How To Clean Ninja 12-Cup Coffee Maker And Get It Sparkling!

Learn how to clean Ninja 12-Cup coffee maker and get it making perfect coffee just as it did when it was brand new.

There is nothing difficult about it. All that is needed is patience, some effort and minimal elbow grease when you use the right materials and techniques.

Keep reading for the details!

How To Clean Ninja 12-Cup Coffee Maker

Cleaning your ninja 12-cup coffee maker is easy, every bit as easy as cleaning any other coffee maker that you have.

In fact, the method and technique is very much the same regardless of the brand or how many cups the carafe can hold.

The only major choice you have is which cleaning solution to use, be it the manufacturers own descaling solution, distilled white vinegar, citric acid, hydrogen peroxide, baking soda or any other cleaning solutions that will remove the calcium buildup and the heavy mineral buildup.

Let’s get on with this quick tutorial and get your Ninja 12-Cup coffee maker sparkling clean!

Read: Ninja coffee bar wont run clean cycle

How To Clean Ninja 12 Cup Coffee Maker With Vinegar

Using vinegar, more concretely speaking, distilled white vinegar is what I use to clean my coffee gear, all my coffee gear as it is both great for cleaning, cheap and available to buy in bulk and save a lot of money.

Importantly, it gets the job done when it comes to removing mineral build-up and sanitizes my gear from bacteria which can build up inside coffee machines.

Step One: Remove All The Removable Parts

Remove all the removable parts including the coffee filter brew basket which is also known as the permanent filter and filter basket, water reservoir and water filter.

Rinse and shake your water filter while running it under warm water.

Consider replacing it if it is particularly dirty.

With a soft damp soapy sponge, clean the exterior surfaces of your coffee maker. With the machine switched off, use distilled white vinegar to clean the area that your coffee maker carafe sits on. Ensure that it is cool, as vinegar is flammable.

If it is badly stained, let the vinegar sit there to absorb the stains. If this doesn’t get the job done and remove stains, sprinkle a bicarbonate of soda on to it and add a tiny amount of water to make a paste and scrub the stains. Let the paste site there for a while to absorb the stains and then wipe off with a damp cloth.

Step Two: Clean Your Removable Parts

Cleaning your removable parts is easy. Your glass carafe, regardless of the carafe size, is dishwasher-safe, as is your brew basket and your water reservoir and all other removable parts.

You can wash them using your dishwasher or wash by hand. If you choose to wash by hand, use warm water and dish soap that has an antibacterial agent.

Step Three: Clean Your Coffee Carafe

Cleaning the carafe and getting it to sparkle like new is easy. Obviously the easiest way is to use your dishwasher, which your glass carafe is dishwasher-safe but your thermal one, if you have one, is not dishwasher-safe.

More often than not your dishwasher just will not get your carafe to sparkle. There is “secret” trick or two, which I’ll reveal in a moment.

If you have any hardened coffee stains inside or outside your carafe, make a baking soda paste. Fill your carafe with 3 to 4 cm of baking soda and add a small amount of water, just a tiny amount. Use the paste and scrub your coffee maker on the inside and outside.

Pay attention to the bottom as this can often get some burned on coffee stains.

Let the paste sit on your carafe for a few hours to help remove any deep dirt and grime. After 4 to 6 hours, fill it with an abundance of hot water and wipe it clean of your bicarbonate of soda paste.

Your coffee carafe should be shining after cleaning this way but not sparkling. To get it to sparkle like new, wipe the exterior with undiluted distilled white vinegar. Repeat several times, and repeat with the inside. Fill your carafe with 100% white vinegar and let it sit there for a few hours.

This should get it sparkling like new. If it doesn’t, and you have a particularly badly stained carafe, use bleach and leave it overnight.

Once you have it sparkling clean, keep it clean by regularly wiping the inside and outside with pure white vinegar. Don’t forget to rinse it with plenty of water and let it air dry.

That is how easy it is to clean your Ninja 12 cup coffee maker.

Read: How to clean ninja coffee maker with vinegar

Step 4: Descale Your Coffee Maker

Descaling your coffee maker is giving it a really good deep clean. The term “descale” means to give your coffee maker a good quality internal clean with the objective of removing any build up of calcium and other minerals.

The use of distilled white vinegar, the preferred cleaning agent of coffee lovers is due to the cost and the fact that it gets the job done incredibly well and has a disinfecting effect on any mold and bacteria growing inside.

Reassemble your coffee maker and put the removable parts back in their respective places and fill your water reservoir to the half full line with vinegar. Top up with fresh clean water to the max fill line.

