How To Clean And Descale A Cuisinart Coffee Maker (Step By Step!)

The longevity of your Cuisinart coffee maker is dependent on how well you maintain it. Cleaning and descaling your machine not only means you get to use it for years to come, but you also get to experience amazing-tasting java and prevent health risks. 

To clean your machine:

1. Remove the filter holder and water filter from the water tank.
2. Pour ⅔ water and ⅓ vinegar into the tank.
3. Start a brew cycle.
4. When the ADD WATER light flashes, empty the carafe. 
5. Fill the tank with clean water and run 4 water-only brew cycles.

In this blog, you’ll learn how to thoroughly clean your coffee maker to ensure it functions at its optimum best! 

Why Do You Need To Clean Your Cuisinart Coffee Maker? 

1. Health risks 

Cleaning and descaling your machine prevents you from getting sick. Because the internal tank doesn’t drain completely, it creates a perfect environment for bacteria and mold to grow. It’s dark and moist, allowing them to thrive and multiply.  

A study of nine coffee brewers found machines contained up to 67 pathogenic bacteria that live on the drip tray. When left unclean for long periods, these microorganisms can spread to the rest of the machine, which can transfer into your cup when you prepare a fresh brew.

The most common bacteria detected were Pseudomonas and Enterococcus. They can cause infection, meningitis, and digestive issues in individuals with weakened immune systems.

2. Damage to your machine 

Scale build-up is notorious for reducing the performance of your machine. It not only ruins the flavor of your coffee but can damage the internal components of your machine. Build-up can lead to clogs, leaks, and other malfunctions. By cleaning your Cuisinart regularly, you can extend the life of your machine!

3. The clean light has come on

The clean light is a built-in indicator that alerts you when cleaning is necessary. By now, mineral deposits and residue have built up and you should remove them. 

How Often Should You Clean Your Cuisinart?

Cuisinart Component	Cleaning Frequency
Filter basket, carafe	After every use
Water tank	As necessary (when you notice discoloration or scale build-up)
Drip tray, housing, grinder	Weekly
Hopper and coffee chute	Every 1-2 weeks
Descaling the machineReplacing the water filter	Every 3-6 months

The Clean Light On Your Cuisinart Machine

What does it mean?

The clean light is an indicator your machine needs cleaning.

How to turn off the clean light?

Sometimes there’ll be leftover water or solution in the machine needing to be dispensed, which can be fixed by a quick reset. 

1. Place a mug on the resting plate.
2. Press and hold the 6oz and 8oz simultaneously.

If the above steps don’t work, follow the guide below to clean your machine.

Step 1: How To Give Your Cuisinart Coffee Maker A General Clean

What You’ll Need To Clean Your Cuisinart

• Warm soapy water
• Soft, damp cloth 
• Paperclip 

Cleaning the drip tray and housing

1. Slide the drip tray out and wash it with warm soapy water or on the top rack of your dishwashing machine.  
2. Use the cloth to wipe the housing.

Cleaning the water tank

1. Wash the water tank with warm soapy water. 
2. Rinse it thoroughly and let it air dry to prevent lint from remaining.

Cleaning the filter basket

1. Remove the filter basket and wash it with warm soapy water or in the dishwasher.
2. Rinse thoroughly and let it air dry before reassembling.
3. If you’re using a single-serve model, remove the pod holder and use the paper clip to remove any coffee debris. 
4. Wash the holder with warm soapy water or on the top rack of your dishwashing machine. 

Cleaning the carafe

Glass carafe

1. Wash the carafe, together with the lid, with warm soapy water.
2. Let it air dry. 

Stainless carafe

1. Fill the carafe with mild detergent and lukewarm water. 
2. Give it a gentle swirl. 
3. Rinse well, and turn it upside down. 
4. Let it dry completely. 

Cleaning the grinder

Models with built-in hopper

1. Place a bowl on the drip tray to catch any beans. 
2. Remove the grinder by gently turning it to the right.
3. Brush away any residue and wipe it with a damp cloth.
4. Dust off any residue in the hopper and wipe it with a damp cloth.
5. Reattach the grinder to the machine. 

