How to Unclog Keurig Coffee Makers: 4 Easy Steps

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If your Keurig coffee maker stops brewing coffee, you may be thinking: how can you get back to a simple cup of coffee at the touch of a button and prevent this from happening again?

There’s a simple solution: you need to learn how to unclog Keurig coffee makers. We’ve put together this simple guide to help you unclog your coffee maker, no matter which Keurig model you have. Scroll down to find our tips to unclog your Keurig quickly and easily.

How to Prevent a Clogged Keurig?

Regular maintenance is the best way to prevent your Keurig from clogging. This means never leaving used K-Cups in the brew head, running regular descaling cycles, and keeping your Keurig’s needle clean. There are also some compatible capsules, such as Bestpresso, that have been reported to clog Keurig coffee machines. We recommend using Peet’s Coffee K-Cup Pods for a hassle-free and enjoyable Keurig coffee experience.

Fortunately, none of these procedures are difficult. You can follow the steps below to unclog your Keurig and brew delicious coffee again.

RELATED: My Keurig Coffee Maker Won’t Turn On

drain Keurig with water

Why Unclog Keurig Coffee Makers?

How can you tell if your Keurig is clogged? Usually, you will discover a clog in your Keurig coffee maker because it will no longer brew coffee. Clogs can occur in the internal hoses of your machine or in the needle and usually stop the flow of water. No water flow, no coffee!

RELATED: How to Reset Keurig 1.0 and 2.0

How to Unclog Keurig Mini

How to reset a keurig

Required equipment:

  • Sponge or tea towel
  • Safety pin
  • Rinse capsules
  • Maintenance accessory tool for Keurig 2.0 models
  • Dishwashing liquid
  • Water
  • Keurig descaling solution

1. Clean Drip Tray.

The drip tray of the Keurig Mini is removable. Therefore, carefully remove it and wash it with soap and water.

2. Unclog the needle.

clean keurig needle with a safety pin

There are two easy ways to do this. If you bought a maintenance kit for the Keurig coffee maker, place one of the rinse capsules in the K-Cup holder, fill the water reservoir and press the brew button.

Another option is to use a safety pin. This method is a little more complicated, and you have to be careful with the sharp needle. Open the infusion set and look closely at the needle. Take the needle and carefully scrape off the residue if you see coffee residue.

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3. Descale the brewer

Now is the time to descale the coffee maker to remove any residue inside the machine. Pour Keurig’s descaling solution into the water tank and fill it halfway. Then fill the rest of the tank with water and press the infusion button. Dispose of the cleaning solution.

4. Do a rinse cycle

You don’t want to test cleaning solutions in your coffee, do you? That’s why you should run a cycle with just water through your brewer.

Fill the reservoir with water and do not add a K-Cup. Push the brew button and pour away the water that comes out. 

Your Keurig Mini should now be completely unclogged and ready to brew.

Keurig mini brew button

How to Unclog Keurig 2.0

Do you have a Keurig 2.0? You can follow the steps above or use the Keurig coffee maker maintenance program that may have come with your coffee maker. If you don’t already have one, you can find it on the Keurig website.

Below is a brief description of how to use this tool – you can find our detailed instructions here.

Fill the plastic sphere in the center of the device with water. Insert the device into the cup holder of your Keurig, making sure the arrows are facing you. Open and close the brew head three to four times. Then remove the unit, empty it, and run a rinse cycle in your coffee maker.

How to Unclog a Keurig Coffee Maker

Need to unclog your Keurig coffee maker? We have the simple steps that will have you brewing in no time. Gather your materials and get started!

Equipment & Materials

  • Rinse capsules
  • safety pin
  • Sponge
  • Maintenance accessories for Keurig 2.0 models
  • Water 
  • Dishwashing detergent
  • Keurig descaling solution

Instructions

Clean the drip tray.

1 If the drip tray on your Keurig is removable, carefully remove it and wash it with soap and water.

Unclog needle.

There are two easy ways to do this. If you purchased a Keurig maintenance kit, place one of the rinse capsules in the K-Cup holder, fill the water reservoir and press the brew button.

Another option is to use a paper clip or safety pin. This method is a little more complicated, and you have to be careful with the sharp needle. Open the infusion set and look closely at the needle. If you see that coffee residue has accumulated, take the needle and carefully scrape off the residue.

Descale coffee maker

Now is the time to descale your coffee maker, which will remove all the residue inside the machine. Pour Keurig’s descaling solution into the water tank and fill it halfway. Then fill the rest with water and press the infusion button. Discard the cleaning solution.

Run a rinse cycle

You don’t want to test cleaning solutions in your coffee, do you? That’s why you should run a cycle with just water through your brewer. Fill the reservoir with water and do not add a K-Cup. Press the brew button and pour away the water that comes out.

The Keurig Mini should now be completely unclogged and ready to brew.

Takeaway

After reading this article, you should know the simple steps to clear clogs in Keurig coffee machines. Keurig machines may look simple, but they need regular cleaning and maintenance.

We hope our guide will help you prevent and fix problems with your Keurig coffee maker.

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