How to Clean a Blackened or Burnt Coffee Pot

Co-authored by Susan Stocker

Last Updated: August 17, 2024 Approved

Forgetting to turn off your coffeemaker before you leave the house in the mornings or leaving coffeemakers on overnight can have adverse effects on the look of your coffeemaker. Leaving the pot resting on its burner for too long can lead to scorch marks and discoloration at the bottom of your pot. Not only does it look unsightly, but it can also give your routine cup of joe a bad taste.

Best Way to Remove Burn Stains from a Coffee Pot

Let your coffee pot cool down and give it a good rinse.
Add ½ cup of salt to the pot and fill it with crushed ice.
Add a cup of water and the juice of 1/4 of a lemon to the pot.
Swish and swirl the mixture vigorously around in the pot.
Dump the solution, refill it with the same mixture, and swish again.
Wash the clean pot with soap and water like you normally would.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Using Ice to Clean Your Coffee pot

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Start by giving your coffee pot a good rinse. Then place ½ cup of salt into the coffee pot. You will need this to help alleviate the discoloration and burnt marks. After that, add two cups of crushed ice, or enough ice to fill the pot halfway.^{[1]
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Add water and lemon to the salt and ice mixture.^{[2]
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Research source} Add a cup of water to the salt and ice in your coffee pot. Follow the water by squeezing the juice of 1/4 of a lemon into the pot.
- When adding additional water, it is important that it is cold. Hot water mixed with the ice will cause the pot to crack or shatter.
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3
Swish the solution around in the pot. As you swish and swirl, you will begin to see the burned brown layer lift from the surface. Watch the stain and the water to measure the improvement of the stain and whether or not it’s removing.^{[3]
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- When the water becomes too dark for you to see a difference in the stain and/or discoloration, empty the coffee pot and start the process of adding salt, ice, water, and lemon juice to the pot to continue the process.^{[4]
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- Continue to swish the mixture in multiple directions. Keep in mind that severe burns will need more time to soak in the solution so be patient and trust the process.^{[5]
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To avoid making yourself a salty or sour cup of coffee, rinse your pot thoroughly once the discoloration is visibly removed. Once you have dried the coffee pot out with a soft cloth, you are ready to use it again and make a delicious cup of coffee.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Using Vinegar to Clean Your Coffee Pot

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White vinegar is known for its extra special cleaning properties and is great for stubborn blackened or burnt stains on coffee pots. Fill the pot to the brim with white vinegar. Let it sit overnight to soak.

EXPERT TIP

Bridgett Price
House Cleaning Professional
Bridgett Price is a House Cleaning Professional based in Phoenix, Arizona. She has over 8 years of experience in the industry and is the Co-Owner of Maid Easy, a maid service company servicing the Phoenix, Arizona metropolitan area witih over 17k professional cleanings under its belt. Maid Easy was featured on CNBC's 'Made It!' program and was voted as The Best of The Desert - Residential Cleaning Service by AZCentral. She holds a Master of Management from the University of Phoenix, specializing in digital and traditional marketing.

Bridgett Price
House Cleaning Professional

Soaking the pot in soapy water may help as well. Bridgett Price of Maid Easy says: "I've seen coffee makers that haven't been cleaned in months, but if you fill them with hot water and a little liquid dish soap, and let it sit for a while, you can actually see the burnt coffee lifting away from the glass. Then, you just have to wipe them out."
Place that bowl to the side for later, and wash the coffee pot out with hot soapy water. The majority of the brown stains the coffee pot accrued should be gone completely.^{[6]
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Fill the coffee pot with the saved vinegar and allow it to soak overnight. Keep repeating the previous step until all of the stubborn stains have been removed and the coffee pot looks like new again. ^{[7]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Using Baking Soda to Clean Your Coffee Pot

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Pour one cup of baking soda into the pot and completely fill it with water. Turn on the coffee maker to heat both the water and baking soda in the pot to a rolling boil.^{[8]
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Remove the coffee pot from the heat. Allow the mixture to settle and stand for about 10 minutes. After it’s cooled down a bit, use a soft cloth or non-abrasive scrubbing pads to gently scrub the pot.^{[9]
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Research source} Be careful of the pot’s hot sides as you clean it.
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Clean remaining stains by forming a paste in the pot. If there are stains left over even after the baking soda/water boil, take the pot and pour almost all of the mixture out of it. Add more baking soda to the pot to create a paste. Scrub the pot out with the paste. Wash it out thoroughly when the pot is stainless to prepare it for use.^{[10]
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- Alternatively, you can soak it in warm water and dishwashing liquid.^{[11]
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  Expert Source
  
  Susan Stocker
  Professional Cleaner
  
  Expert Interview. 8 November 2019.}
- Then scrub it with a scrubby sponge.^{[12]
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  Expert Source
  
  Susan Stocker
  Professional Cleaner
  
  Expert Interview. 8 November 2019.}

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Question

What is a common mistake people make when cleaning pots and pans?

Susan Stocker
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Susan Stocker runs and owns Susan’s Green Cleaning, the #1 Green Cleaning Company in Seattle. She is well known in the region for outstanding customer service protocols — winning the 2017 Better Business Torch Award for Ethics & Integrity —and her energetic support of green cleaning practices.

Susan Stocker

Professional Cleaner

Expert Answer

They do not let it soak. Water and a bit of dishwashing soap will do most of the work for you if you give it enough time to work.

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How do you remove burnt-on food from a pan?

Susan Stocker
Professional Cleaner
Susan Stocker runs and owns Susan’s Green Cleaning, the #1 Green Cleaning Company in Seattle. She is well known in the region for outstanding customer service protocols — winning the 2017 Better Business Torch Award for Ethics & Integrity —and her energetic support of green cleaning practices.

Susan Stocker

Professional Cleaner

Expert Answer

Soak the pan in warm water and dishwashing liquid. Then srub it with a scrubby sponge. You may have to use a brillo pad if it is hard to remove the burnt-on food.

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Is it safe to reuse a burnt coffee pot?

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Yes, as long as it's been cleaned out properly and examined for cracks. It's perfectly safe.

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Tips

If the pot is severely discolored you may have to repeat this several times, but eventually it will come clean.

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The natural methods detailed above are effective on both glass and steel coffee pots. Find the method that works best for you!

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The swish motion is important. Make sure while you're swishing that you are doing this over all the discolored areas. Missing areas will not get the pot entirely clean.

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Warnings

Avoid using abrasive scrubbers to dry or clean coffeepots. Soft cloths and non-abrasive scrubbers will help prevent scratches forming on the glass.

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Do not use cleanser, although it seems faster. Coffee pots often have lips that could hide residue from the cleanser even when it is rinsed. That residue can end up in your coffee.

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