The Right Way To Clean Your Keurig For Better Tasting Coffee

Keurig is one of the most recognizable brands in the world of coffee, rivaling companies like Nespresso when it comes to selling single-serve coffee makers. If you've got a trusted Keurig machine at home that helps you power through sleepy mornings, you're expecting the machine to have a long lifespan. But much of that lifespan depends on regular maintenance. Keurig recommends a consistent cleaning schedule for its coffee makers, which requires daily, weekly, and quarterly maintenance. Not only will this prolong the life of your coffee machine, it will also ensure the best flavor of your cup of joe.

Having a cleaning schedule for a coffee machine can seem like a lot of extra work, but the regular maintenance won't take more than a few minutes. The effort pays off in the long run, as buying a new machine arguably costs more time and money. Before you start cleaning your coffee maker, please unplug it from electricity and wait for it to cool down if you had just been brewing coffee. Safety first!

The daily maintenance starts by removing used coffee pods after each use. You should definitely wait for them to cool down first, but it's great to make a habit of tossing them asap. The closed, warm, and wet environment inside the pod holder can harbor bacteria, so keeping it clean makes for a safe and tasty coffee experience. You'll also want to do a quick wipe of your machine, especially if there are other people sharing it with you. The drip tray and water reservoir should be rinsed daily, too, as should the carafe and the coffee grounds basket if you own a Keurig with the drip-coffee setup.

When using flavored pods, you should be rinsing any single-serve Keurig after each brew; otherwise, once weekly is enough. One way to rinse is by running a so-called "cleansing brew," which is really just a regular brew without the pod. Keurig especially recommends doing a cleansing brew after using pods that contain cocoa or milk for hygiene reasons. Another way to rinse the coffee maker is by using special rinse pods, which are stronger than the regular cleansing brew.

There are several mistakes you could make as a Keurig owner — never cleaning the pod holder is one of them. You should be cleaning that part of your coffee machine on a weekly basis. First, you'll want to take the pod holder out of the machine and disassemble it by pulling it apart so that you get two separate parts: The top part that holds the pod and the funnel on the bottom. Wash both of the two parts by hand with water and dish soap.

Your Keurig machine has two needles, the role of which is to pierce the K-cup coffee pods and ensure a smooth brew. Both of the needless need to be cleaned weekly because coffee grounds can get stuck inside them. The first needle is attached to the pod holder and becomes visible once you remove the funnel off the bottom. The second needle is attached to the head of the coffee machine. If you're having trouble locating them, you can always refer to Keurig's video instructions. Use a paper clip or another thin wire to clean the needles — keep in mind they are sharp, so use caution.

Every three months, the parts of your machine that are constantly in contact with water will need some extra TLC. You'll notice that the water tank on your Keurig starts to build up scale over time, and while that process is not dangerous, it can lower the quality of your brews and compromise the machine. To keep your Keurig in top condition, quarterly descaling is a must. The most effective way to descale your coffee maker is by using citric acid, but white vinegar is another common option. Alternatively, you can purchase Keurig's descaling solutions that are designed to be used with the Descale Mode on your coffee maker.

Finally, if your coffee maker has a water filter, you'll want to change it every few months. With time and regular use, the filter will become less effective, and regular replacement is important for clean and fresh water — a key component of any good coffee.

If you're feeling slightly overwhelmed by the full cleaning schedule, consider purchasing a quarterly maintenance kit to easily stay on top of things. The kit comes with a descaling solution, two water filters, and four rinsing pods — equipping you with everything you'll need for routine cleaning.