If you’re a coffee drinker, you’ve probably (at the very least) tried out a Keurig coffee maker. Compared to drip coffee, french press, and homemade espresso machines, the Keurig coffee maker keeps things very clean and simple for making a great cup of coffee.
People love it because it’s easy to use and it really does provide a top notch cup of joe.
How Does a Keurig Coffee Machine Work?
Keurigs work by running compressed hot water through a manufactured coffee pod. Keurig offers a lot of different types of coffee pods for different flavors, types of coffee drinks, and different roasts. Essentially, you pop a coffee pod into the pod chamber, press a button, and out comes a perfectly portioned, perfect-tasting cup of coffee.
However, one of the drawbacks of the Keurig coffee machine is that it is prone to scale build up.
What is “Scale” in Coffee Makers?
“Scale” refers to the buildup of calcium deposits as a result of running “hard” water through the machine. Hard water picks up heavy metals as it runs through rock, like limestone. The water picks up the heavy metals and they get left behind when you make coffee.
Ultimately, a build up of scale will result in clogging and malfunction of your Keurig machine. The process of removing that build up is called “descaling.”
How to Descale Your Keurig
The process of descaling your Keurig is pretty straightforward, but you need to make sure that you have the right tools at your disposal.
What You Need to Descale a Keurig
Keurig offers their own brand of descaling solution that comes in a pouch or bottle form. It can be purchased here.
If you want, you can also create your own homemade descaling solution using a mixture of water and either citric acid or vinegar. You should aim for a 20:1 solution of water to your solution.
In addition to your descaling solution, you should also have a mug to catch the water as you run the solution through your machine.
Step-by-step Process for Descaling Your Keurig
- Empty your Keurig water reservoir
- Pour your cleaning solution into the water reservoir
- Put an empty mug or bowl under the spout
- Set your machine to the largest brewing cycle
- Ensure that the pod holder is completely empty
- Start running your Keurig machine and continue running cycles until the water reservoir is empty
- Let the brewer rest for 30 minutes after you runt he solution through the machine
- After 30 minutes, thoroughly rinse your water reservoir and perform 12 rinsing brews on your machine
