Spring Cleaning My Keurig Coffee Pot

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!