Cleaning your Keurig isn’t something you probably think of often. A good, working Keurig machine is one kitchen appliance that is often overlooked when it comes to your cleaning routine. But don’t forget that in order to do its best work, it needs regular cleaning. To get the freshest, best-tasting cup of coffee every morning, clean your Keurig with these tips & tricks.
Cleaning Your Keurig
- Be sure to wipe down the outside of the Keurig weekly, or more often as needed. Remove the drip tray and wash it in hot, soapy water–don’t ever run it through the dishwasher! While you’re at it, hand wash the water filter and the lid too. Let everything air dry.
- Regularly rinse the inside of the machine. This is something you should do for sure at least every time you brew something different than your usual coffee. For a quick and easy rinse, just put a clean mug on the drip tray. Now open the lid and close it, but don’t add a coffee capsule. Press “brew” for a hot water-only rinse. It couldn’t be any easier, could it?
- Once every month is a good time to de-scale the Keurig machine, especially if you have hard water. Hard water deposits will definitely plug up the machine and could even ruin it if they’re left to accumulate long enough. If hard water is not a problem in your area, or you own a water softener, you can do this every three to six months. De-scaling is easy with some simple distilled white vinegar.
Cleaning Your Keurig
- To de-scale a Keurig 2.0 or plus model, pour 14 ounces of vinegar into the reservoir. Turn the machine on and place a mug on the drip tray. Choose the single serve size and press “brew.” When brewing stops, pour the contents of the mug down the sink. Repeat this process, pressing “brew” and disposing of the mug contents until the machine says, “more water please.” Once this happens, just let the machine sit for half an hour to soak. When 30 minutes are up, empty the reservoir and wash it out with hot, soapy water. Refill the reservoir with plain water, and brew single servings at a time until the reservoir is empty. All traces of vinegar should now be gone!
- For a Keurig K10 or K15 model, follow these directions to de-scale the inside of the machine: Pour 1/2 cup of vinegar into the reservoir, then add water to the 10 ounce fill line. Lift the handle and wait for the water to drain. Now press “brew.” Repeat the process with another 1/2 cup of vinegar plus water to the 10 ounce fill line. This time when the machine starts to dispense, turn the Keurig off. Let the machine sit for 30 minutes with the vinegar solution inside. After 30 minutes, turn the Keurig back on. Lift and lower the handle, then press “brew” to complete the cleaning cycle. Finish up the cleaning process by brewing three cycles in a row with fresh water only. Once again, this should clear all traces of vinegar out of the machine.
Now you’re ready to brew the perfect cup!
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