How to Clean a Keurig (Vinegar & Descaling)

Learning how to clean a Keurig means learning two separate jobs. Washing deals with coffee residue on the parts you can reach, while descaling deals with mineral buildup inside the brewer. The right steps and cleaner depend on your model, so start with its guide.

Quick answer, Keurig K-Supreme only: The K-Supreme guide calls for a full bottle of Keurig Descaling Solution plus one bottle of water. Brew in Descale Mode until the ADD WATER light comes on, then refill with fresh water and brew until the DESCALE notification turns off. It takes about 15 to 20 minutes with no soak, and other Keurig models use different steps.

For coffee choices once your brewer is clean, our guide to the best coffee for Keurig compares pod styles, compatibility and cost per cup.

How to Clean a Keurig: K-Supreme Example

Everything in this section comes from the K-Supreme guide, except where noted. Do not use these steps on another model without checking its own guide.

Descale the Brewer

1. Empty and prepare. Remove any pod, empty the water reservoir and have a large ceramic mug ready, not a paper cup, along with fresh water, the descaling solution and a sink nearby. If a water filter is fitted, confirm how to handle it with Keurig before you add the solution, because the guide’s descaling steps do not cover it.
2. Add the solution. Pour the whole bottle into the empty reservoir, fill the bottle with water and add that too. Set the mug on the drip tray and leave the pod holder empty.
3. Enter Descale Mode. With the brewer plugged in and powered off, hold the 8oz and 12oz buttons together for 3 seconds.
4. Run the descaling brews. When the buttons flash, press the brew button, then pour the hot liquid into the sink. Repeat until the ADD WATER light turns on.
5. Refill with fresh water. Empty and rinse the reservoir, then fill it to the MAX line.
6. Rinse. When the buttons flash, press the brew button and pour the hot liquid into the sink. Repeat until the DESCALE notification turns off, which means the brewer has left Descale Mode and is ready to use.

The guide gives no fixed number of brews for either stage, so go by the lights.

Wash the Pod Holder and Clear the Needles

This part deals with coffee residue, not scale. Keurig’s cleaning tips say to make sure the brewer is unplugged and cooled down first, and the K-Supreme guide warns that sharp needles sit above and below the pod holder, so keep your fingers clear of them.

1. Remove the pod holder. Lift the handle, hold the top of the holder with one hand and push up from underneath with the other until it releases.
2. Separate the funnel. Pull it off the pod holder until it pops free, then rinse both parts. Keurig’s cleaning tips suggest rinsing the pod holder weekly.
3. Clear the exit needle. Insert a straightened paper clip into the needle at the inside bottom of the pod holder to loosen any grounds.
4. Clear the entrance needles. With the handle up, put the paper clip into the holes in the entrance needles under the lid and move it gently to loosen grounds.
5. Refit the parts. Press the funnel back on, line the holder up with the two front ribs and snap it in from the top.
6. Run two cleansing brews. Plug the brewer back in, put a mug of at least 10 oz on the drip tray and lift and lower the handle with no pod. Press the 8oz button, press the blinking brew button and pour the hot water into the sink, then repeat once.

While you are there, wipe the inside of the reservoir with a damp, non-abrasive, lint-free cloth and let it air dry. Clean the drip tray with a damp, soapy cloth.

These steps belong to the K-Supreme alone. The K500 Series guide, for example, adds a wait of at least 30 minutes and at least 12 rinsing brews, so find your model on Keurig support.

Vinegar vs Descaling Solution

Many Keurig guides point you to its descaling solution. The K-Supreme and K500 Series guides, along with the K-Mini and K-Duo Gen 2 guides, name it and do not mention vinegar. Those guides give no vinegar mix, so we will not offer one for those machines.

Vinegar does appear in Keurig’s documents for at least one other machine. The K150 owner’s manual calls for about 90 oz of undiluted white vinegar and at least 4 hours of standing time. That process belongs to the K150, so its numbers do not carry over to other machines.

The practical rule is to use whatever your model’s guide names, in the amounts it gives. If your guide is silent on vinegar, ask Keurig support before you try it. Our guide on how to clean a coffee maker with vinegar covers why the answer varies between machines.

Whichever you use, use it alone. The New Jersey Department of Health says never to mix cleaning products, so do not combine vinegar, descaling solution or anything else in the reservoir.

How Often to Descale

The K-Supreme, K-Mini and K-Duo Gen 2 guides all say every three months, and the K-Supreme and K-Duo Gen 2 guides add that you should descale when the machine’s notification or light comes on. Other machines differ: the K-Iced Plus guide also mentions an alert after 250 brews, and the K150 manual says every 3 to 6 months.

Washing runs on a much shorter cycle. Keurig’s cleaning tips list removing the used pod, running a cleansing brew and rinsing external parts daily, with the pod holder rinsed weekly.

A few situations can call for an extra descale. Keurig’s tips recommend one before and after storage, and also if a used pod has been left in for an extended time.

Still Slow After Cleaning?

Slow or short cups can have more than one cause, so a descale will not fix every brewer. For a partial cup, follow the troubleshooting steps in your model’s guide. Our Keurig troubleshooting guide helps you check power, water flow and needle clogs before contacting support.

If descaling does not fix it, the K-Supreme guide says to contact Keurig Customer Service. Do not open the housing or try to repair the brewer yourself.

FAQ

Can I use distilled vinegar?

Only if your model’s guide allows it. The K150 manual names undiluted white vinegar, and the other guides listed above do not mention vinegar at all.

Does descaling disinfect a Keurig?

No, do not treat it that way. Descaling is for mineral buildup, and the guides do not describe it as disinfection or mold removal.

Can the pod holder go in the dishwasher?

Check your own guide. The K-Supreme guide does not mention a dishwasher, and the K-Iced Plus guide says its parts are not dishwasher safe.

When It May Be Time to Replace It

If the brewer still struggles after you have followed its guide and spoken to Keurig, you may want to look at replacing it. Our guide to the best K-Cup coffee maker compares current options.

For more on looking after your setup, see our home brewing guide.