Place your carafe below the coffee spout and run a full brew cycle. Discard the water and vinegar solution that comes out and repeat the process.

Fill your water reservoir with water and run 8 to 10 brew cycles to fully flush your system of all traces and scents of vinegar. Test the water that comes out. It should be like normal water with no hints of vinegar.

How To Clean Ninja 12 Cup Coffee Maker Filter

Pay particular attention to your coffee basket as it will probably be the dirties part. If it is not cleaned perfectly by your dishwasher, let it soak in hot soapy water overnight. This should help to loosen any hardened grime and dirt. Scrub with a soft bristled brush.

If there are still coffee grinds blocking and clogging your coffee basket, use a very fine needle or pin to poke them out.

Once washed rise well with an abundance of water.

Frequently Asked Questions About How To Clean Ninja 12-Cup Coffee Maker

Can I Use Vinegar To Clean My Ninja Coffee Maker?

Yes, vinegar, particularly distilled white vinegar, is great for cleaning your Ninja Coffee Maker and other coffee machines. Vinegar is acidic and helps to remove built-up mineral deposits and calcium deposits and removes the build up of coffee inside the pipes and clears your coffee machine of any bacteria. 

How Do You Clean A 12 Cup Coffee Maker With Vinegar?

Cleaning a 12-cup coffee maker with vinegar is easy. Start by adding distilled white vinegar to your water reservoir and add clean water. Run a brewing cycle. Discard the solution that comes out.

Repeat this step if your coffee maker is particularly dirty or has not been cleaned in a couple of months.

Rinse your coffee maker with an abundance of fresh water. 5 to 7 cycles of filling your water tank with fresh water and running brew cycles until the scent and all trances of vinegar have gone.

What Does It Mean When Your Ninja Coffee Maker Says Clean?

When your Ninja coffee maker says clean, it is a nice little reminder that you need to descale your Ninja coffee maker or ninja coffee bar. Simply run a full descale when you see the cleaning indicator light illuminated.

Try to run a full cleaning cycle before your light comes on to ensure that your machine is brewing the best possible coffee. You can use distilled white vinegar, bicarbonate of soda, or a commercial descaling solution. Citric acid is a great option also. 

Read: How to clean ninja coffee maker

What Does The Ninja Clean Cycle Do?

 The clean cycle on your Ninja coffee bar helps you to rid your machine of calcium deposits and mineral deposits that inhibit the functionality of your coffee maker.

It is your choice what solution you use. While the manufacturer will suggest the use of their own branded mixture of descaling solution and water, it is not absolutely necessary. White vinegar and water in a ratio no greater than 1:1. Fill your water reservoir with 50% water and 50% white vinegar.

Why Do You Need Vinegar To Clean Coffee Maker?

Vinegar works incredibly as a natural cleaning agent for all over your home and not just your coffee machine. Although all types of vinegar work well, including balsamic vinegar, black vinegar, rice vinegar and apple cider vinegar. Distilled white vinegar is the type that I use as it is colorless and cheap to buy in bulk.

What Can I Run Through My Coffee Maker To Clean It?

You can use any cleaning solution as long as it is not toxic for consumption. It must be food safe since you are going to use your machine for this purpose. Ideally, it must not be flammable either.

In the case of vinegar, it is inflammable as it is diluted to make a 50% water and 50% vinegar mix.

Other popular cleaning agents include:

• Citric Acid.
• Lemon Juice.
• Bicarbonate Of Soda.

Can You Use Baking Soda And Vinegar To Clean Coffee Maker?

Yes, you can use baking soda and vinegar to clean your coffee machine, but don’t use them together. Rather than mix up and make your own DIY cleaning solution stick with what is getting your coffee maker clean.

Baking soda is great but is very alkaline and doesn’t clean the bacteria that may be building up inside. Vinegar is acidic, which does that sanitizing job for you. You can switch between cleaning solutions.

How Often Should You Run Vinegar Through Coffee Maker?

In my opinion you should run a light cleaning cycle every other week, every 15 days with bicarbonate of soda as a general all round maintenance and once per month with vinegar for a good deep cleaning cycle.

Don’t wait until your cleaning indicator comes on!

Final Thoughts – How To Clean Ninja 12-Cup Coffee Maker

It is important to learn how to clean Ninja 12-Cup coffee maker properly, and it is best learned when you first buy a coffee maker as you will know exactly what to do and be prepared.

Above all, you will know how to keep it clean and is perfect condition for making perfect coffee.

Join our fun and friendly coffee community and share your cleaning tips for cleaning your coffee maker with your fellow coffee lovers.

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