Keurig Machine

Cleaning the Keurig machine is pretty easy and should take 30 minutes at most. Cleaning supplies (dish brush, dish soap, vinegar, paper towel) can be found in the coffee/tea supply cabinet.

1. Turn off the machine and unplug. The machine's power switch is on the back of the machine in one of the top corners. This is important because if the machine is drained while it's on, the water heater can be permanently damaged.
2. Wash the removable elements. Remove the water tank and lid, mug stand, and K-cup holder and wash in the communal kitchen with dish soap and warm water. Attach these parts back to the machine.
3. Descale. This part takes the longest, but you can continue the cleaning routine while descaling happens. Fill 1/3 of the tank with vinegar and 1/3 with water from the cooler. Plug the machine back in and turn it on. Once it's warmed up, place an empty cup (at least 12 oz large) on the mug platform and start the brew cycle for a 12 oz drink without putting a pod in (you have to open and close the K-cup compartment to access the brew cycle options). Dump the water that comes out in an urn and continue to cycle the machine until the water tank is empty. Wash the water tank with soap and water, then fill it with water from the cooler and cycle the water through it to eliminate any residual vinegar. Rinse the tank again and fill with cooler water.
4. Wipe machine surfaces. Dampen a clean paper towel with warm water and wipe the part of the machine where the drink comes out well. Also wipe the machine surface, paying special attention to the bit behind where the mug sits, since this gets a fair deal of splash-back (you might want to use Lysol wipes for this part, and any other stubborn areas that don't come into contact with the dispensed drink).
5. Clean machine area. Using a Lysol wipe, clean the table/area where the coffee machine is. Make sure to move the machine and wipe underneath because stuff sometimes leaks there.
6. Restock supplies. Check to see if any coffee/tea/sugar/sweetener/creamer is low and refill from the supply cabinet.

If any supplies are running low, please email Tara so that she can put an order into the vendor.

Thank you!!

Cleaning should be done on Fridays (whatever time works for you).

Header image by jng104 (Flickr).