How to Clean a Commercial Coffee Maker

It's important to regularly clean your commercial coffee maker to ensure you get your money's worth out of the unit. Neglecting to clean your coffee maker can lead to bacteria buildup and mold, causing it to harbor more germs than your bathroom. With proper cleaning and maintenance, your unit can last as long as 25 years. In addition to cleaning the coffee brewer, you should also be cleaning the decanter. We'll go over how to properly clean your commercial coffee maker and decanter in this article to ensure your brewer is producing great tasting coffee.

Cleaning a Commercial Coffee Maker

Because commercial coffee makers operate using water, hard water and mineral deposits can gather on the machine. If limescale builds up on your unit's heating elements or valves, it can cause constant dripping, temperature drops, and inconsistent fill levels. Commercial coffee brewers need a water inlet, water heating unit, drip or spray head, and a filter, and descaling and cleaning your coffee maker at least once every four to six weeks can ensure your unit is free of buildup and operating properly. You should clean the unit's spray head daily and change your water filter regularly. Check your machine for broken parts before cleaning, and make sure to replace parts as needed.

Before you get started on commercial coffee machine maintenance, double check that you have the proper supplies ready. You will need distilled water, white vinegar, and mild detergent, as well as a lint-free cloth, a deliming spring, and a measuring cup. We'll go over each step of how to clean a commercial coffee maker below.

First, turn off your coffee brewer and give it time to cool down.
Wipe down the exterior of the machine with the lint-free cloth. We also recommend that you wipe down the area surrounding the machine to prevent germs from getting into the unit while cleaning.
Next, create a mix made up of 1 part white vinegar and 2 parts distilled water. Be sure to make enough of this mixture to fill your coffee decanter or pot.
Open the lid, pour the mixture into your unit's water reservoir, and close the lid.
Turn your unit on as if you were brewing a pot of coffee, and let the mixture work through the machine.
Once the brewing cycle is finished, pour the mixture out of the coffee pot.
Then remove your machine's sprayhead by twisting it with your fingertips and set it aside.
Clean inside the sprayhead tube by inserting all but two inches of the deliming spring, and loosen any lime deposits by sliding the tool in and out of the tube.
If the holes in the sprayhead are blocked with mineral deposits or white flakes, you can use a toothpick to clear the blockage.
Clean the sprayhead using a cloth and mild detergent. Then rinse it thoroughly with water before putting it back on the machine.
Pour warm water into the machine and run the brewer to get rid of unwanted flavors and odors from the vinegar.

Cleaning a Coffee Decanter

Just like your coffee brewer, your decanter or coffee pot should be thoroughly cleaned to eliminate bacteria. Dirty coffee pots can give coffee an unpleasant taste, and bacterial growth can cause illness in customers. Because of their unique shape, decanters can be difficult to clean without the help of certain tools, including coffee pot cleaning solution or dish soap and a brush – such as the Carlisle 4002500 Sparta coffee pot brush. We'll go over the steps for cleaning a commercial coffee decanter below.

Read the instructions on the coffee pot cleaner or dish soap before application.
Once you have read the instructions and determined if the cleaning solution should be shaken or mixed with water, squirt the cleaner into the coffee pot.
Add hot water to the pot and let sit for a few minutes.
Using the coffee pot brush, scrub inside the decanter and around the rim.
Pour out the soapy water and rinse out the pot until no residue is left to ensure the first pot of coffee you brew doesn’t taste like soap.
Air dry the pot or pat it dry with a lint-free towel to prevent lint from sticking to it.