According to the National Coffee Association, the average person drinks three cups of joe daily, which makes for all the more reason to learn how to clean a coffee maker. We get it: It’s easy to neglect this kitchen appliance. If you’re already stuck washing dishes, then sometimes taking on this task feels like one responsibility too many.

But before you put your routine coffee maker cleaning on the back burner, know that your unwashed brewing machine can get pretty dirty. An often-cited study by NSF International found that half of these caffeine incubators contain yeast and mold because of its “warm and moist environment,” which can heighten the bitter taste of your brew at best and spur allergic reactions at worst. Alongside sponges, the study found that coffee makers are among the top 10 germiest places in a home.

Don’t toss your coffee maker in the garbage just yet, though, as the cleaning process is easier than you might think. Christopher Peacock, founder and CEO of his eponymous design firm in New York, starts his day with an Americano—black, no sugar—and then an espresso in the afternoon, and knows a thing or two about cleaning a coffee maker regularly. “For a regular drip coffee maker, I clean it with hot water and dish soap after each brew,” he says. Read on for more simple tips on how to clean your coffee maker’s removable parts, filter, and exterior, so that each cup of coffee is truly a boost of energy, not a dose of germs.

Why do you need to descale a coffee maker?

A warm and moist environment is the breeding ground for bacteria and mold, and a monthly rinse with white vinegar or lemon juice can keep your coffee maker from becoming one of the germiest places in your kitchen. But that’s not the only reason to use white vinegar. Mineral buildup of hard water and calcium can clog the coffee machine over time, affecting how quickly it drips coffee into the coffee pot. To ensure your machine is here for the long haul and not competing with a Keurig and K-cups, put this deep clean on your calendar.

How often should I clean my coffee maker to keep it in good condition?

Every coffee maker comes with its own instructions from the manufacturer, so if you still have the manual booklet, start there. For those sans paperwork, Peacock recommends a daily cleaning with fresh water from the faucet’s hand spray, a soft brush, soap, and a clean cloth. Once a month, use a cleaning solution of distilled white vinegar to deep clean and nix mineral deposits.

What is the best way to clean the inside of a coffee maker?

Every coffee maker comes with its own instructions from the manufacturer, so if you still have the manual booklet, start there. For those sans paperwork, Peacock recommends a daily cleaning with fresh water form the faucet’s hand spray, a soft brush, soap, and a clean cloth. Once a month, a cleaning solution of distilled white vinegar deep cleans to nixing mineral deposits.

How do I take the coffee machine apart?

After you’ve finished your coffee for the morning—because you know the coffee maker doesn’t get cleaned until after you’re fully awake—remove parts of the machine from the base: the carafe (or coffee pot), lid, and filter. Wipe down the base and the warming plate, clearing any drips that may cause coffee stains. Next, pour out the bulk of your coffee grounds from the filter basket into the trash or compost, and then rinse out remaining grounds and oily residue in the sink. Wash out the coffee pot and lid with dish soap and water, and let both air-dry. Note: If washing your coffee maker daily seems like too much of an ask, stick these parts in the dishwasher for a whirl. Just make sure the coffee pot is dishwasher-safe.

How many times should I run vinegar through my coffee maker?

A warm and moist environment is the breeding ground for icky bacteria and mold, and a monthly rinse with white vinegar or lemon juice can keep your coffee maker from becoming one of the germiest places in your kitchen. But that’s not the only reason to use white vinegar. Mineral buildup of hard water and calcium can clog the coffee machine over time, affecting how quickly it drips coffee into the coffee pot. To ensure your machine is here for the long haul and not competing with a Keurig and K-cups, put this deep clean on your calendar.

How much vinegar do you use to clean a coffee maker?

To begin, fill the water reservoir with equal parts plain water and distilled white vinegar to make a vinegar solution, and then place a paper filter into the basket. Place the pot on the burner, and set the machine to its brew cycle. Once the solution has gone through a brew cycle halfway, turn the machine off, and let it sit for 30 minutes. Turn the machine back on to finish the brewing, and then dispose of the vinegar-and-water solution. You only have to do this once! Finally, place a new paper filter in the basket, fill the water reservoir with water, and brew the pot. That way, you can be sure that no vinegar remains, and you can reassemble the coffee machine.

What can I clean my coffee maker with besides vinegar?

If you’d rather not use white vinegar for mineral buildup, try lemon juice. Alternatively, a flush with warm water and a quarter cup of baking soda can make your java pot as good as new. For a coffee machine that is particularly dirty, Amazon has a bevy of descaling products that works equally well on a coffee maker and a Keurig.

“Don’t overthink it, scrub the old grounds off and rinse,” Peacock says. With that kind of confidence in mind, follow in Peacock’s lead to have a clean coffee maker each day. In no time, this cleaning cycle will surely make your cup of coffee taste better.