How to Clean a Sunbeam Water Dispenser

To keep the pure water in your Sunbeam cooler pristine, you have to clean the dispenser from time to time. The process is similar for almost all water cooler/dispensers--all it takes is a little vinegar and water. If your Sunbeam dispenser is a three-way (cold, hot and room temperature), however, you may wish to call the manufacture, Elite Classics, for any special considerations (see Tips).

1. Unplug the water dispenser. This is not only to prevent damage to the appliance but to avoid getting an electric shock during the cleaning process.

2. Drain the water. Press the cold or room temperature button, or turn the faucet, to drain the water from the dispenser. Then remove the large water bottle that sits atop the dispenser. Pour any water left in the bottle into a bucket. Empty the bucket into a sink or tub.

3. Fill the large water bottle with an equal mixture of white vinegar and hot water. The combination of these two liquids creates a cleaning solution that is not harmful when swallowed, so you don't have to worry about any residue that may remain in the dispenser when you use it again for drinking water.

4. Place the bottle back on top of the dispenser. Allow the dispenser to fill with water from the bottle.

5. Wait 1 hour.

6. Drain the vinegar-and-water mixture. Use the process in Step 2 to drain the mixture from the dispenser and the bottle.

7. Refill the bottle with hot tap water and place it on the dispenser.

8. Rinse the dispenser. Drain the hot water through both the dispenser and bottle to rinse. Repeat two or three times, then taste the water. If you can taste any hint of vinegar, repeat the rinse process until the taste is clear.

9. Refill the bottle with room temperature water. Place the bottle back on the dispenser. Plug your Sunbeam water dispenser into an electrical outlet and use any of the included water temperature settings.