How to Clean a Single-Serve Coffee Machine

To brew a tasty coffee every time and keep your single-serve coffee machine in great shape, it’s important to clean and descale it regularly.

Below is a detailed guide to cleaning and descaling a single-serve coffee machine like a Keurig or Nespresso.

Why You Should Regularly Clean Your Single-Serve Coffee Maker

When not cleaned for a long time, coffee machines get a build-up of mineral deposits, bacteria, mold, and other things that can either lead to the machine not functioning well and breaking down eventually, or causing bad-tasting coffee.

The proper routine cleaning and disinfecting of coffee machines can make your machine last longer and keep you brewing the best-tasting coffee possible.

How to Clean a Single-Serve Coffee Maker

Cleaning Supplies Needed:

Dishwashing Liquid
Distilled White Vinegar or descaling solution
Water

Equipment:

1 Paper clip
Sponge
Coffee Cup

1. Turn Off and Unplug the Machine

When cleaning your machine, you should put safety first. Unplug the machine to minimize the risk of electrical shock.

2. Disassemble Components

Hold the coffee machine in place and remove the drip tray by sliding it towards you. The drip tray is the part where you set your cup when brewing coffee. It’s designed to catch spills while brewing.

Wash the drip tray with soapy, warm water to clean it thoroughly.

If there’s coffee residue, use an old toothbrush to scrub the grime away. Allow the drip tray to air dry.

Once the drip tray is clean, put it back into the Keurig Mini by pushing it firmly to pop it into place.

Then, use a damp microfiber cloth to wipe down the whole exterior of the machine.

3. Clean the Interior

The water reservoir (water tank) and the cup area are the Keurig Mini’s interior.

Most single-serve machines have removable water tanks. Gently pull the water tank straight up and off the machine.

Wash it with warm water and soap. Rinse it thoroughly and allow it to air dry before putting it back in place.

Now, open the machine and remove the pod/capsule holder.

Pull the cup holder apart as 2 parts can be pulled apart – the cup piece at the top and the funnel at the bottom.

You will notice a small hole where the coffee drips at the bottom, and that part is called the needle. To clean, get a paper clip and poke the end of the hole to remove any build-up.

Then, rinse the cup holder with warm and clean water. Reassemble the 2 parts and pop it right back in the machine. It should be pretty easy to pop it back into place.

Close and open the cup holder part several times to make sure you inserted it correctly.

4. Descaling

Descaling the coffee machine is the final step in cleaning.

Descaling removes internal calcium deposits that form from your tap water and solidify and build in the machine, altering the coffee’s taste and machine’s function.

To do this process best, run white vinegar or a descaling solution through the machine.

Descaling is recommended to be done at least once every 3 to 6 months, depending on how often you use the machine.

More instructions on how to descale below.

How to Descale a Single Serve Coffee Maker

Plug the machine to start descaling. Put a ceramic cup on the drip tray. Choose a cup that can hold 240 ml of liquid.

Fill the water tank with half plain white distilled vinegar and half water until it reaches the fill line. Close the top of the water tank. Lift the top handle, but don’t put a K-cup pod in. Wait for about 5 seconds before dropping the handle.
This will trick the machine that you have inserted a K-cup pod in, even though you did not.
Press the ‘brew‘ button. The machine will begin heating and start dispensing the vinegar through the machine. It will drip into the coffee cup you inserted.
When the brew cycle is over pour the contents of the coffee cup down the sink and add new 50/50 vinegar and water.
Repeat the process until the descale light goes off.
Then, fill the water tank with clear water. Put a coffee cup on the drip tray and open and close the cup holder. Push the ‘brew’ button and wait for the water to be dispensed through the coffee machine.
Repeat this procedure two more times to get the vinegar taste out of the machine.

How Often to Clean and Descale a Single-Serve Coffee Maker?

How often you clean and descale your coffee maker depends on how often you use it.

If you’re using it daily, it’s a good idea to descale at least every 3 months and clean the water reservoir every 2 to 3 weeks.