Mold in my stovetop espresso maker

[hamsandwich]

Although I thought I had let it dry thoroughly after washing, some mold has formed in the bottom half of my stove top espresso maker. I've tried everything I can think of (including vigorous scrubbing with hard bristled brush, white vinegar) but the little white spots in the bottom won't come out. Is this normal or do I need to try something else to get it out?

[jonrossjan]

Like others have said, it isn't mold, just hard water deposits. Personally i almost never clean my stovetop moka. Italians don't either. And never use soap on it, or hard brushes and especially never use steel wool ! Plus if you use filtered water you won't get those "deposits" again. After you make the espresso just leave it as is grounds and all,and the next time you make it is when you clean it.

[RGC1982]

I don't think it is mold either. The white stuff sounds like hard water mineral deposits. I get them in my electric kettle after a few weeks of use,

You are on the right track with white vinegar, but you need to soak the pot in white vinegar, not scrub it. If you fill your pot with half water and half white vinegar, and leave it for a few hours or overnight, the deposits will dissolve. If you just toss in some vinegar and try to scrub, the dreaded white spots don't come out. They need to soak for hours. Hope this helps.

[vvvindaloo]

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/289954

[scubadoo97]

Assume that's aluminum oxide not mold. Leave it alone. No need to remove it as it protects the aluminum from further oxidation.

[Zeldog]

Scubadoo's right. Any raw aluminum surface is going to oxidize, and low quality cast aluminum (like that used in espresso makers) is going to oxidize unevenly. You could use Barkeeper's Helper or something similar to remove it, but there's no need to, and it will reappear anyway.

[iamafoodie]

Ham, you're seeing a salt or mineral deposit that's common to any boiler not using treated water, often referred to as "lime". White vinegar is a very weak acid and takes a long time, like overnight, to disolve it. The lime is generally harmless, but can be removed with a caustic product like "Lime-Away" or "CLR". If you are a Starbucks regular, ask for a pouch of their urn cleaner, it's great and safe for food equipment. Above all, after using something rinse and thoroughly drain many times.

Hardware stores sell cleaners for humidifiers. They work, but i wouldn't use them as some leave a nasty residue you wouldn't want in your espresso.

[DGresh]

That doesn't sound like mold to me; I would think it's just some kind of hard water deposit. If it really *is* mold bleach would certainly kill it, but I doubt that's what you've got.