Models with removable grinder

1. Remove the grinder basket and dust off any residue.
2. Wash it with warm soapy water or in the top rack of your dishwasher.

Watch: Here’s a video from the Cuisinart website on how to perform the clean process

Step 2: How To Descale Your Cuisinart Machine

What You’ll Need:

To descale your Cuisinart Machine, you’ll need a descaling solution kit. A bottle of descaler that works for all machines costs about $15 from the Cuisinart website but only contains enough for 1 descaling cycle. ,

Recommendation: Instead we recommend this environmentally friendly descaler which gives you 4 doses for only $20!

What you’ll need:

• Descaling Solution – (Our preferred descaler from Amazon)
• Clean Tap water
• The carafe that came with your Cuisinart Coffee Machine

Preparation

1. Remove the filter holder and water filter from the water tank.
2. Fill the tank with 1litre (1quart) or water.
3. Add the descaling powder and mix till dissolved

Instructions (Based on your Cuisinart Model)

MODEL: 14-cup brewer

1. Press and hold the CLEAN button until it flashes. Allow the descale cycle to run.
2.  When the CLEAN button flashes, remove the carafe and discard the solution.
3. Fill the tank with clean water.
4. Run 4 water-only rinse cycles.

MODEL: Brew Central (12-cups)

1. Press and hold the SELF-CLEAN button until it flashes. 
2. Turn the coffeemaker on by pressing the flip switch to ON. 
3. When the machine beeps five times, descale is complete and the machine will shut off.
4. Turn the coffeemaker off. 
5. Fill the tank with clean water.
6. Run 2-4 rinse cycles.

Other models

1. Start a brew cycle.
2. When the ADD WATER button flashes, remove the carafe and discard the solution.
3. Fill the tank with clean water.
4. Run 4 water-only brew cycles.

Step 3: How To Replace The Water Filter 

1. Soak a new filter in clean water for 10 minutes.
2. Place it into the filter holder and insert it back into the reservoir. 

Download: Get a copy of our descaling cheatsheet below.

Watch: Here’s another vide from Cuisinart on preparing and inserting a new charcoal water filter

When To Replace Your Coffee Machine?

With proper care, your Cuisinart can last 2-5 years but it can be faulty prior to this. Here are some tell-tale signs it’s time to replace yours.

• Inconsistent brew quality: If your machine produces off-tasting or cold coffee.
• Slow brewing times: Does your Cruisinart take longer than usual to brew even after descaling? It could be a sign that the machine’s water pump is losing power.
• Leakage: If your brewer is leaking, it may be due to a faulty seal or a problem with the water reservoir.
• Frequent breakdowns: When your machine constantly breaks down and requires repairs, it may be more cost-effective to replace it. Repairs can add up quickly, and you may find yourself spending more money than the machine is worth.

Final Thoughts And Recommendations

Regular cleaning and descaling of your Cuisinart maintains its longevity and prevents bacterial growth that might pose health risks. The machine offers a low-cost way of keeping it in tip-top shape. All you need is white vinegar, clean water, and a couple of minutes, and your machine will continue to produce great-tasting coffee with every brew. 

Cuisinart Cleaning – Frequently Asked Questions

Below are a few frequently asked questions we’ve had about cleaning your cusineart coffee machine.

Final Thoughts And Recommendations

It’s essential to descale your Cuisinart Coffee Machine every 2-3 months. This will not only increase the life span of your machine but also keep your coffees tasting great and fresh.

Descaling takes around 45 minutes and consists of a descaling run and a rinse run.

You can use any brand of descaling product in your Cuisinart, as long as you dilute it with the correct amount of water to the manufacturer’s instructions.

We recommend using the Green Pods Eco Descaler. It comes with 4 sachets (1 year’s supply) which are perfectly portioned. It’s environmentally friendly, and it’s also more cost-effective than the name-brand Keurig Descalers.

You can get it from Amazon here.