Sometimes, a good cup of joe helps get us out of bed in the morning. 

However, if your coffee machine isn't performing as well as it should, try using one simple hack to return to your regularly scheduled program of delicious hot coffee. 

The scoop

Shared by digital media company Attn: (@attn), its TikTok video shows how and why you should clean your coffee machine.

@attn Coffee with a splash of mold? A coffee pot can hold anywhere from 35-67 different types of bacteria. Not only does the buildup cause infections, but it can lead to bitter-tasting coffee and reduces the life of your appliance. If you're a regular coffee drinker, cleaning out the water reservoir once a month is a must. #coffee #coffeemaker #cleaninghacks #tiptok ♬ original sound - attn:

"A coffee pot could hold anywhere from 35-67 different types of bacteria," the video's caption said.

Coffee machines could be harboring mold, yeast, or both. These germs can affect your coffee's brew as well as your coffee machine's efficiency, producing weak, bitter, or lukewarm coffee that may take a longer time to brew. 

To clean your coffee machine, the video instructs viewers to pour a mixture of water and vinegar at a 1-to-1 ratio into the water reservoir of your coffee machine. Run it a few times.

"If you're worried about the vinegar flavor, just run it a few extra times with just water and you'll be good as new," the video's presenter says. 

How it's helping

Not only is a clean coffee machine better for your health, but it could also improve your energy usage, reducing your monthly energy costs while lowering your household's carbon footprint.

A regular coffee machine already uses a lot of energy to heat a small amount of water for coffee, according to United Baristas. They are usually the most energy-intensive appliance in a coffee shop. 

A dirty coffee machine — whether by germs or a buildup of minerals — must work that much harder to heat water to make coffee.

How do you normally get your coffee? From a barista 💸 From my kitchen ☕ Pretty evenly from both ⚖️ I don't drink coffee 🙅 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

This increased energy draw will cost you more over time. A simple cleaning could make a difference in your monthly and yearly energy costs while reducing the carbon pollution created by your household's cumulative energy usage.  

Homeowners looking to save additional money on energy costs may want to consider going solar. After a short solar payback period of about seven years, homeowners can enjoy up to two decades of free or low-cost energy.  

EnergySage has a free service that helps homeowners quickly gather and compare quotes from locally vetted solar installers, ensuring you get the best price for your project. Homeowners who have used EnergySage have saved, on average, $10,000 on solar installation projects. 

What everyone's saying

This hack may be simple, but it could significantly improve your cup of coffee and health. 

Commenters suggested other helpful tips to keep your machine clean and running smoothly. 

"Washing and allowing parts to air dry when not in use helps avoid mold," one commenter said. 

"Folks denture tablets work too! And no vinegar smell," another user suggested. 

Commenters offered various frequencies for how often coffee machines should be cleaned — between every week and every two weeks. However, as long as your machine is being cleaned regularly, you can reduce the chances of drinking, per the video's caption, "coffee with a splash of mold."

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