Keep Your Keurig Coffee Maker in Top Condition

By R.L. Fielding

Single cup coffee makers from Keurig brew delicious, gourmet coffee in seconds with little to no mess. Stylish looks and a convenient brewing process make Keurig coffee makers popular in homes and offices across America.

With a machine as well designed as the Keurig coffee maker, it’s easy to overlook the need for regular maintenance. However, setting aside some time to give your Keurig coffee maker a little TLC will provide years of trouble-free brewing and great tasting coffee.

Safety First

Before we get into details of how to clean your Keurig coffee maker, here are some safety precautions that you should always keep in mind:

* Do not overfill your Keurig coffee machine with water or submerge the appliance in any liquid. Getting the machine wet can lead to fires, electrical shocks or other damage.
* While it is safe to leave your brewer “on” continuously, Keurig recommends turning the coffee maker “off” and unplugging it before cleaning or when not in use for more than a week.
* Before disassembling your single cup coffee maker or attempting to clean it, allow the Keurig coffee machine to cool off completely. This will help you avoid burns from contact with the heating elements or with hot water.



Preventative Measures

To keep your Keurig coffee tasting great and your machine running smoothly, here are some handy tips:

* Before using your Keurig coffee maker for the first time, perform at least eight cleansing brews. This consists of filling the machine with water and running the brew process eight times to flush out any contaminants. Please refer to your model’s Care & Use Guide for detailed instructions.
* To prevent your Keurig coffee from developing an aftertaste from chlorine or minerals, fill your machine using bottled water. This is an especially good tip for people in areas with hard water.
* After each brew process is complete, dispose of the used K Cup. Every few days, run a brew cycle without a K Cup to flush the machine with plain water. This will help prevent clogs and keep your Keurig coffee tasting fresh.



Daily Cleanup

On a day-to-day basis, your Keurig coffee maker doesn’t need a lot of attention. K Cups neatly contain the ground coffee and single cup coffee makers are designed to keep clean up to a minimum. If some water or coffee should spill out, there is a removable, dishwasher-safe drip tray to catch the mess.

If you’d like to clean the outside of your machine, simply wipe the surface with a damp, nonabrasive cloth. On many Keurig models, the water reservoir is detachable and can easily be washed in the sink with warm, soapy water.

If your brewer doesn’t have a removable water reservoir, unplug your Keurig coffee maker and carry the machine to your sink. Carefully rest the coffee maker at a 90 degree angle, remove the drain cap and allow the water to pour out slowly. Replace the drain cap after all the water is drained out and, once again, you’re ready to go.



Keurig Coffee Maker Maintenance

To protect the heating element and other parts of the machine that come into contact with water, it’s recommended that you de-scale once every six months (or one every three months if you use hard water). To eliminate the guesswork, many Keurig coffee brewers flash a warning light to let you know de-scaling is needed.

The descaling process can take up to five hours. To provide you with an overview of what is involved, here the process is broken down into five steps:

Step 1: Drain your Keurig coffee machine over a sink.
Step 2: Fill the machine with undiluted white vinegar.
Step 3. Run the brew process at least four times, pouring the cups of vinegar back into the coffee maker.
Step 4: Let your Keurig coffee maker sit for four hours, then run the brew cycles again. Pour the vinegar into the sink and drain any remaining vinegar.
Step 5: Fill your coffee maker with fresh water. Run multiple brew cycles to rinse out the machine before returning to normal use.

By keeping these pointers in mind, you can keep your Keurig coffee maker looking good and running great for many years to come.

For additional tips and detailed instructions on how to care for your Keurig coffee maker, please refer to the product’s official Care & Use Guide. .