Being a premium coffee maker, Keurig’s does require intensive care and maintenance. It isn’t limited to wiping the exteriors to let it shine or descaling it at regular intervals, rather the tiny needle used to puncture k-cups seeks cleaning to ensure the best possible flavors and smooth functioning of the widget. In this article, you will get to know the steps for Easy Keurig Needle Maintenance.
Call it the synonym for popularity or abbreviation for quality, Keurig is one such brand that probably most coffee enthusiasts already have or prefer to bring home. The efficiency of Keurig coffee makers in producing delicious cuppa joe with just a press of a button clearly elucidates why people love it so much.
However, the best of anything has flaws, too, and the Keurig is not an exception. Occasionally, you might find the machine leaking or not pouring coffee at all even. Guess what? The problem here may not be the machine but rather a tiny needle.
Convenience, delectability, and affordability – all come wrapped up with a Keurig coffee maker. However, there’s one thing it demands from you, i.e., proper maintenance, which doesn’t only include descaling and cleaning the outer parts, but even the small needle which cuts holes in k-pods.
Benjamin Graham once said, “An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure,” and this applies to preventing the miniature Keurig’s needle from dysfunctioning too. After all, you would never want any interruption in your brewing sessions, won’t you?
Our today’s article is dedicated to helping you learn the steps on How to clean a Keurig needle and other associated factors. Read on and get to know all that’s involved!
What is a Keurig Needle?
Though it sounds surprising, there’s a needle in your Keurig coffee machine which punctures the coffee pod to release your favorite espresso. We all love and want to have the best possible cups of coffee; however, time becomes a challenge as it will require roasting and grinding beans and making fresh cups of coffee. Therefore, the Keurig needle plays an inevitable role here by letting us brew using pods by punching a hole which then is filled with water.
Keurig Needle Maintenance – Why is it required to Clean
As mentioned above, the Keurig coffee maker’s needle punctures K-cups surpassing the foil lid into the coffee grounds. Due to this reason, over a span of time, coffee grounds build up over the needle, which is obviously not hygienic as the place where the needle is located stays damp enough, promoting the easy formation of bacteria and molds.
Besides, the buildups might also end up affecting the flavor of your cups. What’s more considerable is that the same buildup can even block the Keurig’s water flow, resulting in difficulties in brewing or, even worse, no brewing. Therefore, it’s crucial to clean the needles at regular intervals to prevent such mishaps from happening.
How to clean Keurig Needle – A step-by-step guide
Cleaning the Keurig needle is indeed one of the easiest things to do. However, while doing the job, be extra careful as the needle is very sharp, and you need to prevent yourself from getting hurt. Additionally, it’s an important component of the machine so ensure that you don’t end up breaking it accidentally. Mentioned below are the steps to follow in cleaning the Keurig needles with ease.
1. Start with unplugging your Keurig
First thing’s first, just like handling any other electrical devices, start with turning off your Keurig coffee maker and unplug it from the power socket.
2. Disassembling the parts
In this step, remove the pod holder and the funnel inside it. To do so, lift the Keurig’s handle and gently take out the pod holder by pushing it from underneath with your other hand. Once done, you can take out the funnel easily.
3. Grab a paper clip or toothpick
Now, get a toothpick or paper clip handy and start cleaning the exit needle. Flip the pod holder so as to insert the toothpick or straightened paper clip inside the tube and gently move it around for about 30-40 seconds to reach all the areas. This will clear the dirt and also eliminate clogs if there are any.
4. Rinse well
In this step, take the pod holder and funnel beneath running water and rinse it thoroughly. Take some dish soap and a sponge to eliminate buildups. As mentioned earlier, be extra careful and prevent yourself from getting poked by the needle inside. Once done, set the pieces aside and let them dry.
5. Time to wash the entrance needle
Now is the time when you need to work with patience. Lift the handle of your brewer, and you will find the entrance needle on the bottom of the top half, the area where you insert K-cups. Take a toothpick or paperclip, whichever is handy, and start cleaning this needle carefully. Ensure that you don’t hurry up and clean the buildups and dust slowly.
6. Resembling them back
Now comes the final stage, where you need to reassemble the pod holder and the funnel back to your Keurig coffee machine. Once done, run at least 2-3 brew cycles to remove loose dust, if any. That’s all; you are all set to resume your brewing journey!
Alternative way – Using Brewer Maintenance Tool or Keurig Needle Cleaner
A quicker hack to clean Keurig Needle is by using the maintenance tool provided with all Keurig 2.0 models or using disposable rinse pods, which act as Keurig needle cleaner. They work with both 1.0 and 2.0 models. Here are the steps to follow –
1. Power off your Keurig
Similar to the first step mentioned above, start with unplugging your Keurig coffee maker.
2. Filling the disposable pod
Now fill the brewer maintenance pod with water in the center.
3. Placing the pod
Now, open the brew head and place the pod in the cupholder. Make sure it fits well in the K-cup holder, and the arrows point towards you while the power button is on the right side.
4. Open and Close
Carefully close the brew head on the tool and repeat the process at least 4-5 times.
5. Taking out the Maintenance Pod
Once done with the previous step, gently take out the maintenance pod, which will probably have small coffee grounds in it ( a sign that states that needle cleaning has been successful).
6. Brew Cycles with Water
Now check if your water reservoir is full. If it isn’t, fill it completely and run 2-3 brew cycles with water without placing any k-cups. This process will flush out any extra grounds.
Congrats! You have successfully cleaned your Keurig needle, and it’s ready to puncture your upcoming k-cups.
Cleaning with Keurig needle cleaner
Generally, you get a brewer maintenance kit with all Keurig 1.0 models, which consists of disposable rinse pods. In case you don’t have any or have lost it, you can simply buy one which will cost you a few dollars. Cleaning the Keurig needle with rinse pods is pretty simple. All you need to do is place it at the place of the K-cup and brew an 8-ounce cup with water. Once done, bring out the pod and run a rinse cycle. That’s all!
How frequently should you Clean the Keurig Needle?
Well, this is something which totally depends upon your usage. If you are a coffee aficionado whose mornings and evenings aren’t incomplete without coffee at home, it’s recommended to clean your Keurig needle once every month. Generally, most people love their Keurig and clean it often; however, the needle stays unattended as many of them are unaware that this part requires cleaning too.
Wrapping up
Hope this post helped answer your query on how to clean a Keurig needle. Keurigs are undoubtedly beloved coffee makers, and being a premium product, it requires more attention in cleaning and maintenance rather than just spot removals. So, follow the steps mentioned above and give your device a long life. Keep brewing!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a Keurig needle be replaced?
Yes, you can easily purchase and replace the needles. The bottom one is easier to find as compared to the puncture needle; however, you will be required to replace the whole part housing the needle.
How to restore the Keurig needle if it’s bent?
This may be a challenging task as when you try to bend back the needle, the chances are that it will snap. However, you have the option to replace the needle, which is very affordable.
Can I use vinegar to clean my Keurig?
Yes, you can! You should descale your Keurig coffee maker once every 2-3 weeks using vinegar or a good descaling solution.
Why is my Keurig not brewing full cups?
Generally, this happens if the exit needle of your Keurig coffee maker is clogged by coffee grounds. You can run a cleaning cycle with water to remove residues blocking the needle.
How to clean a Keurig after an exploded pod?
Sometimes, while manufacturing, too much air is mistakenly added to K-cups, which causes them to explode when punctured by the Keurig’s needle. If anything such happens, take a toothpick and insert it into the needles to release any stuck debris. Then, run a few water cycles to clear the residues completely. Additionally, you can also try using distilled white vinegar to clean your brewer thoroughly.
