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Today I want to share with you the best way to clean dirty Keurigs, Nespressos, and any other type of single serve coffee machine.
Years ago, I shared a tutorial on how to clean a keurig the right way.
This is still a great post to follow. It’s really all about keeping up with your machine so it runs well.
But if you haven’t cleaned your machine in awhile, and you notice it’s not running properly, it’s time to deep clean it!
The Best Way To Clean Dirty Keurigs, Nespresso, Or Other Single Serve Coffee Machines
Here is What You Need:
Directions:
- Add half of the bottle to the water holder on the machine.
- Fill the rest with water.
- Run the machine on the largest setting.
- After you clear out the solution, run water through it three more times (filled to the top) to get everything clear. Side note: This does take awhile if your largest setting is 12oz which mine is. Just do it while you clean the kitchen 😉 )
- Do this every 3 months!
Why is this different than vinegar?
Vinegar has many uses and is great at keeping things clean due to it’s acidity, but it doesn’t necessarily remove hard build up once it is there. In many cases, keurig or nespresso machines have never been cleaned. They have a huge build up of water minerals, old coffee, and even mildew!
Vinegar is good for maintenance every few weeks, but once things build up, you need something more specific.
What is in this solution?
The main component of descaling solutions is citric acid anyhydrous. Citric acid works specifically to “descale” build up from coffee and water deposits. Citric acid also has a lower pH than vinegar, so it is slightly more acidic.
Can I make my own?
You might be wondering if you can make your own descaling solution with citric acid? You CAN…but these solutions are made with just the right percentage to work for cleaning your machine. Citric acid must be handled with care, so you don’t want to use too much acid.
I have found these containers to be simple to use and just the right proportions to make sure everything is safe, but also cleaned properly.
How dirty do Keurig machines actually get?
Just a few months ago, I stumbled across a video on Facebook from someone who noticed their Keurig machine wasn’t working well. The video showed them taking it apart and revealing how filthy the components were. They were filled with moldy, gunky water. Everyone who saw the video said they were going to throw their machines out right away!
Here is the think, your machine should never get that way if cleaned properly. They need maintenance just like regular machines, but many of these type of coffee makers are used all the time in office settings without being cleaned…that is a bad combination for mildew, deposits, and other nasty things. Just make sure you use vinegar regularly, then descale every 3 months. Your machine will stay clean!
Other Coffee Tips
Those of you who love your coffee machines, can find more fun information in this post on essential items for the coffee lover!
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Alexis is an investigative chemist sharing her expertise in cleaning, skincare, gardening, and home hacks. She personally tests out products like the best skincare products or home products then shares not only the science behind how it works, but also her personal results. She is the mom of two living in Texas with her husband. Find her on Instagram for fantastic videos, tips, and behind the scenes.
Hi Alexis! Great tip for coffee machines. As you know I don’t drink coffee but I have a hot water pot to make tea or other hot drink. I put tap water in and turn it on. Do you know I should clean this machine? Would the descaling solution work in my machine? I think I read a vinegar cycle would be effective.
Vinegar should be just fine for that! It will help keep away any type of water minerals 🙂
I will continue to use vinegar, my all-purpose cleaning solution. My Keurig stays clean this way. I do this every few months.
Yes keeping up with vinegar is such a good idea! I do it every few weeks 🙂
Now this was interesting