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How to Clean a Coffee Pot

How to Clean a Coffee Pot

Last updated on 4/29/2022

Coffee is one of the most popular beverages in the world. Serving coffee through a decanter or airpot allows you to provide large amounts of coffee at once for your guests, but after multiple uses, minerals and oil build up and can leave a residue. Not only does it look unsightly, but it can also lead to bad-tasting drinks. To keep your coffee tasting great, you need to thoroughly clean out your coffee pots, dispensers, and other coffee shop equipment. Just follow these instructions and you can get back to making rich, delicious coffee for your customers.

How to Clean a Coffee Pot Video

To maintain a clean and organized coffee service, watch our video below on how to clean a coffee pot.

How to Clean a Coffee Decanter and Coffee Airpot

Cleaning your coffee decanters and airpots may be difficult due to their unusual size and shape. So, we broke down the process into easy steps, ensuring that you can get your decanters and airpots perfectly clean.

How to Clean a Coffee Decanter

  • shaking coffee pot cleaner in an up and down motion1.

    Shake the liquid coffee pot cleaner.

  • cleaning solution being poured around inside circumference of coffee pot2.

    Add 3-4 squirts of solution into your dirty decanter.

  • hot water from sink hose filling up coffee pot3.

    Fill the decanter about halfway with hot water.

  • scrubbing a coffee pot with a brush4.

    Scrub the inside with a decanter brush.

  • soapy water contents being poured out of a coffee pot and into a sink5.

    Rinse the solution from the decanter. You may need to fill the pot with hot water multiple times to completely rinse the pot clean.

  • drying a coffee pot with a towel6.

    Dry your clean decanter.

How to Clean an Airpot

  • coffee airpot cleaning solution being shook up and down1.

    Shake the liquid coffee pot cleaner.

  • hand removing inside stem of coffee airpot2.

    Remove the stem assembly.

  • cleaning solution being poured inside of coffee airpot3.

    Add 3-4 squirts of solution into your dirty airpot.

  • adding hot water from sink to a coffee airpot4.

    Add hot water to the airpot.

  • scrubbing the inside of a coffee airpot5.

    Scrub the inside with a carafe brush.

  • adding airpot stem back inside soapy airpot6.

    Replace the stem assembly and close the lid.

  • Airpot lid is now closed and button is being pressed to dispense all of the soapy contents7.

    Run the solution-water mixture through the stem assembly by pressing the button the way you would dispense coffee. Do this until the airpot is empty.

  • airpot is now opened with stem removed and being rinsed out with hot water and dumped into sink8.

    Remove the stem assembly and rinse the airpot out with hot water. You may need to fill the pot with hot water multiple times to rinse it completely.

  • airpot stem is turned upside down and is being scrubbed internally with a small brush9.

    Use a small cleaning brush to scrub inside the stem.

  • scouring pad with cleaning solution scrubbing the outside of the airpot stem10.

    Using a scouring pad and some coffee pot cleaning solution, scrub the outside of the stem until the residue is gone.

  • airpot stem is turned upside-down in sink with hot water running over it11.

    Run the stem under hot water to rinse it.

  • reassembling airpot12.

    Replace the stem assembly and close the lid.


Keeping your coffee pots clean is an integral part of maximizing proper hygiene in your coffee shop or cafe. Follow these step-by-step instructions when cleaning and sanitizing coffee decanters and coffee airpots so all of your coffee roasts maintain their intended flavor and aroma.


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