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How to Clean a Keurig Machine

Are you noticing that your coffee machine is looking a bit... filthy? These are the ways to accurately clean a Keurig machine to make it brand new again.

By Jennifer VioletPublished 5 years ago 6 min read
Top Story - May 2019
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I love my coffee. I can't carry on with my morning if I don't have my coffee first thing. In fact, I'm not even fully awake until I comfortably finish my first coffee of the day. Yes, I'm not fully awake even when my kids are jumping on my husband and me in bed at 6 AM. This is also another reason why I seriously need my coffee.

I basically abuse my Keurig machine because of the number of times I use it within a single day. I've stocked up on the absolute best organic K-Cups, and I probably use about three a day... okay, fine, four. I use my coffee machine four times a day and I swear it's the only thing that's keeping me energized. The more I use it, the dirtier it gets, and this is normal, of course. I'll clean my Keurig machine about once every three months, but I feel like I'm doing it wrong. I mean, I know how to clean a coffee maker, but I feel like cleaning a Keurig is a little more complicated; every time I clean it with just soap and water, it's kind of clean, but not spotless.

Then I researched ways to actually clean a Keurig machine and I came across multiple techniques to properly get rid of the filth that's been building up. Let me tell you, after trying out these methods, my coffee machine looks as clean as when I first bought it. If you're in desperate need of cleaning your coffee machine, you should follow these simple steps and products that will help you out.

1. Unplug the machine, disassemble, and wash the removable parts.

The first thing you want to do is unplug the machine and disassemble all of the removable parts. You certainly don't want to clean your Keurig when the plug is still connected to the outlet... Whatever parts you're capable of properly removing, remove them to thoroughly clean those, too. You don't just want to focus on cleaning the inside of your coffee machine, but every single part that's hooked to the appliance.

Remove the water reservoir and the lid, the mug stand, and even the K-cup holder. You want to wash all of these pieces with warm, soapy water and place them on the side to fully dry.

2. Wipe the surface of the machine.

In order to accurately clean a Keurig machine, start wiping down the surface of the appliance. Take a clean, dry cloth and start wiping around the machine. You can also do this with a damp cloth for a more effective cleaning, but either way will clean the outside of your coffee machine.

Make sure you’re getting every area and every corner of the Keurig machine. You don’t want to forget about the area around the coffee pod holder where coffee grounds and tea particles can be build up. Once the removable pieces are dried, or after you wipe them dry, place each part in its spot and plug the machine back in.

3. Use white vinegar and add in fresh water.

Vinegar is one of the best natural kitchen cleaning products for appliances, and it can also be used to clean any Keurig models. The solution is strong enough to get through the coffee machine and collect all the buildup that's stuck inside of the machine.

Make sure the reservoir is empty. Grab white distilled vinegar and fill the reservoir halfway with it. You don't want to use just vinegar during this process, so fill the rest of the water reservoir with water. The two work as a team to evenly filter out your Keurig machine!

4. Run the machine then rinse with water.

Once you have the water and the vinegar in the machine, start running it. Begin the brew cycle without placing any K-cups. Continue this process until the reservoir is completely empty and keep emptying out the mug that’s collecting the contents during each brewing cycle.

This process will help remove the lime and scale buildup inside of the machine. It’s recommended that you do this at least once every three to six months to filter out the filth that’s slowly being built up whenever using your Keurig machine.

5. Use lemon juice instead of vinegar.

Instead of using vinegar, you can actually clean a Keurig machine with lemon juice! I know many of us absolutely hate the smell of vinegar, can't stand the taste, and its overall presence in this world. This is a reason why some of us don't even have vinegar in our homes. Lemon juice is another alternative to clean your coffee machine if you despise vinegar. It's basically the same process as using diluted vinegar, but it's lemon juice and it smells more citrusy and fresh!

However, the only difference is that you're going to need a lot of lemon juice. You might be sitting there squeezing a bunch of lemons to extract their juices because you might need about 12 lemons... If you have zero patience to do that, you can simply buy all-natural lemon juice. Either way, you'll be pouring lemon juice halfway in the water reservoir and fill the rest with water.

Vinegar and lemon juice are perfect home remedies to clean a Keurig machine, but you can try out products that are designed to clean your coffee machine. The Keurig Descaling Solution by the brand is well-known for precisely cleaning and removing mineral build up inside of the appliance. The odorless solution can quickly filter out your Keurig machine and even extend the life of the brewer!

Descaling is significant in removing calcium deposits, or scale, that commonly build up inside of the coffee machine through time. Even though calcium and scale aren’t toxic, it can slowly ruin your machine’s performance. You’re going to pour the entire bottle of Keurig Descaling Solution right into the water reservoir and fill the rest with water. It’s the same process as using vinegar and lemon juice. After this process, make sure that you thoroughly rinse the water reservoir so there isn't any of the solution left behind.

You don't have to go through the hassle of filling the water reservoir with a solution and water—simply use cleaning K-cups to do all of the work! Quick Clean's Cleaning K-Cups are 100 percent non-toxic and can clean a Keurig machine in an instant. This product’s formula is designed to cut through and completely eliminate residues that taint the flavor of your coffee and espresso. It can also lengthen the life of your machine!

The Quick Clean cleaning cups are biodegradable and are very gentle on your Keurig brewer. They're also really easy to use; just place one of the cups into the pod and allow the machine to run. They’re super effective and provide three months of cleaning power within a single cup!

Lastly, this Keurig Cleaning Kit can thoroughly clean a Keurig machine better than you might expect! This kit is pretty affordable for what you're being provided with. This process is a bit different compared to the other cleaning methods because you're using a pod filter and a tablet.

The kit comes with 10 cleaning tablets and 10 pod filters. You'll be placing one of the pod filters into the pod where the K-cups go, and one tablet inside of the paper filter. Brew one cleaning cycle and the tablet should nearly dissolve as a whole. Afterwards, remove the tablet and the filter and brew about two empty cycles to get rid of the excess cleaning residue. This one year supply kit should be used once every six weeks to keep your Keurig machine fresh and clean!

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About the Creator

Jennifer Violet

Bakes sweets ever Thursday and donates them to her local homeless shelter. Is an owner to five pugs and can count to 500 in French.

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