on how much hot bean water you drink. If you brew every morning, you need a strict plan.
Wash the glass pot every single day. Wipe down the metal hot plate once a week. Run a full vinegar cycle on the first day of each month. This easy routine takes very little daily effort.
It prevents major broken parts and big repair bills. It also makes sure every cup tastes fresh and great. Your home machines will thank you for the good care. Enjoy your next amazing cup of pure morning joy.
Coffee Maker Cleaning FAQs
How do I use the Bunn deliming spring tool?
Unplug your machine and take off the spray head. Slide the long metal spring into the open tube to break up hard water scale. Flush it out with fresh cold water.
Can I use plain vinegar to clean my Mr. Coffee?
Yes, plain white vinegar works great as a cheap cleaning tool. It eats away hard water rocks inside the hidden pipes. Run pure water after to kill the sour taste.
Will washing a Bunn thermal carafe in the sink ruin it?
Yes, a full sink bath can ruin the inner heat seal. Water gets trapped and kills its ability to keep coffee hot in a cold room. Always hand wash the inside only.
Are Mr. Coffee glass pots safe in the dishwasher?
Most glass pots are safe on the top rack. However, extreme heat can weaken the thin glass over time. I prefer to wash mine by hand to make the pot last longer.
How do I stop mold inside my coffee maker water tank?
Leave the top plastic lid wide open after you brew a pot. Fresh air dries out the wet tank very fast. This simple trick stops gross mold and weird smells safely.
