How to Clean a Cuisinart Coffee Maker the Right Way

Mary Marlowe Leverette 2018

Mary Marlowe Leverette is one of the industry's most highly-regarded housekeeping and fabric care experts, sharing her knowledge on efficient housekeeping, laundry, and textile conservation. She is also a Master Gardener with over 40+ years of experience and 20+ years of writing experience. Mary is also a member of The Spruce Gardening and Plant Care Review Board.

Updated on 12/08/23 Reviewed by

Brandon Pleshek headshot.

Brandon Pleshek of Clean That Up! is a seasoned veteran of the cleaning industry with over 20 years of experience in commercial and residential cleaning. He is a member of The Spruce's Cleaning and Organizing Review Board.

How to clean a Cuisinart coffee maker

In This Article Back to Top Project Overview

Working Time: 15 - 25 mins
Total Time: 15 - 45 mins

Skill Level: Beginner
Estimated Cost: $5 to 10

If coffee made in your Cuisinart coffee maker isn't tasting as good as it once did, it's probably time to clean your machine.

Coffee grounds leave behind oils that cling to the brewing basket, and once these turn rancid, it can affect the flavor. Another culprit of grime could be from mineral scale, which is water that builds up inside the machine.

Descaling, or removing calcium and other water minerals, will keep your coffee maker working smoothly—and your coffee will taste better. The following instructions on how to clean a Cuisinart coffee maker work for all Cuisinart machines.

Tip

This set of instructions works for all Cuisinart coffee machines.

How Often to Clean a Cuisinart Coffee Maker

Your Cuisinart coffee maker should be cleaned lightly after each use and deep cleaned once a month. You can also clean and descale the coffee maker (and your coffee grinder) on a regular schedule to remove the minerals from the water and the coffee oils that cling to the components and turn rancid.

What You'll Need

Equipment / Tools

Sink or dishwasher
Microfiber towel

Materials

Dishwashing liquid

Instructions

How to Clean a Cuisinart Coffee Maker After Every Use

Materials needed to clean a cuisinart coffee maker

Discard Coffee Grounds

Discarding used coffee grounds

Open the lid and remove and discard the grounds and filter.

Clean the Carafe

Cleaning the coffee maker carafe

Wash the glass carafe and lid in a sink of warm, soapy water or place them on the upper rack of a dishwasher. Rinse well and dry with a lint-free microfiber cloth.

Tip

To reduce wear and tear on your machine, use bottled distilled water to fill the coffee maker.

How to Self-Clean a Cuisinart Coffee Maker

When the LED ring around the clean button lights up, it is time to descale your coffee maker. Here's what to do.

Before descaling your coffee maker, remove the charcoal-based water filter from the water reservoir. Empty any water from the water reservoir.
Fill the water reservoir with a mixture of one-third distilled white vinegar and two-thirds water. Then, press and hold the clean button. The clean indicator will flash when the coffee maker is in clean mode. You can release the button after that.
When the cycle is completed, five beeps will sound and the coffeemaker will shut off. Once the clean indicator light stays off, fill the water reservoir with fresh, cold water.
Run a regular brewing cycle with no coffee grounds. Then, replace the charcoal water filter, and your coffee maker is ready to use.

Tip

While there are commercial coffee maker descaling solutions, you can safely use products you have in your pantry to clean your Cuisinart coffee maker. Dishwashing liquid, distilled white vinegar, and distilled water are all you need.

How to Deep Clean a Cuisinart Coffee Maker

After you run a self-cleaning cycle, the flavor of your coffee will improve even more if you deep clean the coffee maker. Take these steps:

Unplug the unit before removing components, lift the coffeemaker lid, and remove and discard the paper filter and ground coffee.
Wash the filter basket in warm, soapy water or place it on the upper rack of the dishwasher. Rinse the basket well and dry with a lint-free microfiber cloth.
Wipe the area under the brew basket with a damp microfiber cloth to capture any loose coffee grounds. Wash the carafe and lid in warm, soapy water or place on the upper rack of a dishwasher. Do not use harsh scouring powders or scrubbing brushes in the carafe that can cause scratches.
Rinse well and dry with a microfiber cloth.

Tips to Keep a Cuisinart Coffee Maker Clean Longer

Don't skip daily cleaning after every use or the clean reminder.
Never submerge the base unit of your coffee maker in water.
Use distilled water or add a water-softening system to your home plumbing system if you live in a hard water area.

Removing Coffee Stains From a Cuisinart Coffee Maker

If you have stains remaining in your carafe, fill the carafe half-full with very hot water and half-full with distilled white vinegar. Allow the solution to soak in the carafe for at least 30 minutes (overnight is fine) and then wash in warm, soapy water. Use a bottle brush to help reach all of the interior surfaces.

You can also fill the carafe with hot water and add a denture-cleaning tablet. Soak for at least 30 minutes and then wash well in warm, soapy water.

How much vinegar should I use to clean my Cuisinart coffee maker?

When using vinegar to descale, fill the water reservoir with a mixture of one-third distilled white vinegar and two-thirds water.

Why is my Cuisinart coffee maker's clean light always on?

If you have not always cleaned your coffee maker, you live in a hard water area, or your unit is heavily coated with mineral deposits, the clean indicator may not go off after running one cycle or it will go off and then quickly illuminate again. If it does, repeat the cleaning cycle with a fresh vinegar and water solution a couple of times until it clears.

How should I change the filter in my Cuisinart coffee maker?

Remove the filter from its bag and soak it in cold tap water for 15 minutes.
Place the new, wet filter into the holder and snap it closed.
Flush the filter by running cold tap water through the holes in the bottom of the compartment for 10 seconds.
Allow the filter to drain completely.
Slide the water filter holder back into the channel in the water reservoir, pushing it down to the base of the unit.

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