Farberware Automatic Electric Coffee Pot, Model FCP280
We’ve brewed several tens of pots of coffee in our Farberware automatic percolator. We’ve found that without routine cleaning, this appliance becomes stained brown. Then, that unsightliness is hard to clean off if allowed to build up. Now we wanted to preserve that silver, new look of our stainless steel coffee pot as long as possible. So we searched for routines and cleaning tips, that would keep it clean and gleaming bright. Thus the methods and tips below we tested and found quite effective at how to clean a percolator coffee pot.
With minimal occasional cleaning, percolators, are easy to keep stain free. Your first defense is to not allow stains to build up at all. So wash out your percolator right after every use. Plus, don’t allow the coffee to dry out inside. Regular dish detergent (for the sink, not the dishwasher) works well as a soaking agent. But if your percolator still smells of coffee after cleaning, than you did not clean it well enough. Clean it again. You may have to clean it several times. Try a stronger soap solution too.
Also, keep your percolator clean by discarding unwanted, unused coffee right away. Best not to let hot coffee stand in it for long. Why not? This can “bake in” that pesky brown coffee color. Often, people allow the coffee to “mellow” in the hot percolator for days at a time. Don’t get into this habit though, as this can “cement” the coffee into the metal or glass. This can greatly complicate getting it out.
Most percolators come with a users guide, with detailed cleaning instructions on how to clean a percolator. First and most importantly, follow these. Indeed, the manufacturer probably knows best how to clean their percolators the best and safest way. Many suggest nothing stronger than several drops of dish soap. Do not worry about this creating an aftertaste in the coffee though. It definitely does not if you rinse out the percolator and parts thoroughly.
The types of finishes found on most percolators resists staining as long as you do not scratch or mar it. So to avoid dulling these surfaces on all parts, avoid scouring with any abrasive cleaners. So avoid cleansers, pot scrubbers, steel wool pads, and bathtub cleaning agents. Also, avoid any sort of scrubbing device made of metal, such as wire brushes or burnishing tools. Use plastic or Nylon scrubbers sparingly on these parts instead. But save these for the really tough stains, and rely primarily on your dishcloth for routine percolator cleaning.
For those stains that dish soap does not clean off, deep clean the percolator as follows. Run a pot of half water and half white vinegar through the percolation cycle. Do this in well ventilated areas, outdoors if you can, to avoid stinking up the inside of your home. If your water is hard, use distilled water to boost removal of the hard water deposits from the percolator. Cycling the percolator with all its parts attached, cleans it all.
Now a brewing cycle with water and vinegar may not work. If not, then remove the well tube, basket, and water spreader. Then Soak these in a sink filled with hot vinegar water. Half water, half vinegar. Allow them to marinate in this solution for several hours or overnight, periodically checking the descaling progress.
Now white vinegar may not completely descale your percolator. How well it does depends on the type of minerals in your water. If so, then a couple tablespoons of baking soda in hot soapy water may do the trick.
Do not perk with soapy water however. This will quickly create a sudsy bubbly mess.
Many users report that automatic dishwasher soap in a pot of boiling water really lifts those stains well. You put this in the pot and let it sit until the liquid cools to room temperature. Indeed they design automatic dishwasher soap as non abrasive. It is gentle on glassware as well as stainless steel. So it is safe to use in a percolator.
Some brown staining on the interior does not negatively affect the flavor of the coffee brews. So it’s not necessary to overly worry about maintaining an absolutely spotless coffee percolator. As long as you prevent buildup of the loose residues and oils, your fresh perked java will taste just fine. Besides, a brown cast on the coffee handling components indicates (to some) a well-seasoned percolator. Furthermore, well seasoned percolators seem to brew better tasting coffee than those brand new, brown-less coffeepots.
Even in percolators, water and electricity do not mix. Otherwise, you could receive a fatal electric shock.
Also, do not immerse electric percolators unless the manufacturer says they’re submersible. Just fill them with the cleaning solution. Then let them sit on the counter while inside the pot has a bath.
Note that procedures that work well for an aluminum percolator may hurt a stainless steel unit. So, be sure to apply the right techniques to your particular percolator.
When cleaning the well tube (pump tube), be sure to remove those pesky little coffee granules first. These often embed themselves behind the washer at the bottom of the tube. So use a small knife, needle, pin, or toothpick to dislodge them. Too much buildup here can degrade the seals. This can decrease perking efficiency, thus producing either weak or foul tasting coffee. Do the same to the holes in the fluid spreader piece (top of the basket).
Not only can strong cleaners damage any plastic components (handles, knobs, Etc.). But these can also dull stainless steel finishes and etch the glass on glass stove top percolators.
When small amounts of vinegar do not clean, many folks perk a full-strength load in their coffee pots. This often works better than the half-and-half solution with water. While this probably will not harm the percolator, it smells dreadful! If you must percolate undiluted vinegar, set you percolator up outside. Then let it perk where the winds will carry away that strong odor.
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