Last updated on January 22nd, 2024 at 13:20
Using a Keurig needle cleaning pod to clear the entrance needle and exit needle on your Keurig is essential maintenance that you must perform frequently to keep your coffee machine clean and clear of buildup coffee grounds and preventing them from causing any blockages and serving your great tasting coffee.
If you are not a DIY superstar, stress not as the needle cleaning pod requires no skill at all to use.
Keep reading to find out how to use this handy little device and where to get one if you have lost the one that came with your machine.
How To Use The Keurig Needle Cleaning Pod
Table Of Contents
The very first step for you to do here is to switch off and unplug your Keurig coffee machine. This is a very simple safety step to avoid any mild or nasty electric shocks.
Now seek out Keurigs proper needle maintenance tool which looks like an orange pod. This is the Keurig needle cleaning pod.
If you have lost it, hang on for a moment as I’ll tell you in a moment where you can buy one.
At this juncture, since the Keurig needle cleaning pod is an important tool, I advise using sticky tape and sticking it to the side or back of your coffee maker.
Take your Keurig needle cleaning tool and fill it with hot water then open the brew head and carefully place it in the pod holder while paying attention to the arrows, ensuring they are pointing towards you while at the same time the green power button is positioned to the right.
Now close the brew lever and then open the brew lever again. Repeat the complete and proper opening and closing of the brew level 5 to 6 times.
It is this opening and closing of the brew lever that will clean your needles. When you open it up again, you should notice some dirt, coffee and other grime.
At this point your needles should be sufficiently clean, and unblocked. Your job is not finished here.
You must make sure that any loose dirt does not get into your next cup or cups of coffee. The last thing you want is old, stale coffee grounds in your freshly brewed cup of coffee.
Fill the water reservoir with clean water and run 3 to 5 brew cycles to flush out the needles and tubes.
Viola, it is really that easy.
Read: How to perform needle maintenance on a Keurig
Help! I lost My Keurig Needle Cleaning Pod
These pods are often easily lost as very little attention is paid to them by many new Keurig owners. If you have just bought one, use my little trick of sticking it to the back of your machine, or to the side.
Losing your Keurig needle cleaning pod is not a problem as you can find them easily on Best Buy, Target, Walmart, Amazon and eBay.
How To Use Keurig Rinse Pods
Alternatively, after using the Keurig needle cleaning pod, instead of flushing with water you use Keurig rinse pods.
While these rinse pods are not specifically designed to clean the needles, they are made with the specific purpose of flushing and cleaning out the tubes and as a secondary effect they have a cleaning effect on the exit needle and entrance needle.
These cleaning pods function in the same way as a regular K-cup. Simply put one in the pod holder and start to brew an 8 ounce (240 ml) cup of coffee as usual.
Then remove the cleaning pod and run 3 to 5 brew cycles to flush your system of the cleaning solution.
Frequently Asked Questions About Keurig Needle Cleaning Pod
Is There A Cleaning Pod For Keurig?
Yes, both regular Keurig cleaning pods exist for both flushing and rinsing your machine and a specialist tool that looks like a cleaning pod for cleaning the needle.
Ideally you need both for clearing any buildup of old coffee grounds in your needle and in inner tubes of your machine.
How Often Should You Use Keurig Cleaning Pods?
Some suggest using your Keurig cleaning once per month while others suggest once a week. It depends on how often you use your machine.
For me, 3 cups per day at most, using the Keurig cleaning pods once every other week is fine and keeps my needles and tubes clean and clear from coffee grounds.
Read: Where is the filter on a Keurig 2.0
How Do You Use Keurig Cleaning Tablets?
The Keurig cleaning tablets are super easy to use: All you need to do is to fill your water water tank with clean water and add a cleaner tablet to the water. Let it dissolve and run a regular brewing cycle.
When the cleaning cycle has finished, run 3 to 5 cycles with fresh clean water to rinse your machine of the cleaning solution.
Should You Use a Keurig Rinse Pod After Descaling?
There is no harm in using a Keurig rinse pod after descaling your coffee machine. There is also no clear advantage either.
After you descale your Keurig, be it with the tablets, a descaling solution, distilled white vinegar, lemon juice, hydrogen peroxide or whatever solution you use, run 3 to 5 water only brew cycles with fresh clean water to get rid of any scent or taste of the cleaning solution from your coffee machine.
Read: Keurig needle maintenance
How Many Times Should You Rinse Keurig After Descaling?
After descaling, I find that filling the water reservoir 3 to 5 times to the max fill line with fresh clean water and running complete brew cycles until it is empty gets rid of any and all traces of the cleaning solution or distilled white vinegar that you used.
Do I Need Rinse Pods?
Keurig recommends the use of their rinse pods at least once per week to clean your machine. They are useful and handy, and get your machine properly clean.
But,
I find that they are not absolutely essential or any better than using alternative cleaning solutions like bicarbonate of soda or white vinegar and running a cleaning cycle from the cleaning tank.
What is handy is their specialist needle cleaning tool.
Final Thoughts – Keurig Needle Cleaning Pod
The Keurig needle cleaning pod is a very handy, convenient tool to have and makes the cleaning of your needles much easier and literally effortless. Fill it with water, put it in its place and open and close the brew lever 5 to 6 times.
If you have lost your one, think seriously about getting a new one from Amazon, eBay, Target or Walmart.
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Derek Marshall
Derek Marshall, a certified barista by the Specialty Coffee Association possesses over two decades of experience in specialty coffee shops. He holds professional certifications for coffee brewing and barista skills. Derek is also an author with authoritative books covering various coffee topics including specialty coffee, sustainability and coffee, coffee brewing, coffee recipes, coffee cocktails and books focusing on Brazilian coffee, Vietnamese coffee, Indonesian coffee and Malaysian coffee. As a barista for over two decades, Derek Marshall has worked in specialty coffee shops across the United Kingdom, Spain, Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Vietnam. His expertise extends to the distinct coffee cultures, specialty beverages, and brewing techniques of each nation. Functioning as a coffee consultant, Derek charges US$50 per hour. To learn more about Derek Marshall and Latte Love Brew, visit his About Me Page. For coffee inquiries, contact him at +34-639-410-375 or Derek@LatteLoveBrew.com, mentioning your name and location
