Bunn coffee maker is one of the best coffee makers in the market. They are durable and efficient Due to their sophisticated design, they do require regular cleaning and maintenance. Cleaning your Bunn coffee maker is vital as it affects your brew’s quality, taste, and durability.
For a general clean, wash your coffee maker with a mixture of mild detergent and a soft cloth by hand. For a deeper clean, run the coffee maker with a mix of vinegar and warm water and rinse it thoroughly.
You should do a general clean after every use to reduce the accumulation of oils and dirt around the decanter and funnel. This article gives more detailed instructions on properly cleaning your Bunn coffee maker.
Things you’ll need
- Soap or mild liquid detergent
- White vinegar
- Distilled water
- Baking soda
- Spray head cleaning tool
- Lint-free soft cloths
Directions
- Empty the Bunn coffee maker, turn it off and unplug it from the power outlet.
- Make sure the coffee maker has cooled down to avoid burning yourself.
- Disconnect all the removable parts and hand wash them with warm water and mild detergent. You can also clean them in the dishwasher.
- Dampen a clean, lint-free cloth in a mixture of warm water and mild detergent. Use the damp cloth to clean the top surfaces and the inside of the coffee maker.
- Dampen a cloth in clean, warm water and carefully rinse all the surfaces with clean water to remove the soap residue.
- Dry the parts with a dry cloth or place them on a rack and let them air dry.
- Reassemble the removable parts back into the coffee maker.
How to clean a Bunn coffee maker with vinegar
White vinegar is a very non-toxic and effective cleaning product for your coffee maker. It has acetic acid, which breaks down mineral deposits, kills germs and mold, and removes any foul odor. Here is how to use vinegar to clean a Bunn coffee maker.
- Pour a mixture of equal parts white vinegar and warm distilled water into the reservoir.
- Press the start button on the coffee maker and brew.
- Switch off the coffee maker mid-brew and let it soak for about an hour or two. It removes coffee oils, impurities, and odor.
- Power up the coffee maker again and let it finish brewing the remaining solution.
- Swirl the carafe with the solution to remove debris that may have settled at the bottom and pour out the cleaning solution.
- Brew about three cycles of freshwater to remove any white vinegar residue. Repeat this until the coffee maker no longer smells of vinegar to avoid having vinegar-stained coffee.
How to clean a Bunn coffee maker without vinegar
White vinegar is an effective cleaning agent; however, it may have a powerful smell that you dislike. Fortunately, you can use other non-toxic ingredients to clean your coffee maker, which gives similar results. Here are the cleaning solutions you can make as a substitute for the vinegar cleaning mixture.
- A quarter cup of baking soda and one cup of warm distilled water
- Equal parts of lemon juice and warm distilled water
- One cup of hydrogen peroxide and warm distilled water
- Three Alka Seltzer tablets in warm water
- Two tablespoons of Borax and warm water
- A quarter cup of alcohol and warm water
Directions
- Plug in your Bunn coffee maker to power.
- Pour your cleaning mixture of choice into the water reservoir of your coffee maker.
- Turn on your coffee maker and run the cleaning mixture, and stopping the brewing mid-cycle.
- Allow the cleaning mixture to soak for about 15 minutes.
- Start the coffee maker again and run the remaining mixture until it all drains into the carafe.
- Swirl the mixture in the carafe and pour it out.
- Rinse the coffee maker with fresh distilled water about three times to rinse out any residue.
How to clean a Bunn coffee maker with the tool
The Bunn coffee maker comes with a descaling or deliming tool that removes hard water and mineral deposits from the spray head tube. It is best to descale your coffee maker at least once a week, primarily if you use hard water and use the coffee maker daily. The deliming tool comes either in plastic or metal, depending on your coffee maker model. Follow the steps below to clean a Bunn Coffee maker with a deliming tool.
- Unplug the coffee maker and give it about two hours to cool.
- Remove the carafe and then disconnect the brew funnel.
- Unscrew the spray head by hand, which sits directly above the brew funnel.
- Insert your deliming tool into the spray head tube. The spray head tube allows water t pass from the reservoir down to the carafe.
- Leave about two inches of the deliming tool out of the spray head tool.
- Forcefully slide and twist the deliming tool up and down about five or six times to loosen the lime or mineral deposits in the spray head tube.
- Remove the deliming tool and re-insert the brew funnel.
- Fill the water reservoir with distilled water.
- Plug in the coffee maker to power and switch it on.
- While the coffee maker is running a brew, clean the spray head.
- Pick through the holes using a toothpick to remove debris.
- Clean the spray head with a clean cloth and mild detergent.
- Rinse the spray head thoroughly.
- Empty the carafe, wait for the coffee maker to cool down then reinstall the spray head.
How do you flush a Bunn coffee maker?
After manually breaking up the mineral deposits, it will help flush the coffee maker with vinegar for better results. The acetic acid in the vinegar will chemically lift any remaining mineral deposits in the reservoir and spray head tube. To flush your Bunn coffee maker;
- Add equal parts water and vinegar in the water reservoir and let the coffee maker run a brew cycle completely.
- Fill the water tank with fresh distilled water and run the coffee maker to rinse the vinegar solution. Repeat this severally until the vinegar smell disappears.
Why is my Bunn coffee maker so slow?
The accumulation of hard water deposits and lime from tap water can cause your Bunn coffee maker to brew slowly. You need to descale and clean your coffee maker.
You should loosen the deposits with the deliming tool, run the coffee maker with a mixture of equal parts white vinegar and warm distilled water, and then run two or three complete cycles of distilled water.
Using distilled water is crucial as it does not contain any clogging minerals. Remember to descale your coffee water every 40-80 brews or weekly if you use hard water.
Check this too: Cuisinart Coffee Maker How to & Troubleshooting Guide
If cleaning your coffee maker doesn’t work, you probably have a clogged valve. Sometimes coffee grinds will get trapped in the valve and slow down the coffee maker. You should remove the valve, wash it with water and mild soap, and then rinse it.
Conclusion
Most coffee lovers prefer Bunn coffee makers for their fast brewing abilities, durability, and consistent strong coffee output. However, regular cleaning is vital for its longevity and proper functioning.