WITH the ease Keurig coffee makers have brought into our lives, It can be easy to pop in your pod, make your coffee, and go on your way.
But it's important to remember to clean your Keurig now and then, or else you could face a build-up from hard water, minerals, and even mold.
How do you clean a Keurig?
A simple search of the internet will show you that there are many different ways to clean a Keurig, but we've boiled them down to the best ones for you to try.
One factor to consider is what model of Keurig you have.
The smaller ones may require some extra care, as they don't all have removable trays.
For all styles, make sure your Keurig is unplugged first.
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For the larger ones, the first step is to remove the parts from the inside, the drip tray, and remove your water reservoir.
You'll want to scrub these down with a mixture of half vinegar and half water for the best bang for your buck.
Next, you'll want to clean the outside of your Keurig, where any splashes might have left their mark or any dust might have collected.
To clean the outside, we recommend Bar Keeper's Friend, which won't scratch any of your stainless steel and won't have the lingering vinegar smell.
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Now, it's time to put your Keurig back together, but you're not done yet.
Finally, you'll want to fill your water reservoir full with half vinegar and half water.
Run as many cups as it takes, and make sure you use all the different settings (like different cup sizes or auto settings).
If your Keurig is dirty, it'll probably come out brown or with coffee grounds at first, but don't worry.
Eventually (it may take more than one cycle on smaller machines), your Keurig will make a clean cup.
The last step is to run several cycles of water through the machine until it no longer smells like vinegar.
No worries about your health being in danger, though, like it could be with other cleaners, as vinegar is non-toxic.
How often should I clean my Keurig?
You should remove the cups from your Keurig after every use.
If you have a large-reservoir tank, you should empty it at least every other day.
If you have a single-cup machine, you should run a plain cup of hot water through it daily.
If you follow the above maintenance steps, you should only need to do a deep clean on your Keurig every three to six months.
What is descaling, and do I need to do it?
Descaling is simply the terminology that some household cleaners use to clean the inside of your Keurig to remove any mineral or lime buildups inside your machine.
In other words, it's the same process as above, using different chemicals.
While some of these are perfectly safe, we've found that a vinegar and water combo is safe and is 100% non-toxic.
If you choose to use descaling treatments, we recommend ensuring they're Keurig compatible and non-toxic.
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