If you want to enjoy great coffee every day, you need to clean and maintain your coffee machine. It really is the only way to make sure that the machine works properly and, therefore, produces good results every time.

Here are our top tips for maintaining your coffee maker.

Read the instruction manual

The first step is to read the manufacturer’s advice on the subject. That is normally in the instruction manual.

When it comes to maintaining your coffee maker this really is your best source of information. The manufacturer has the most knowledge about your particular machine, so they are in the best position to offer you maintenance advice that is tailored to suit your particular make and model.

If you have lost your instruction manual, follow the cleaning routine below.

Clean the inside of your coffee maker

Once a month use a half-and-half solution of white vinegar to clean the inside of your coffee machine. Pour the 50/50 mix into the reservoir, add a clean filter and do everything as if you were brewing coffee. Do the same thing again with a new batch of 50/50 mix.

Finally, fill the machine with fresh water and put it through one more cycle. This will remove any trace of the vinegar. If you machine still smells vinegary, put more fresh water through the brewing process.

Should you not have access to white vinegar use a little dishwasher liquid instead. Do not put too much in, one third of a cap is enough.

Soak and clean the removable parts

Soak removable parts like the lid in a white vinegar or dishwasher detergent solution. Do this once a week.

Get a professional to do it for you

If you are unsure about maintaining your machine or do not feel capable of doing it yourself do not worry because there are firms out there who offer coffee machine maintenance as a service. Just look for a firm that offers coffee machine repairs. The best ones will quite happily maintain your coffee maker for you. Modern courier services mean that the price of sending it to the repair firm and them sending it back to you is far lower than you would expect.