It’s no secret that convenience is one of the main reasons people purchase a Keurig coffee maker. How many times have you found yourself in need of caffeine and reached for your trusty Keurig to brew up a cup? All that can go well until you notice a taste variation, so why and how often should you descale Keurig with vinegar?

Descale your Keurig by pouring the descaling solution into an empty water reservoir. Add equal amounts of water to the solution, and run a brew cycle. Leave your coffee machine at a stand for 30 minutes. Then perform a freshwater brew cycle several times to rinse your brewer.

Why Descale a Keurig?

Descaling a Keurig involves removing the calcium deposits from inside the water reservoir and coffee maker. This prevents clogging or malfunctioning of the machine over time. A buildup of limescale will occur in your Keurig when you use hard water or use the machine often.

The second reason you are descaling your Keurig is to remove old coffee remains from the machine. Using your Keurig every day without descaling will build up some residue and scale in the lines. This reduces the efficiency of how much water flows through while brewing. This can cause issues with not getting a full cup or cups that taste too weak.

If the remaining amounts of liquid stay over time, this may also lead to mold growing inside your unit. Any presence of such organisms inside your Keurig will affect the way your coffee will taste, and you might end up pouring it into the sink.

Imagine taking your time and brewing yourself a cup of coffee only to throw it down the drain, sad, right?

How Often Should You Descale A Keurig?

This will depend on the mineral content of your water and the frequency with which you use it to make coffee. But, some general guidelines can get followed if in doubt whether you should descale your Keurig:

• If using well water (high in calcium), consider descaling more frequently than once every six months – as little as once per month may be enough.
• When making one cup at a time, cleaning out after each brew cycle is an effective way. This prevents clogging from hard minerals found in tap water and ground coffee beans.

The longer a Keurig sits unused between coffee brews, the harder it becomes to clean. So you may ask yourself, “How often should I descale my Keurig?” Descaling every six months will help ensure that your brewer continues brewing at its optimal level and is free from clogging.

What Do You Need to Descale a Keurig?

Descaling a Keurig is a simple process that you can do without much trouble. It won’t take much of your time hence you can do it in the evening after work. The descaling components are easily within reach and can get handled without help. So, what do you need to descale your Keurig?

Besides, bottled water, some paper towels for wiping down components after descaling, and vinegar (or any other descaler) will do. You’ll also need a small bowl or measuring cup and stirring stick Coffee filters. How long does the descaling process take? The entire process takes about 30 minutes from start to finish.

How To Descale A Keurig

You can start by preparing your Keurig for a descaling session by cleaning the components using a cloth and soapy solution. You are not only descaling the machine but cleaning it to ensure it’s running smooth. Give the components time to air dry and reassemble them to begin the process.

Here are two main ways to descale your Keurig:

Descale a Keurig with Vinegar

Ensure that the machine gets turned off at its base, then remove any K-Cups or other removable parts such as the drip tray and filter assembly. This is because these will get cleaned during the descaling process.

Fill the water reservoir with equal parts white vinegar and filtered or bottled water, then close it back up. Use just enough to fill your Keurig’s tank halfway full of descaling solution – this means one cup for a standard size reservoir. Also, note that your kitchen will be smelling vinegar for some time.

Descale A Keurig Using Descaling Solution

If you do not want to use vinegar to descale your Keurig, the Keurig Company has you sorted. They have a specifically designed descaling solution you can use. The solution can be readily bought in any store near you or online retailers. It’s a one-time use solution that cleans away the scale with ease.

But you may want to reconsider your option since many users are negatively reviewing this solution. It’s said to have a strong citrus odor that sticks around for a while and affects your coffee taste.

After choosing your desired descaling solution, it’s time to run it through your brewer. Let it settle for a while before draining it to dissolve the scale, set your setting, and put a cup in place. Drain away the solution and add clean water to flush the machine until it is thoroughly cleaned.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Final Thoughts

Learning how to descale a Keurig can prove worthwhile to you in the end. This is because you have to keep your Keurig in shape for it to continue serving you well over a longer time. The instructions above tell you all you need to know about descaling one.