The pot comes in direct contact with the coffee you consume. Ensuring you have your Moka pot clean is very important, so you don't drink something you're not supposed to. It is not quite like cleaning a pan or a spoon, though.
There are a few main ways to clean a Moka pot. Sometimes just a rinse will do. In other cases, you will need a bit of dish soap. If limescale builds up, you will probably want to use some vinegar and let it soak.
Do You Have an Aluminum or a Stainless Steel Moka Pot?
Based on what they're made of, there are two main types of Moka pots: aluminum and stainless steel. Generally, the stainless steel ones are easier to maintain. There are many cleaning products you can use with them, and they won't damage it.
You should be more cautious with aluminum, on the other hand. It is a softer metal and very sensitive to acid. Any type of it can damage its surface.
They both need to be cleaned after each brew. You must wait for them to cool down as if you clean it while still hot, micro-cracks might form on the surface, which will only get worse with time. Stainless steel pots are especially fragile to sudden changes in temperature.
What Should You Do Before the First Brew in a New Moka Pot?
Every time you buy a piece of kitchen equipment that you will use to prepare food, you should give it a good clean before the first use. It is the same thing with a Moka pot.
Before you pour the water and put the coffee in, we recommend cleaning all the parts in warm water with a little bit of dish soap. Then, to ensure all the factory smells are gone, you should brew 2-3 times and throw it away. You should remember that you shouldn't use the handle when unscrewing the top part of the Moka pot, as this might break it.
It is a similar process if you want to clean a Moka pot that you haven't used for a while. You can also pour three parts of hot water and one white vinegar into the boiler. Then put it on the stove and make a round of brew. Once you're done with this, rinse it well under running water.
Cleaning Your Moka Pot After Every Coffee
You don't need to give your Moka pot a deep clean after every use, but you should keep it clean. As already mentioned, you should make sure that you start with a cold Moka pot.
- Disassemble the Moka pot and throw out the grounds
Once the Moka pot has cooled off enough for you to touch it, you can start. Open up the top part (not holding the handle). Once you get to the filter where the coffee goes, throw it out.
You must do that immediately, as if you leave them lying on the counter, they will release more oil, and that could possibly lead to mold growth.
- Rinse with warm water
Every piece of the Moka pot should be rinsed under warm running water. You should make sure that all the coffee grounds are completely gone as if they build up, your Moka pot might start sputtering.
Something dangerous that you should make sure doesn't happen is coffee getting stuck in the safety valve. What it does is it lets out all the excessive pressure, and it must work as designed.
- Dry the Moka pot
The last step of your everyday cleaning process is to dry your Moka pot. It is important not to close it while wet, as if you leave it lying around, mold might form. It is also important because it might affect the taste if the upper chamber is wet when you start making your coffee.
How to Clean a Moka Pot Thoroughly?
Now and again, you will need to clean your Moka pot thoroughly. We recommend that you do it two-three times per month. This is important as coffee and oils will start building up, and when that happens, your brew will become bitter.
How to Clean Stainless Steel Moka Pots?
The forming of limescale can be very annoying when using any sort of stainless steel appliances. The hard, chalky deposit builds up with use, and it comes from the water you use. It is nothing dangerous if you remove it.
To remove any limescale built up on your Moka pot, it's best to use Urnex Dezcal. You start by preparing a cleansing bath by dissolving the white powder in water. One sachet dissolved in around 30 ounces (1 liter) should be enough to remove a thin layer of limescale. If the layer built up on your Moka pot is thicker, you can pour two sachets in the same amount of water.
Once you have dissolved the Urnex Dezcal in water, you should leave the pot in the solution for a few hours. After they pass, you should rinse the pot thoroughly and make sure there is no solution left in it.
It is even recommended to make a brew and throw it away before actually making coffee for yourself.
How Do You Get Rid of Limescale With Detergents?
You might not be a fan of strong detergents. That is understandable; they are not suitable for the environment, don't smell too well, and can be expensive. Here is a simple way to descale your Moka pot by only using what you already have around the house.
Start With Water
Fill the bottom chamber of the pot with water. This time you should fill it all the way up, even over the safety valve. You are not going to make any coffee, so it's fine in this case.
- Put some distilled white vinegar in
Two tablespoons should do. If you don't have any, you can try apple cider vinegar or lemon juice. They will have an almost exact effect.
- Put the Moka pot together
Once you have the water mixed with vinegar (or any of the supplements), assemble the Moka pot and let it sit. The acidity of the vinegar will let it slowly dissolve the mineral and any oils inside. Vinegar is also not acidic enough to harm the metal, so it is a perfect solution.
- Make some coffee
When several hours pass, you can pour some of the water out. Now you should run what's left of the vinegar water through a regular brew cycle. Without coffee grounds, of course.
- Let it cool down, rinse and let dry
When you're done with the water-vinegar brew, you should disassemble the Moka pot and pour out all the liquid that's in it. Then you should give it a rinse as you do after each use.
How Do You Get Rid of the Pesky Coffee Leftovers?
It is common to find small coffee particles stuck in the Moka pot's funnel, pushed by there by the high pressure. They are usually too far up to be removed with a sponge, so you should find another solution.
What we recommend for this is the Urnex Clearly Coffee. You need to put the funnel in the blue liquid and leave it there for a few hours. Once you see the particles have come off and are floating on the surface in the cleaner, you are good to go.
If even after that there are some particles left, you can try to reach them with a toothbrush and a bit of dish soap.
How Do You Clean a Stained on the Outside Moka Pot?
In this case, you need to do a solution of three teaspoonfuls of bicarbonate in a regular glass of hot water. If you think you need a stronger solution, you can add a spoonful of vinegar. Then take an abrasive sponge and give it a good scrub.
Once you're done, rinse with warm water.
How to Clean Aluminum Moka Pots?
An aluminum pot is a lot more sensitive to detergents than a stainless steel one. This is why it is usually not recommended to use strong detergents when washing it.
You should also be careful not to drop any citric acid on your aluminum Moka pot. The contact with any sort of acid can cause a reaction on the aluminum surface that will ruin the top layer.
Cleaning an aluminum Moka pot is done with just a little dish soap. Squeeze out a drop or two of it on a soft sponge and carefully wash it clean.
Just like for the steel Moka pot, here, you don't have to use any detergents if you don't want to. You can use a solution out of baking soda and water. Just like with dish soap, you should be careful not to scrub too hard.
Can You Put Your Pot in the Dishwasher?
Definitely not. Under no circumstances. It doesn't matter if the model you have is made out of aluminum or stainless steel. The detergents used in a dishwasher are way too strong and will ruin the surface of the Moka pot.
Final Thoughts
A clean Moka pot is a must, and even though it's a simple process, it requires you to know some basic information. The main rule with aluminum Moka pots is not to use any acid-based products, so you don't ruin the metal.
Stainless steel pots are easier to look after, but they also need a good cleaning now and again. Usually, a little dish soap will do the trick. You can also achieve some good results with a bit of vinegar.
It is very important to know that you have a high-quality Moka pot to avoid any metal particles chipping off into your coffee. Head over to our catalog and treat yourself to a top-notch Moka pot for the best morning brew!