How to Descale a Keurig Brewer

Everything to Know About Descaling a Keurig Brewer

There’s nothing more frustrating than reaching for a much-needed cup of coffee or tea during a long workday, only to realize something’s off with your brew. Maybe your workplace Keurig is producing bitter-tasting coffee, taking longer than usual to brew, or serving drinks that aren’t as hot as they should be. If this sounds familiar, don’t worry, it might just be time to descale your Keurig.

Cleaning a Keurig brewer goes beyond wiping down or disinfecting its exterior. Cleaning the interior is essential to maintain sanitation and ensure it consistently delivers high-quality beverages, whether it’s your morning coffee, an afternoon pick-me-up, or a sweet treat to create with a colleague. This interior cleaning process is called descaling.

In this post, we’ll walk through how to descale different Keurig brewers, explain the importance of descaling, and cover how often your Keurig should be descaled to extend the lifespan of your workplace brewer and keep it brewing delicious beverages.

What Does Descale Mean on a Keurig?

Descaling a Keurig brewer is the process of cleaning the interior of the machine to remove mineral deposits, also referred to as limescale or scale buildup, that accumulate over time. These deposits form when water that contains minerals, such as calcium, is heated and cooled, causing the minerals to separate from the water and settle inside the brewer.

Although calcium deposits and scale are non-toxic, this buildup can reduce your brewer’s performance and shorten its lifespan. To help maintain optimal performance and ensure the quality of your beverages, it is important to include descaling as part of your regular breakroom cleaning routine.

Your coffee order should taste like your favorite flavor, creamer, or sugar, not calcium and mineral buildup

How to Descale a Keurig Brewer: Removable Reservoir

These instructions apply to the following Keurig Models:

• K-1550
• K-2550
• Keurig K-Slim Coffee Maker
• Keurig K-Crema Coffee Maker
• Keurig K-Brew Chill Coffee Maker
• Keurig K-Suite™ Premium Hospitality Brewer

How to Descale a Keurig with a Removable Reservoir Using Descaling Solution

What you’ll need:

• Descaling Solution
• Mug
• Access to a sink

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Turn the brewer off. Remove the water filter from the reservoir and make sure the reservoir is empty.
2. Pour the entire bottle of descaling solution into the reservoir.
3. Fill the empty descaling solution bottle with water and add that water to the reservoir.
4. Place the mug on the drip tray. Lift the handle to ensure the pod holder is empty, then close the handle.
5. Run a cleansing brew by selecting your mug size. The solution will begin filling the mug.
6. Once the solution is dispensed, pour the contents of the mug into the sink.
7. Repeat this cleansing brew until the “Add Water” indicator appears.
8. When the “Add Water” appears, let the brewer stand for 30 minutes with the power on.
9. After 30 minutes, remove the reservoir and rinse it thoroughly to remove any remaining solution.
10. Fill the reservoir with fresh water and perform at least 12 cleansing brews to rinse the system.

How to Descale a Keurig with a Removable Reservoir Using White Vinegar

What you’ll need:

• Pure White Vinegar
• Mug
• Access to a sink

Step-by-Step Instructions:

Note: This processes can take up to 4 hours

1. Turn the brewer off. Remove the water filter from the reservoir and make sure the reservoir is empty.
2. Pour white vinegar into the reservoir up to the “Max” fill line.
3. Place a mug on the drip tray. Lift the handle to ensure the pod holder is empty, then close the handle.
4. Run a cleansing brew by selecting your mug size. The vinegar solution will begin filling the mug.
5. Once the solution is dispensed, pour the contents of the mug into the sink.
6. Repeat this cleansing brew until the “Add Water” indicator appears.
7. When the “Add Water” indicator appears, let the brewer stand for 4 hours with the power on.
8. After 4 hours, remove the reservoir and rinse it thoroughly to remove any remaining vinegar.
9. Fill the reservoir with fresh water and perform at least 12 cleansing brews to thoroughly rinse the system.

How Often Should a Keurig Be Descaled?

Descaling a Keurig depends on a few factors, including the type of water used in your workplace brewer and the brewer’s own descaling notification. Typically, a Keurig should be descaled every 3-6 months. Many Keurig brewers will also notify you when it’s time to descale based on the amount of water that has passed through the system. This notification will remain active until the descaling process is completed. If the water used has a high mineral content, descaling should be done more frequently to maintain the brewer’s optimal performance.

Why Is It Important to Descale a Keurig Brewer?

Descaling a Keurig brewer is important for several reasons, including maintaining brewer performance and beverage quality. Regular descaling helps remove mineral deposits and calcium buildup that naturally accumulate inside the machine over time. If left untreated, these deposits can cause internal damage to the pump and heating components of the brewer, which may eventually lead to machine failure.

Mineral buildup can also restrict water flow inside the brewer. When water cannot move properly through the system, it affects the pressure during brewing. This can result in incomplete brews, smaller cup sizes than selected, or sputtering during brewing. Descaling helps prevent these issues by allowing water to flow smoothly from the reservoir to the cup, which can help extend the overall lifespan of the brewer.

In addition, mineral buildup can affect the brewer’s ability to heat water efficiently. When this occurs, the machine may brew more slowly and produce coffee at lower temperatures. The buildup can also negatively impact the taste of beverages, often resulting in a bitter or unpleasant flavor.

Regular descaling helps ensure the brewer continues to operate efficiently while maintaining the proper temperature and flavor quality of your beverages.

FAQ:

Will my coffee taste better after descaling my brewer?

Yes. After descaling your Keurig brewer, it can help remove any bitter taste in your coffee and may also increase the beverage temperature if you previously noticed it was getting cooler.

Why does my coffee taste weird after descaling my Keurig?

If your coffee still taste unusual after descaling, it is recommended to rinse the removeable reservoir and run another cleansing brew cycle until the taste goes away. This may indicate some descaling solution is still remaining in the machine.

Why is my descaling light still on after I descaled my Keurig?

If the descaling light remains on after completing the process, it may mean the brewer has not fully completed the descaling cycle. Running additional rinse or cleansing brew cycles can help clear the system.

Does a blinking light on my Keurig mean I need to descale it?

Yes. If the descaling light on your Keurig is blinking, it usually means the brewer needs to be descaled to remove mineral buildup inside the machine.

Should I rinse my Keurig reservoir after descaling?

Yes, It is recommended to rinse the removable reservoir with clean water after running the descaling solution through the brewer.

Written By: Kylia Medeiros