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A Keurig is a mom’s best friend. Anything that makes a day easier is BAE, especially in today’s times with children underfoot and husbands working from home. Coffee is the go-go juice we all need to start the day off right, and your coffee maker gets lots of use. It’s important to know how to care for such a vital appliance. More importantly, for your health and safety you probably want to know how to deep clean your Keurig.
It doesn’t seem like a one-cup coffeemaker would need to be deep cleaned. Put water in it, pop in a pod, and push a button, repeat. However, even if you’re using distilled water, a Keurig needs regular maintenance and the occasional deep cleaning for your health. Here’s how to prolong the life of your beloved Keurig, as well as why you should clean it and how often.
Why you need to deep clean your Keurig
Just like anything else you use on a regular basis, your coffee maker gets dirty just from the simple fact that it is used daily. Did you know that your Keurig (all pod coffee makers) can be full of harmful bacteria, mold, and yeast if not properly cleaned regularly? Yes, girl, and that is gross.
“Oily residue from brewing, along with hard-water deposits and other impurities, build up in coffeemakers over time. The result: Your coffee can end up with an unpleasant flavor,” Martha Stewart advised on her website. I don’t know about you but that would just make me sad.
Can you get sick from a dirty Keurig?
Unfortunately, hot water is not enough to decontaminate and sanitize your Keurig. You’ve got to go that extra step. Every few weeks, make the time and clean your Keurig machine, unless you like cooties with your coffee. Don’t we have enough germs running wild in the world today then to need to add bacteria to the mix?
How to deep clean your Keurig in 9 easy steps
What you’ll need:
• Dishwashing soap
• White vinegar or descaling solution
• Water
• Clean, dry cloth
- Start by unplugging your Keurig. That's a simple but important step.
- Take it apart and wash the removable parts in hot, soapy water and then let air dry or dry with a dry cloth if in a hurry. The helpful folks at Food52 have instructions for how to disassemble your machine.
- With a clean, dry cloth, wipe the surface of the machine.
- Return all the removable parts and plug in the machine.
- Grab the distilled white vinegar or descaling solution and fill the water reservoir halfway with vinegar. Do not overfill.
- Add water. Fill the reservoir the rest of the way with water. (Descaling helps remove lime and scale buildup and helps your Keurig run smoothly and efficiently.)
- Run your Keurig machine. Start the brew cycle without inserting a K-cup. We’re not making coffee yet, just cycling through the process. Repeat this step until the reservoir is completely empty, be sure to discard the mug contents after each brewing cycle. No one wants to accidentally drink that.
- Repeat rinse with water. Then, repeat the process using only water (no vinegar) in the reservoir to remove any residual vinegar taste.
- Use as usual. Make coffee. Love life. Do all the things, repeat.
How often should you clean your Keurig?
As far as a general wipe down, I’d recommend wiping it down as needed but for a more rigorous cleaning, Keurig recommends descaling your brewer every 3 to 6 months, depending on your water source. For example, a home with hard water would probably need to descale the Keurig machine more often than every 6 months. Do this and preserve the health of your beloved Keurig machine.
You'll be happy you've taken these simple steps for a tastier — and cleaner — cup of coffee. “It always feels like a daunting task to have to clean the machine but really, it’s not that hard and I feel better knowing my coffee and tea are bacteria-free,” mom Melissa Tigu told Mom.com.
