What's the best way to clean your Keurig single cup brewer?

Compared to most coffee makers, it’s dead easy to clean your Keurig.

Each day you simply need to check the tray where the cup goes and wipe it clean or rinse it under a tap.

However, as with any brewer, you need to descale the brewer from time to time.

This involves running white vinegar through the machine and then rinsing.

Here are the full instructions for descaling your Keurig home brewer with vinegar.

(An alternative method, for a few extra dollars, is simply to get yourself some Dezcal Cleaner.)

Stage One -Prepare

Step 1: Make sure you have 48 ounces of white vinegar on hand. You will also need an empty sink and a ceramic mug (do not use a paper cup.)

Step 2: Empty the water in the Water Reservoir

Stage Two - Fill and clean

Step 1: Pour the vinegar into the Water Reservoir and fill it to the top edge of the clear viewing area.

Step 2: Place a ceramic cup in the Drip Tray and run a brew cycle. DO NOT USE A K-CUP…just press the Large Cup Button. Pour the contents of the cup into the sink.

Step 3: Repeat the brew process until the Water Reservoir is empty, pouring the contents of the cup into the sink after each cycle. Remember to open and close the lid between each cycle.

Step 4: Rinse the Water Reservoir thoroughly and fill with fresh water.

Step 5: Now let the Brewer stand for 4 hours while still on.

Stage Three - Rinse

Step 1: Ensure the Water Reservoir is filled with fresh water.

Step 2: Place a ceramic cup on the Drip Tray and run a regular brew cycle. Pour the contents of the cup into the sink.

Step 3: Repeat the brew process until the Water Reservoir is empty.

Step 4: You may need to perform additional brew cycles if you notice any residual taste.

That’s it.

How often should you clean your Keurig and go through the whole descaling process?

That depends on how hard the water is in your area. The harder the water, the more often you’ll need to descale.

But once a month is a pretty good guideline.

Update:

If descaling alone doesn't do the trick, try this unconventional remedy, tried by someone who posted on the CoffeeDetective.com page about descaling the Keurig.

"Honestly, I don't think it needs to be descaled. I was having very similar problems, tried all the "reasonable" sounding remedies, nothing worked. Last resort - I gave the coffee maker a good whack on the side (the side opposite the water reservoir). It fixed the water flow problem immediately.

There seems to be a defect in the model and I've had the issue a few times since my original post, and smacking the thing on the side works. Really. Believe me, I'm the last person you would imagine who would abuse an appliance."

What's the best way to clean your Keurig single cup brewer?

Keurig One Cup Brewers