A coffee thermos is an ideal container that allows you to sip hot coffee hours after it was originally made. This makes it ideal for road trips that don’t feature too many coffee shops along the way.
However, the thermos does come with a design flaw and that is the need to constantly clean it. This procedure is important because any coffee stains that remain after a superficial cleaning can interfere with the quality of the drink.
Using vinegar and baking soda
One of the most popular ways to clean your thermos is using two compounds present in every kitchen, distilled white vinegar, baking soda, and hot water. Basically, you pour half a cup of vinegar and a small bag of baking soda into the thermos and then shake it. This procedure should take place over the sink because the chemicals sizzle and froth when mixed together.
Once the chemical reaction subsides, fill the thermos to the top with hot water. Don’t put the lid on, as you leave the mixture to sit for some 10 minutes to dissolve all the coffee stains inside. Once you remove the mixture from the thermos, scrub it using a bottle brush. The latter come in all shapes and sizes as they are suitable for cleaning baby bottles as well.
In the end, rinse the thermos until the after-smell of vinegar is completely gone. It might take up to four rinses using hot water before the acidy odor of vinegar is completely gone. Finally, leave the thermos to dry naturally, as you would do with any other dish.
Using salt and ice
One might argue that you won’t have access to kitchen supplies on the road. In such instances, there is another cleaning technique you can use. Namely, you won’t need to go to the supermarket to find salt and ice, as you probably already possess these simple ingredients.
When it comes to ice, it is best if you can get hold of crushed ice because you’ll need to fill the thermos to the quarter of its volume. If the bottle cap is wide enough, you can use ice cubes as well. Now is the time to add 2 to 3 tablespoons of salt, depending on the size of the thermos you own.
It is essential that you add the salt right after pouring the ice, so as to prevent it from melting. If you wish to max out the effect salt has, use sea salt which has larger grains. Unlike the combo of vinegar, soda, and hot water, you should close the lid on the thermos this time. We fell obliged to mention that you can recognize the best thermos for keeping coffee hot based on the tightness of the lid.
After the lid is securely screwed on, shake the thermos as hard as possible. Hard ice and salt will rub against the walls of the thermos cleaning it in the process. Once you’re done shaking, empty the liquid and rinse the thermos several times using cold to lukewarm water. In the end, leave the lid off and let the thermos dry off naturally.
Using dishwasher powder
Simply throwing the thermos inside the dishwasher machine won’t help much. However, you can use dishwashing powder as a substitute for the two previous cleaning solutions. Don’t use liquid detergents because you need abrasive properties only a powdery substance possesses.
The procedure is similar to the aforementioned cleaning methods: pour the powder inside the thermos, add hot water to fill a quarter of the volume, and then shake the concoction a bit. After you rinse the thermos, fill it to the brim and leave it to soak in overnight with the lid off. In the morning, use a bottle brush to clean the thermos from the inside, rinse it again and then leave it to air-dry.
The 3 methods we have listed here are some of the most prolific ones. There are industrial methods like using denture tablets but it is much more effective to use natural cleaners.
I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
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