Best Way to Clean Your Keurig Coffee Maker (Just Follow These Easy Steps)
Own a Keurig Coffee Maker? Wondering how to clean your Keurig?
Descaling and cleaning your Keurig coffee maker every 3-6 months is recommended to keep it working properly and to make sure it brews the best cup of coffee possible. After a while, calcium deposits and scale can build-up and make it hard or impossible for the machine to work long-term.
The good news is, cleaning and descaling a Keurig is pretty EASY!
One of the most simple ways to clean a Keurig is running inexpensive distilled white vinegar through the machine to descale it. I love using white vinegar around the house, and this is a great use for it. I have descaled my Keurig coffee maker for years using this method and can vouch that it has worked well for me.
My Keurig Elite gets used daily for brewing coffee and I try to remember to deep clean it at least a couple times a year.
Important Note: Keurig.com recommends purchasing their Keurig descaling solution as the very BEST method to clean the Keurig, but also lists these specific directions for descaling using white vinegar. The Keurig solution is odorless, so I can see that being a benefit if you are sensitive to the smell of vinegar.
Follow these simple directions to descale and clean a Keurig using white vinegar:
Step 1: Prep the Keurig for cleaning.
Make sure the machine is off, no pods are in the chamber, and remove the filter from inside the water reservoir.
Step 2: Pour in the vinegar.
Pour distilled white vinegar into the reservoir all the way to the top where the max fill line is.
Step 3: Run the Keurig brewer.
Move the Keurig by the kitchen sink and turn it on. Do a cleansing brew on the largest cup setting using a large coffee mug and pour it out in the sink. Repeat that process until the “add water” light comes on.
Step 4: Let the remaining vinegar stand for 4 hours.
Let the brewer stand for 4 hours with the Keurig on so the vinegar can do its magic in the lines.
Step 5: Remove Keurig reservoir and rinse.
After the 4 hours are over, remove the water reservoir and rinse it out completely in the sink with clean water.
Step 6: Run some rinsing cycles.
Fill the reservoir with clean water from the sink and place it back on the machine. Do the cleansing brew process again for multiple brewing cycles until no vinegar taste is present. You may need to refill the water again and continue.
Step 7: Finish the process by cleaning the rest of the Keurig machine parts.
It’s also a great idea to take apart the removable components of your Keurig every once in a while and clean them with hot soapy water, such as the water reservoir and its lid, drip tray, and drip tray plate. I usually just let mine air dry using my kitchen sink mat, and then place it back on the machine.
Then you’ll want to wash the outside of the machine with a clean damp dishcloth and you’re all set to go!
Enjoy the freshest cup of coffee with your newly cleaned Keurig machine! ☕️
Great post thanks 😊
Oh thanks so much Laurie!
I agree with Laurie thanks for this post…my keurig reminds me to descale I ignored last time need to to it today 🙂
Oh good thanks Monique!
Yes, I do this once a year… I know, I should do it more often but I always forget. Funny you posted this today because I have a Kroger pick up order right now and I had the vinegar in my order because I was planning on doing the clean up this week😉. Then remember that you can reuse the hot vinegar to clean your sink while you are cleaning the machine. Don’t let that hot vinegar go to waste 😁
Oh good thinking! Thanks Jackie!
Also, run a cup in your microwave, then wipe it down for immaculate microwave !
Saw the title and was just going to say that I run vinegar through mine to clean it, but looks like that’s exactly what you do too! It works great. Just make sure to pay attention to step #6 – you do not want vinegar in your coffee. That’s no good.
I also use vinegar to clean my dishwasher too. Just pour a cup or two in the dishwasher and run it empty. Works like a charm.
I use only distilled water and I don’t have to clean the machine. I have been doing this for years.
I also use distilled water but it’s nice to still do the vinegar cleaning because no matter how careful you are bacteria will grow inside the machine 🤢
I do this already. Thanks for the tips
Thanks Jill!
Great post Thanks!
Great. Add some baking soda in sink drain so when you pour your vinegar out it also cleans out your drain pipes
Thanks for adding that tip Janice!
I was just going to post the same thing. I clean my drains when I descale. Double purpose and less waste. You could also use the vinegar to put in a baggie to descale your shower heads.
I have the mini keurig. I do this once every couple months: run the vinegar through the machine. Then pour new vinegar in and run it again. I usually add vinegar 3 times. Then I run 4-5 times with just water to rinse it out. Works great and I’ve had my keurig about 6 years I think.
I thought I read where this would void the warranty. Am I the only one who uses the recommended product?
Hi Maria, the steps in this post are from the Keurig site which is stated in the post. Hope that helps!
Mine stopped working after the 2nd cup of vinegar – the Keurig keeps making noise but no water comes out – I have tried to turn off/on and also unplugged….I can hear it working but no water is dispensed – HELP!!
Mine stopped running through as well. I just kept trying to run it over and over again, and a little bit would go through each time. Finally, when I emptied the water chamber and ran water through, it started running properly. Mine was old, and had been sitting a while.
Mine is doing the same thing now. I’ve tried everything but I can’t get it to work! I hope I didn’t ruin it!!!
I’ve been having issues with my Keurig for awhile now. We found that if it is left on too long, it will run and run but no water will come out. Eventually after turning on and off and unplugging it and leaving it be for an hour or so it will work again (and it may dispense more water on the first attempt so be ready with to quickly switch cups). Once it is working again, we make a point to turn it off immediately once used right after the water cycles through it and that seems to help. I’ve cleaned it in the past, but maybe its due for another cleaning so I will try that – thanks!
Wow, do I feel like an idiot. In all the attempts I tried yesterday I never thought to actually unplug it until I read your comment. That worked!!! Thank you sooooo much. It was set to be a rough Monday without coffee. You saved me 😁