Spring Cleaning My Keurig Coffee Pot

Cynthia H
by Cynthia H
3 Materials
$5
30 Minutes
Easy

A frequent question on the DIY Forum is how to clean a Keurig. So many of us have these coffee makers these days! I have had one for about 3 years and I researched the product when I bought mine. Here's my process. I deep clean it with each seasonal change, like spring, and wipe it down weekly. I use bottled spring water or water from a teakettle that came to a full boil and then cooled, because I can't stand the chlorine they use in the water treatment for tap water. I think that's why my filters last so much longer, and the coffee has such a good taste. But, if you notice a change in the taste, change it sooner.

My coffee maker

First I put my coffee maker on a mat, since cleaning it can get messy. You can't submerge the coffee maker in water, but, there are removable parts that are washable. First, take out the pod from your last cup of coffee. Then unplug it while you wipe it down with a damp, soapy cloth, drying with a microfiber cloth.

Filter holder

This is the filter holder located in your water tank. You will want to remove it before filling the coffee maker with white vinegar. Otherwise, the vinegar will go through the filter and you should be changing it at this point anyway. If the vinegar goes through the filter, it will retain that vinegar odor, so it's better to just remove it. The holder separates into two parts, which you can wash and rinse after removing the filter. I had a dishpan of soapy water ready for each part as I removed it from the coffee maker.

Adding vinegar

A gallon of vinegar is pretty cheap, and you will only use part of the bottle.


You will only need one filling of the tank with vinegar, to the maximum fill line. Put your new filter into a clean cup of water while you are running the coffee maker with the vinegar.

Removable parts

I removed the platform for the cup, the coffee pod holder, the tank and cover (after running the vinegar through the machine), and the filter holder. All of them just needed a quick wash and rinse. I left the vinegar sitting inside the machine (in the tubing system you can't see) while I was doing the washing.

Large cup for running the vinegar

I wipe down everything I can see, using a nipple brush for baby bottles, and Q-tips, since there are all kinds of little crevices. The manufacturer recommends cleaning the sharp pin in the cover with a paper clip, since the little holes can get clogged. Be careful, it is in the lid that punctures the coffee pods and is very sharp.


Learn how to clean a Nespresso machine.

Vinegar running through

I run two tanks of tap water through the coffee maker before refilling the tank and replacing the filter (easiest to do before you fill the tank with the water you will be using for coffee). Be sure you have soaked the filter at least five minutes or you will get charcoal residue in your tank. I pour the hot vinegar down the drain of my kitchen sink. When the panel tells you it is time to add water, you're done. Time to remove the tank and wash it. There will be some vinegar left in the tank. I dump that out before washing it.

Clean coffee maker

If you buy multi packs of filters (I buy the generic ones that fit Keurig), you will keep your cost down. Now you have a clean coffee maker, a clean filter and great tasting coffee!

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  • Jewellmartin Jewellmartin on Mar 18, 2018

    I had been doing a good cleaning job with our Keurig, except I didn’t know anything about the filter. Where do you buy more filters and what do they look like? We left the K unused for four weeks. Now it hums like it wants to work, then shuts off. Could the clogged up filter cause that? I guess I’ve burned up something accidentally. 🙁☺️

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  • Deborah Perrin Deborah Perrin on Mar 18, 2018

    I do this also, with one more thing - the one time I asked my husband to do it, he put all the removable parts through the dishwasher - and then rinsed them off with filtered water. It worked so well that we do this once a month. The built in screen at the boottom of the water tank no longer gets gunked up as fast.

    • Cynthia H Cynthia H on Mar 18, 2018

      I think the only part Keurig said to not put in a dishwasher was the tank. I don't mind washing the parts, so I do them by hand. Thanks for the reminder!

  • Rin32879716 Rin32879716 on Apr 04, 2018

     i will try I need to clean my Keurig! Thanks for the information!!

    • Cynthia H Cynthia H on Apr 04, 2018

      You are very welcome! It's amazing what a difference the cleaning makes!

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