If you’re like many of us, you rely heavily on your Keurig coffee maker to not only greet you in the mornings but also to get you through the day. There is nothing better than waking up to a freshly brewed cup of joe!
However, the keyword here is fresh. Unfortunately, many of us don’t give our Keurig the love and attention it deserves. After all, we rely on it – so why aren’t we taking care of it?
When you neglect to clean your Keurig, aka best friend, you’re essentially welcoming all kinds of health issues. But there is good news, cleaning your Keurig coffee maker can be simple and easy. Thank goodness!
Let’s get your Keurig machine back in pristine condition so it can do exactly what it was meant to do – keep you satisfied and happy.
How Dirty Can My Keurig Coffee Maker Be?
Do you really want to know the answer to that? Yeah, it can get pretty dirty, and sometimes that dirt (bacteria) can cause you to get sick. There have been plenty of studies that reveal our coffee makers are full of germs and potential health risks.
For the most part, germs aren’t entirely harmful and often get a bad rep. However, some forms of bacteria can cause illnesses and make you feel awful.
You might be surprised how many of your kitchen appliances are also running the same risks, but let’s keep this about your Keurig.
You don’t need to be alarmed because, to be perfectly honest, you’re in the same boat as a lot of other people who seldomly remember to clean their coffee machines.
That’s why we’re are going to share with you the easiest way to clean your Keurig coffee maker and set up a routine that allows you to safely enjoy all your beloved dates with your cup of joe.
How To Clean A Keurig Coffee Maker With Vinegar
You’ve probably noticed that a cheap bottle of white vinegar has now become one of the most popular ways to clean everything in your house. Seriously, it’s like the jack of all trades for keeping things spic and span.
However, white vinegar cleans your appliances and disinfects them, and breaks down any mold or bacteria growing in places you don’t even know about. Yep, every crease and nook has the potential to harbor bacteria.
Follow these simple steps to clean your Keurig Coffee Maker:
Step 1: Unplug Your Keurig Coffee Maker
You will want to unplug your coffee machine before you attempt to disassemble and clean all of its components. This sounds harder than it actually is; it only takes a few minutes to do this.
Step 2: Wash the Moveable Parts
You’ll want to wash the drip tray, K-Cup holder, the reservoir with lid, and the funnel with mild soap and some warm water. You can even use a kitchen scrub brush to get the job done quickly. Be sure to rinse everything well before allowing them to air dry.
Step 3: Wipe Your Machine
You’ll want to wipe down the exterior of your Keurig coffee maker with a cleaning wipe, or even a soft cloth with a bit of mild soap will work perfectly.
If you see any mineral deposits on your machine, simply put a little white vinegar on your washcloth and wipe them away.
Step 4: Reassemble Your Keurig
Once everything has had time to dry, you can put everything back in place. This is the last step that actually takes any manual labor, yay!
Step 5: Fill Your Reservoir with White Vinegar
You may not realize it, but limescale has been building up in your coffee machine over time. This may not have affected the taste of your favorite brew, but it’s there.
If this is your first time doing this process of descaling your machine, then you’ll want to fill the water reservoir with white vinegar up to the fill line.
Note: If you’ve been regularly cleaning and descaling your machine or if it’s relatively new, then you can just fill your reservoir up halfway.
Step 6: Plug It In, Run A Cycle
Now it’s time to plug your machine back in and run a brew cycle without any K-Cups. Allow all the vinegar to run through your device until the add water light appears.
Step 7: Let Your Machine Rest
Now is the time to allow the vinegar to do its job internally. You’ll want to leave your machine on and let the vinegar sit in the warm machine for a couple of hours. This will help break down any limescale and mineral deposits.
Step 8: Rinse And Use Your Machine As Normal Again
Once you have allowed your machine to sit for a few hours, go ahead and dump any leftover vinegar into your sink. Fill the reservoir with fresh water and run a complete cycle to get all the vinegar out of its system. You may need to do this more than once until you no longer smell the vinegar.
You can now brew your favorite cup of coffee without any worries about getting sick!
How Often Do You Need To Clean Your Keurig?
Depending on whether you use distilled water, you will ultimately decide how often you need to deep clean (descale) your machine. The manufacturer recommends descaling every three to six months.
You can use a descaling solution or vinegar as we have illustrated here.
You should also be washing the drip tray, the reservoir, and lid along with any other removable components weekly to avoid any unnecessary mineral buildup.
Tips and Tricks
If you find the exit needle has any deposits or build-up, you can use a Q-tip or paper towel dipped in white vinegar to clean it whenever deemed necessary.
Be sure not to poke yourself with the needle; it can draw blood. Ouch!
If you’re not going to use your Keurig coffee machine for a couple of days or longer, be sure to empty the water reservoir and clean it with warm soapy water before you leave.
