<p>It's a combination of scale (mineral deposits left behind by water left in the pot evaporating), oxidized aluminum (caused by exposure of aluminum to oxygen), and coffee deposits (coffee oils and solids left behind by evaporating brew / wet grounds).</p>
<p>I've seen this with several aluminum pots when they get to be years old. Also steel if you don't keep up with the cleaning. You can remove scale with a coffee machine descaler product (recommend DEZCAL by Urnex), oxidized aluminum with a diluted solution of vinegar, and coffee deposits with a mix of vinegar and baking soda (mixed in the pot with your cleaning tool on standby because they will start reacting immediately).</p>
<p>Just one bit of advice. Use a rotary tool (like Dremel, if you have one) with a buffing pad. You're going to have one tough time cleaning inside those grooves using a scrubbing pad. A rotary tool with a soft attachment like for polishing or buffing will make the job much easier. Electric toothbrushes work wonderfully too in places they can actually fit/reach.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-29T01:37:27.033Z
2021-05-29T01:37:27.033Z
R Mac
<p>Today I decided that I want to improve the quality of the coffee I'm consuming, so I decided to start brewing coffee at home.</p>
<p>I have a Pedrini moka pot that was stored for a few years without use.
Currently this is the status of the moka pot:</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/7hcee.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/7hcee.jpg" alt="enter image description here" /></a>
I tried using lemon vinegar and baking soda and the stains of the water reserve didn't change.</p>
<p>Should I replace the pot? Is it safe to use it? Should I buy a stainless one?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-06-14T22:00:50.707Z
You sure that's the photo for the actual pot? i only see the filter.
Elfarto
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-06-15T23:42:02.780Z
Very confused here. That's not the same photo that was here when I wrote my answer, though I think my answer still applies. That filter doesn't look bad at all, heh. I've seen *much* worse.
R Mac
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-06-17T22:06:00.530Z
edit 2 replaced a link to 3 photos with only one of them embedded.
ths
<moka><cleaning>
Question about dirt/rust moka pot
Matias
# Question about dirt/rust moka pot

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-05-27)

Today I decided that I want to improve the quality of the coffee I'm consuming, so I decided to start brewing coffee at home.

I have a Pedrini moka pot that was stored for a few years without use.
Currently this is the status of the moka pot:

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/7hcee.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/7hcee.jpg)
I tried using lemon vinegar and baking soda and the stains of the water reserve didn't change.

Should I replace the pot? Is it safe to use it? Should I buy a stainless one?

**Tags:** moka, cleaning

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: You sure that's the photo for the actual pot? i only see the filter.  
> **username_2**: Very confused here. That's not the same photo that was here when I wrote my answer, though I think my answer still applies. That filter doesn't look bad at all, heh. I've seen *much* worse.  
> **username_3**: edit 2 replaced a link to 3 photos with only one of them embedded.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2021-05-29. Score: 1

It's a combination of scale (mineral deposits left behind by water left in the pot evaporating), oxidized aluminum (caused by exposure of aluminum to oxygen), and coffee deposits (coffee oils and solids left behind by evaporating brew / wet grounds).

I've seen this with several aluminum pots when they get to be years old. Also steel if you don't keep up with the cleaning. You can remove scale with a coffee machine descaler product (recommend DEZCAL by Urnex), oxidized aluminum with a diluted solution of vinegar, and coffee deposits with a mix of vinegar and baking soda (mixed in the pot with your cleaning tool on standby because they will start reacting immediately).

Just one bit of advice. Use a rotary tool (like Dremel, if you have one) with a buffing pad. You're going to have one tough time cleaning inside those grooves using a scrubbing pad. A rotary tool with a soft attachment like for polishing or buffing will make the job much easier. Electric toothbrushes work wonderfully too in places they can actually fit/reach.


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