Mold In Your Coffee Maker and How to Eliminate It

Coffee the favorite jump-starting mechanism of people around the world. As a matter of fact, coffee is the world’s most consumed product (sorry soft drink fans). A 2017 report in the Annual Review of Nutrition, which analyzed the results of more than 100 coffee and caffeine studies, found that coffee was responsible for the probable decreased risk of heart disease, as well as type 2 diabetes and many kinds of cancers.

But what if there is mold hiding in your coffee maker? Coffee makers, especially their water reservoirs, are ideal environments for bacteria and mold to grow in. A warm environment with lots of moisture is where mold will thrive. Read on and Water Mold Fire Restoration, 800-905-0277, will tell you how you can eliminate mold form your coffee maker.

Interesting Coffee Facts

These are provided by The Specialty Coffee Association of America and the National Coffee Association.

1. About half the population of the United States are avid coffee drinkers.
2. These more than 150+ million avid drinkers average about 3.1 cups of coffee daily.
3. The average person drinks 1.6 cups of coffee per day.
4. Only 35 percent prefer their coffee black, with no cream or sugar.

Coffee’s Many Health Benefits

Coffee is more than just an early-morning pick-me-up. Coffee is potentially the world’s greatest source of antioxidants. Here are just a few of coffee’s health benefits:

• Coffee has more antioxidants than cocoa or green tea.
• The caffeine in coffee is a short-term memory booster
• Coffee is healthy for your heart
• Coffee may lessen your chance of developing type 2 diabetes
• Antioxidants in coffee have anti-carcinogenic properties
• Coffee lowers levels of enzymes in the liver. Higher levels can damage the liver
• There is a positive correlation between coffee consumption and a reduced risk of developing gout
• Coffee can help in losing weight

Dangers of Mold In Your Coffee Maker

The National Sanitation Foundation International (NFS) conducted a study that found that the highest concentrations of contaminants in the average American household could be found in the kitchen. Coffee makers were found to be in the top 5 of these most contaminated places, right between pet bowls and faucet handles.

Mold is a type of fungus that can be found everywhere on earth. They can be a multitude of colors, black, white, orange and blue to name a few. Mold plays an important role in nature, breaking down organic materials.

Many people assume that the hot water along with coffee’s natural antioxidant properties (antioxidants are “cleaners” that help body get rid of free radicals by flushing them out of the body) are enough to stop mold growth, but that just isn’t true. As a matter of fact, it is the heated water that makes your coffee maker a perfect breeding ground for mold.

Exposure to mold has been known to cause allergic reactions and trigger respiratory diseases in sensitive individuals (infants and small children, the elderly, people with compromised immune systems, and people with chronic lung diseases). Problems such as asthma and hypersensitivity pneumonitis are sometimes blamed on prolonged mold exposure. Allergic reactions may include eye irritation, coughing, shortness of breath, skin rashes, fatigue, and a runny nose.

Removing Mold From Your Coffee Maker

First off, your coffee maker is probably dirtier than you think. According to one study, 50 percent of household machines contain yeast, mold and hard minerals. If you make one or two pots of coffee a day, you should clean your coffee maker at least once a week. If you have several coffee drinkers in your household, you need to clean the machine bi-weekly.

Follow these procedures to effectively clean your coffee maker:

• Any removable parts should be washed with soap and warm water. You can do this by hand or in a dishwasher if the parts are dishwasher-safe.
• Wipe down the outside of the coffee maker with soap and water and be sure to pay attention to the burner plate.
• Leave the reservoir lid open between uses.
• Run a 1:1 solution of water and white vinegar through the machine. When half of the solution has been “brewed”, turn off the coffee maker and let it sit of 30 minutes.
• Restart the coffee maker and allow it to complete its brewing cycle
• Rinse out the carafe and run tow more pots of clear water through it.

Make sure to use a new paper filter at each step of the cleaning. Any mold or hard minerals released from the coffee maker will be captured in the paper filter. If your carafe begins to look cloudy after a long period of use, you can clean it by adding some warm, sudsy water and either rice or ice cubes to loosen any hard mineral buildup. Just slosh them around for a few minutes and they will help scour out the carafe.

Always check your coffee makers instruction manual to make sure that you can use vinegar to clean it. If you can’t find the manual or lost it, you can check on the manufacturer’s website to see appropriate cleaning information for your model

Other Areas in Your Home that May Harbor Mold

We‘ve now got our coffee makers under control and mold-free, let’s take a quick minute to inspect some other places that mold may be hiding:

• Refrigerator shelves and drawers
• Can openers, electric and hand-held
• Seals around appliance doors
• In-wall or portable air conditioner units
• Refrigerator drip pans
• Trash cans
• Cleaning brushes, brooms, and especially sponges

If you have concerns about mold in your coffee maker or in any other location in your home, Water Mold Fire Restoration, 800-905-0277, stands by ready to help. We answer our phones 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and no emergency is ever too large or too small. Our nationally certified mold removal specialists are standing by. If you prefer to contact via email, you can do so at help@watermoldfire.net.