(Image credit: Getty Images / Miguel Angel Partido Garcia)

Even the best coffee makers need regular maintenance, and the new year is the perfect time to give yours a thorough clean to make sure it's running like new. Yes, it takes a little time, but the results are well worth the effort.

Every part of your coffee maker that comes into contact with water, milk, or coffee is a potential breeding ground for bacteria, and needs thorough cleaning to stay fresh and hygienic. Over time, limescale can also build up inside the boiler and brewing group, causing problems with the machine's pressure, so descaling is essential as well.

If you have an automatic coffee maker, I recommend removing and rinsing the brewing unit at the end of every day, then leaving it out overnight so the inside of the machine has an opportunity to cool and dry (Image credit: Future)

You should clean your coffee maker each time you use it, and give it a deep clean at the end of the day, so it doesn't sit around dirty overnight. You should also descale it every month or 100 cups of coffee (whichever comes first).

Before you begin though, take a look at the manual for your coffee maker to see whether the manufacturer has any specific advice for your particular model. They may recommend certain cleaning products, for example, or advise avoiding others. If you don't have the paper manual, search for your coffee maker model on the manufacturer's website, and you should be able to find it as a PDF.

Daily maintenance

If you have a manual or semi-automatic coffee maker (one that uses a portafilter handle), make sure you rinse the brewing group with hot water after making an espresso. The machine may have a special button for this, or you might need to press the 'brew' button for a few seconds without the portafilter in place. This will wash coffee oils and grounds from the group and screen. Wipe out the portafilter basket with a damp cloth, and hand-wash the handle and basket at the end of the day. You might be surprised by just how much residue builds up.

At the end of the day, you should also empty and hand-wash the drip tray. Either dry it with a clean towel or allow it to air dry overnight before replacing it in the machine.

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Every time you use your machine's steam wand, wipe the outside with a damp cloth while it's still warm to remove milk residue, then purge it by running it onto the cloth for a few seconds. This will keep the inside clear, and purging it onto a cloth will avoid making a puddle on your kitchen counter.