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Coffee makers are havens for mold and might be making you sick.

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J

Joe

Member
This isn't new news and it's pretty much common sense but I've personally never realized how easy it can happen and how bad it can get.

Recently, coffee made through my single-serve and pod-based coffee maker has been making me sick - it essentially wreaked havoc on my digestive system. I thought it was all coffee in general until I started reading up on it.

I usually clean mine every 3 months or so with white vinegar but that is not nearly enough. I did a thorough cleaning today and the coffee tasted noticeably better.

I wouldn't be surprised if this affects a decent amount of people.

Tip: If coffee out of your machine starts to taste more bitter than usual then it might be a sign of mold.


http://www.nsf.org/newsroom/kitchen...st_id=10207777632868738_10207777632308724#_=_
NSF microbiologists measured the levels of yeast, mold, coliform bacteria (a family of bacteria that includes Salmonella and E. coli and is an indicator of potential fecal contamination) and Staph bacteria.

For example, kitchen items such as the coffee maker reservoirs, countertops and stove knobs actually had higher germ counts than bathroom items, such as the bathroom door knob and light switch.
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http://www.purdueexponent.org/campus/article_213cf592-55b6-5e19-93cf-bad284632f8c.html
A bitter taste to the coffee is not the only side effect that comes with mold exposure. Because all molds, mildews and bacteria pose health hazards, allergies tend to be a negative result as well. Other health hazards can include coughing, congestion, and respiratory infections.

“With respect to any coffee machine, the hazard is consuming mold spores through the coffee (drunk) from the infected pot,” said Newcom. “A person may experience gastrointestinal problems such as bloating, gas and diarrhea.”
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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/29/how-to-clean-coffee-maker_n_5861026.html
"(Coffee makers) are certainly a moist environment where mold and bacteria are known to grow in high numbers," said Reynolds, who studies household germs at the University of Arizona. "Our bodies can deal with them, but at some point they'll grow to levels high enough to cause sickness."
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A

Afrodium

Banned
I try not to think about how I consume drinks from a perpetually moist, dark, enclosed environment multiple times a day.
 
C

ClayKavalier

Banned
One of the benefits of pour-over and French press. People act like automatic coffee makers are super convenient but cleaning them seems annoying.
 
old

old

Member
I call it "exercising" my immune system. Keeps it alert and strong.

Also adds flavor.
 
J

Joe

Member
vikki said:
But my coffee maker makes the coffee really hot, I should be safe.
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Just in case you're not being sarcastic:

http://magazine.foxnews.com/at-home/how-gross-your-coffee-maker
Running heated water through the machine isn't enough to clean out the bacteria, either. "Water heated in the coffee maker — even the percolator types — is not hot enough to kill most germs," says Duberg (M.A., M.S., an assistant professor of clinical laboratory science at St. Louis University). Water needs to reach the boiling point, she explains, and it needs to continue boiling for a full minute in order to kill harmful contaminants.
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T

Transistor

Banned
BennyBlanco said:
what's the trick to getting the vinegar taste out?

i've had a keurig for years and only did the vinegar thing once because it tasted like shit for a while after that.
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Flush with lots of water afterwards. Has to be fresh water, too. Reusing the same stuff won't work
 
J

Joe

Member
BennyBlanco said:
what's the trick to getting the vinegar taste out?

i've had a keurig for years and only did the vinegar thing once because it tasted like shit for a while after that.
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Mine has a 12-ounce tank. I filled it up with about 11 ounces of white vinegar and ran it through. Then did two 12-ounce passes with just straight water. No vinegar taste afterwards.
 
R

Rad-

Member
Oh man I bet mine has this. I swear coffee tastes different than when I first used the machine. I've had it for like 2 years and never cleaned it with vinegar. It's the type of machine that grinds the beans but I'm guessing that doesn't make much difference?
 
DJ_Lae

DJ_Lae

Member
Explains why my Zojirushi water boiler boils the water briefly before settling back down to the temperature I set. I always thought it was an inconvenience but I guess it's a good thing.
 
H

Harpuia

Member
Water pitchers are also susceptible to this. Please clean them. Despite the fact that they hold water and "don't get dirty," you really should.
 
W

Wildschwein

Member
My drip pot coffee has been making me feel kind of ill lately. I used to be in the habit of cleaning it, but come to think of it, I don't think I have in a long time.

Egh, time to clean it while not thinking too hard about what I've been drinking.
 
D

DragonSworne

Banned
Yea, don't buy those single pod coffee makers, those things are gross.

My uncle was getting sick almost everyday until he finally connected it to the coffee he was drinking from these machines.
 
K

Katzenjammer

Member
I think the coffee machine at work has this. I have the exact same machine at home and the coffee at work is both more bitter and upsets my stomach when I drink it. It only started happening quite recently though, so I wouldn't be surprised if it were infected.
 
Z

zethren

Banned
Yeah it's why I don't like having Keurigs anymore, really. I use a single cup filter (plastic funnel looking setup) that you place over the mug with aa paper filter inside. Then you pour the hot water over the grounds in the filter.

Doesn't make a whole lot, only one cup, but I like it.
 
H

hipbabboom

Huh? What did I say? Did I screw up again? :(
What's the easiest way to clean the coffee maker of potential mold without poisoning yourself?
 
B

Bodacious

Banned
Thanks OP, I just ordered a new Kitchenaid coffee maker, due to be delivered Monday. You gave me reason to be diligent in keeping it clean. Also nice that the water tank on the one I bought is removeable (actually, that's how you fill it) and can be cleaned easily.
 
3

3phemeral

Member
I love my cold brew coffee maker <3 Got it for 2 bucks on Clearance and the coffee is so strong, it's like syrup. Easy to clean and, well, you have to clean it if you want to refill it. I understand how coffee makers can build up bacteria/mold if you don't run vinegar through it once week, though.

TtuKzpy.jpg
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P

PuppetSlave

Member
It's not rocket science. Keep your machine clean, vinegar or those cleaning tablets you can buy.

Also don't use the coffee pitcher to pour the water into the machine. That adds limestone(? not sure of I am using the right word here) to the machine and general coffee residue.

But maybe the issue is much more prevalent in warmer climates.
 
N

NewGame

Banned
I have some bleach and bi-carb products that I clean with it every month. I've never seen mold though, does your machine use milk as well as coffee? Might be part of the problem.
 
3

3phemeral

Member
Corrupt said:
NeoXChaos said:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5Ir6CzxKl4
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She has them hungry eyes.
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You just reminded me about that movie Zathura:


  • Two pre-adolescent brothers and their older sister play a board game and wind up in space.
  • They encounter a lost astronaut who assists them on their journey
  • When the older sister meets the astronaut for the first time, she's immediately taken aback by his stunningly gorgeous eyes, feeling protected and safe by his mere presence.
  • By the end of the movie, you learn that the astronaut she's attracted to is her younger brother from the future.
 
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