If your Keurig machine is serving cups for many people and more than once a day, you will need to read this article. Using your coffee maker without spending the time to maintain and clean it…might give you manifold side effects. This is the time to take the time to take care of the Keurig.
Before removing Keurig pod holder
Whether you use the Keurig every day or weekly, it always has a power to cause your Keurig condition. And this is the sign of cleaning it. Wipe down any splatter from the outside as well as the drip tray.
Moreover, you should put fresh water into the reservoir in every brew. In case you usually use the coffee machine every day, it would be great to clean all removable parts, including the Keurig pod holder once a week. Just do it when you can!
Before starting your game, you will need prepare some essentials:
- Mild soap or dish soap
- Water
- Clean-and-dry cloth
- A toothbrush or paper towels
- A paper clip
- Dish towel (for drying)
What to clean the Keurig pod holder with?
In general, there are a few different methods for cleaning the Keurig. Household items always work well in removing debris and other unexpected things in your Keurig. You can select vinegar, water, and citric acid.
When in doubt, you should think of Keurig cleaning pods and descaling solutions. They eliminate mineral buildup and make your Keurig pod holder like new in a few minutes. Of course, your brewing will also be fresh and new.
- Keurig cleaning pods: these look like coffee pods. Instead of making coffee, they abolish residue buildup from the pod holder. You can put one in the pod holder, brew the cleaning solution or liquid in a large cup, and dump whatever it pours out. After that, you need to run a big brew cycle with water in order to remove the cleaning solution.
- Keurig descale: A descale of the Keurig might help you to clean the brewer. Formulated with citric acid, the Keurig descale eliminates everything inside. Do not forget to pour the descale in the empty reservoir. Then, you need to add water and run plenty of brew cycles to clean the machine.
- Water filter cartridge: a water filter cartridge supports you to finish the cleaning cycle. Adding a water filter cartridge to the reservoir. It would diminish chlorine from the water tank and leave you with real coffee tasting. Each cartridge has 2 months of use.
Instructions of cleaning the K-cup holder
Cleaning your Keurig is a way to keep your health better. Like any other coffee machine, a Keurig will have mold if you do not rinse and clean it properly. Apart from clearing mold and bacteria away, your coffee maker also retains great taste.
Due to mineral buildup removed in the machine, the coffee brewing remains its way. Follow 7 certain steps to keep your coffee better. When you learn how to do it, you will remember all the steps every time you execute.
Step 1: unplug the electricity before cleaning
Before cleaning, please keep in mind that your coffee machine does not have electricity and water. Do not mix them because a possible accident will happen. Thus, unplug the Keurig machine initially.
Step 2: expel the water tank
Pull the water reservoir out and check the leftover water inside. Pour out the water into a plant. To enjoy real coffee taste, you should clean the tank once a week with soap or dishwashing water. If your coffee machine includes a water filter, you will remove and replace it once every two months.
The corners of the drip tray will be missed when you are overloaded. Get an old toothbrush and scrub coffee residue. Under the K-Cup pack holder, on the other hand, it is an excellent tool to erase coffee grounds. Keep all of the pieces in the dry air.
Step 3: wash removable parts
Whether you own a new model or not, a Keurig has many removable parts. These places are perfect for old coffee grounds and spills to conceal. For this reason, you need to wash all removable parts with the soap or dish water in the sink. Remember to wipe down other parts such as the water reservoir, mug base, milk steamer, and pod holder.
Step 4: wipe down the tray
Apart from removable parts, the drip tray is another part which is prone to grime. This is because you cannot notice the liquid from spills. Coffee drips might fade and leaves stains behind. Therefore, you need to wash the drip tray in the sink with warm water and dish soap. Regular cleaning tasks will clear up the mess.
Step 5: clean the outside
Keurig often encourages us to wipe down the brewer’s exterior on a daily basis. Ensure that your coffee maker does not have electricity. Then, you use a damp cloth and clear away dust and others from the outside. Furthermore, you should notice the area on the front as well as the right below of the coffee maker. Plenty of splashes and drips often appear.
Step 6: check the pod holder
You might be surprised that the pod holder is one of the dirtiest sections of the Keurig coffee machine. Dirt, dried coffee, and grounds are three components placed here. To remove it, you need to clear out the pod holder and turn it into two main parts. After that, you scrub it with water and a damp cloth.
Step 7: resemble all parts
In this step, everything in your machine is clean and chemical free. So, you can resemble all parts and enjoy your coffee cup again.
FAQs
How often should you clean your K coffeemaker?
Keurig always recommends to many of you that you should wash the reservoir every week and descale the machine twice or four times a year.
Why are there lingering tastes from past cycles?
If you find the taste from brew cycles, you will receive a lot of benefits of kicking rinse cycles off (in between cups). Apart from coffee, you can enjoy different drinks such as hot cocoa and tea.
How to find the sign that you need to clean your K cups
- Lingering tastes from past brew cycles
- Granules in brewed mug
- Foul or mildewed smells
- Water trickles slowly
- Mineral buildup on the machine
- Descale prompt is on (some models have this feature, some don’t)
- Wait for too long to fill a cup (at least an hour)
- The machine cannot fill in to a cup completely
How could you clean the Keurig cups without using vinegar?
The company provides a descaling solution to diminish mineral buildup. This is an odorless alternative to vinegar. You should ask for the solution when you did not get the solution. Add the solution when the machine runs the rinse cycles in the process.
Can the vinegar leave its taste in the cup?
No, it cannot. You need to rinse the cups and the whole machine thoroughly. In case you feel like the vinegar there, repeat the freshwater cycle again.
Descaling solution or vinegar, which are better?
Both of them. They can eliminate calcium deposits and mineral buildup in your coffee maker.
What should you do if you have hard water?
Hard water is the reason to get mineral buildup and it absolutely affects your coffee taste in the cup. Additionally, it influences the machine’s performance. Try using filtered water in the reservoir (instead of the water from the tap). A filter is necessary in this case, so you should not skip it on your Keurig.
Bottom line
Whether you choose pods or reusable K cups, your Keurig coffee machine contains nooks and crannies where buildup and mold live there. Therefore, it is crucial to keep it as clean as possible. Please bear in mind that whatever runs in your Keurig might end up in your body. Are you ready to remove the Keurig pod holder and wipe it down?
