Ah, that first cup of Joe. It's a morning ritual that some of us just can’t do without. And for many people, coffee is the perfect pick-me-up throughout the day. We take coffee breaks with our coffee mugs at our coffee tables, sipping Espressos, Macchiatos, Lattes, and Cappuccinos lovingly prepared on state-of-the-art coffee makers with more gadgetry than the Starship Enterprise.

According to the National Coffee Association, 62% of Americans drink coffee every day, with the average coffee drinker enjoying a daily dose of three cups. And with the recent trend toward remote working, that’s an awful lot of home brewing.

Why clean your coffee maker?

Like any machine, coffee makers need maintenance. And that means regular cleaning, which is essential for several reasons.

• Coffee leaves a residue, and the mineral build-up is a haven for bacteria, yeast, and mold.

• Coffee gunk can make your coffee taste bitter, rendering that Premium Roast undrinkable!

• Uncleaned, coffee debris will clog your machine and eventually make it unusable.

How to clean a coffee maker

A traditional way to clean a coffee maker involves flushing it through with a solution of water and vinegar. However, afterward, some feel that makes your first few cups of coffee taste and smell bad. A better, scent-free cleaning option is denture cleaning tablets.

Denture tablets utilize the antibacterial and alkalizing properties of sodium bicarbonate, the main ingredient in baking soda, a proven household cleaner. The fizziness of the tablets essentially scrubs and cleans on a micro level, getting into the hard-to-reach crevices of your machine.

Experts suggest cleaning your coffee maker every three to six months, depending on how often you use it.

So, wake up and smell the coffee, and clean that coffee maker today!

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How to clean a coffee maker without affecting your coffee's flavor