The best way to learn how to clean your space saver coffee maker is to have it professionally cleaned. Most makers require no cleaning at all but for the first few weeks after you receive it, it will need some attention. This article explains how to clean your coffee maker.
First of all, the first thing you want to do is empty the contents of the coffee maker to get all the coffee grounds and liquid out. Be careful, some makers are designed with a separate compartment for the fluid which can be dangerous if it spills. This is why some makers only accept coffee grinds as an option and not just the actual coffee as some grinder bags can leak, causing a fire.
You should also empty the water reservoir. A drip tray that has been cleaned may still be clogged with the buildup of the grounds, but if you're lucky, they'll clear up on their own. Just rinse the reservoir thoroughly, make sure to use hot water. No bleach or vinegar!
If the water reservoir isn't empty, it may still have coffee stains inside so take care not to saturate it. Most good brands will simply require that you simply scrape them away using a small, sharp-scouring pad or scouring paper. After the first wash, most things will probably start coming out on their own.
Depending on the type of stain you're dealing with, it may be necessary to use a gentle cleaner to remove it but generally, you want to be careful to avoid doing any serious damage to the machine. Also, you don't want to wash it with soap and water as this can discolor the rest of the kitchen and not allow the area to breathe properly.
It's important to also clean the tea part if there is one. These are made from clay and so can stain very easily. The best way to clean them is to use warm soapy water and to put them in a spray bottle to add a little more fragrance.
The tea part of the machine is a little harder to clean and requires a gentle scrubbing action. Place a soft cloth in a pan of hot water and add half a cup of soapy water. Use the cloth to massage the tea part of the machine and work the soap deep into the machine.
If the machine has been in use for a while, it may also have a strong odor or even an unpleasant stench so don't get too distracted by it. However, if the odor is coming from somewhere else, look for the faucet or the seals where it goes away.
Also check the bottom of the machine for loose coffee grounds that have turned into clumps. Remove these so they don't collect dirt or cause a fire hazard. If the bottom has dried out then the seal has been cracked or the seal has leaked, all you need to do is replace it.
It's also possible that the filters in the coffee maker may have clogged up. This is caused by either being at the wrong temperature or maybe not removing all the grounds. Most of the time this isn't a big problem but it can be if you don't know how to handle it and you'll probably have to do it yourself.
To fix this, simply heat the filters until they're sufficiently warm and add the fresh coffee grounds in. Leave it for a while before putting it back in the machine as the grounds could ruin your brew and cause a fire hazard.
These are the basic steps on how to clean your space saver coffee maker. If you follow these tips, you can enjoy your coffee for many years to come!