Anyone who loves to drink coffee knows you can crave it anytime. That’s not only because of its fantastic flavor but also its caffeine content.
Coffee is the best way to jump-start your mind at any time of the day when you feel tired.
While we can buy coffee from the coffee shop, taking it there is not always an option. These places have customers constantly coming in and out, making it hard to have a cup of coffee in peace.
And if you have a busy day ahead, sipping on your coffee at leisure while in your home or at the cafe is sometimes challenging.
Wouldn’t it be nice if you could carry your coffee to the office and have it at your desk? And what about when you need to sip on coffee while on the move, such as while driving? These are the times you need coffee on the go.
That requires you to think of a way to keep it hot while you move from place to place. And the best solution is a coffee thermos.
What are Coffee Thermoses?
A coffee thermos is a portable insulated container you can use to carry coffee from place to place.
These thermal containers are an essential part of any busy coffee drinker’s life. They can hold 3 or 4 cups of hot or cold coffee and easily fit in your bag or car cup holder.
With a thermos of coffee in your bag, you can move from place to place without worrying about where to get coffee.
Some people also use coffee thermoses because they are an eco-friendly alternative to plastic and paper coffee cups.
That’s why you’ll see people order coffee from their favorite cafe and ask the barista to pour it into a thermos. It saves them from carrying their coffee in disposable cups.
Using a coffee thermos is a commendable action because coffee waste, such as plastic straws, coffee packs, disposable cups, and stirrers, makes up a considerable part of our landfills.
This garbage dangerously contributes to greenhouse emissions like methane that endanger our planet.
So, when you use a coffee thermos, you do something to save our planet.
Why you Need to Clean your Coffee Thermos Lid
Like all frequently used items, coffee thermoses require regular maintenance. We don’t mean the regular washing you do. What we are talking about is a thorough cleanup of your thermos.
That’s necessary because these thermal containers collect a build-up of coffee odor and coffee remains that can cause mold growth or spoil the taste of your coffee.
It is especially important to clean the lid of your coffee thermos because it captures the smell of any beverage you pour into it.
Some thermos lids also end up with coffee stains because coffee is poured through them. So you should clean your coffee thermos lid properly at least once a month. While you may prefer to stick it in a dishwasher, that won’t get it clean.
A dishwasher can not get to the nooks and crannies in your coffee thermos lid that often hold dirt and bacteria. It’s better to clean your thermos and its lid by hand. Here’s how to do it.
How to Clean your Coffee Thermos Lid by Hand
Things you’ll Need:
Hot water
A small bowl
Antibacterial dishwashing liquid
A soft dish-scrubbing brush
Dish cleaning gloves
Method
- Rinse out the thermos with clean hot water concentrating on rubbing off any dirt on the thermos lid.
- Loosen the detachable parts of the lid and rinse them separately to get rid of any loose dirt.
- Pour hot water into the small bowl and add soap to it. Soak the thermos lid and any loose parts belonging to it in the soapy water.
- Fill the thermos with hot soapy water, and wash it gently with a dishwashing sponge. Rinse and set it aside.
- Scrub the thermos lid and any of its loose parts with a soft-bristled brush concentrating on any dirty nooks and crannies.
- Rinse the thermos lid with hot clean water and set it aside to air dry.
- Your coffee thermos is now fresh and clean with a stain and odor-free thermos lid.
- Once it’s dry, brew your favorite coffee and fill your coffee thermos with it. You’ll appreciate how fresh your coffee tastes.
How to Get Stubborn Stains and Smells Off your Thermos Lid
Cleaning a thermos lid, as explained above, does not always eliminate stubborn stains.
Some thermos lids are extremely dirty, especially if you’ve made a habit of leaving coffee in your thermos for days.
You’ll find mold growing in such lids, and getting it out with hot soapy water is difficult.
A stronger cleaning solution you can use is baking soda and vinegar. It can remove stains and kill any bacteria in your thermos coffee lid. Here’s how to use it.
What you Need
1 cup distilled white vinegar
1 tsp baking soda
Antibacterial dishwashing soap
Hot water
A small bowl
A dishwashing sponge
Dish cleaning gloves
Method
- Wash your coffee thermos lid and thermos with hot soapy water and a dishwashing sponge.
- Rinse out the thermos and thermos lid and set them aside.
- Pour vinegar and baking soda into a small bowl and leave it for some minutes until it stops bubbling.
- Soak the thermos lid in the vinegar solution for a few minutes and then remove it. Avoid leaving it in the vinegar solution for too long; otherwise, it will damage the rubber seals around your thermos lid.
- Wash the thermos lid and any of its parts with warm soapy water to get rid of any lingering vinegar, and rinse it off with lots of clean water.
- Dry the clean thermos lid with a clean dish cloth. Your clean thermos is now ready to use.
How to Keep your Coffee Thermos Lid in Good Condition
Cleaning a thermos lid too often with the vinegar solution mentioned above is not recommended.
You can keep it from getting stained or collecting funny smells by doing the following;
- Rinse your coffee thermos and lid with warm soapy water after every use.
- Don’t leave any leftover coffee in your thermos for longer than necessary.
- If you forget coffee in your thermos once in a while, soak it with hot soapy water and a few tablespoons of vinegar for a few hours before cleaning it.
- Deep clean your thermos and its lid at least once every month with a bit of baking soda and a soft brush to eliminate any foul odors.
- Remember to set aside any rubber seals from your thermos or its lid whenever you clean it with baking soda or vinegar. These seals should only be washed with warm soapy water.
- Always leave your coffee thermos open and dry the lid whenever you are not using it.
Conclusion
That’s how to clean a coffee thermos lid. If you habitually follow these cleaning tips, your thermos will last a long time.
Keeping your thermos in excellent condition will ensure coffee is always hot. You also won’t have to worry about bacterial build-up in it or around its lid.
You can also use these tips to keep other coffee utensils, such as coffee mugs, clean and stain free.
If these tips fail to remove stains from your thermos or deodorize it, consider purchasing a new one.
