Are you a coffee lover and wish to start every morning with a refreshing cup of coffee? Well, nothing can beat the taste of the coffee made in a coffee maker.
Though at times, coffee machines behave in a complex manner, and they may sometimes ditch you when you need them the most.
If you are a coffee lover and love freshly made coffee from the best coffee machines, you must have come across a Keurig coffee maker.
Keurig is one of the famous coffee maker machine brands these days worldwide. The chances are that you already own one. You must be aware that this coffee machine has one of the most common problems that users are fed up with: The descale light stays on.
In our article today, we go over that particular problem which the coffee machine has and will also discuss a few tips to help you deal with it.
We understand that nothing can be more frustrating than seeing the light on for a prolonged time, because of which you will not be able to make your perfect cup. Sometimes the problem is so stubborn that even common fixes don’t work.
That said, if you have been trying normal descaling, it won’t work all the time. This is why we tried to dig deep into the matter to know how to get the descaling to work.
What Do Experts Say?
If you are trying to turn the light of the Keurig coffee machine off, and if descaling is also not working, you need to repeat the process with some more solutions.
That said, you will have to descale using other liquids that include citric acid, vinegar or sometimes water. You can also choose to let the liquid sit for a few hours.
If you are continuing using refillable cups, keep in mind that you will not overfill them. Also, keep the exit needle clean, and you can use a safety pin for this. There is more to it when it comes to descaling the coffee machine, and we will explore it more.
Keurig Coffee Machine Descaling
If you notice the descaling light of the machine coming out, you should know that there is an interruption in the normal flow of water.
Though it is not the only issue users face with their machines, it is significant. The idea of tossing too many plastic cups is not a good idea so that you can use a K-Cup instead.
A few refillable cups available in the market allow more room for the liquid to flow in than the others. Additionally, some users pack their cups very tightly, which further restricts water flow. Both the situations mentioned above can lead to turning the descaling light on.
As a Keurig user, you should know that the machines don’t have sensors inside the waterline, and you will know that there is something wrong when the water is not flowing as fast as it should.
Hence, it is recommended that when you fill your cup, the coffee shouldn’t be packed down, and also fill the cup only a little more than half of it. That said, don’t pour the content up till the rim.
Scaling The Coffee Machine
As soon as the water flows into the coffee machine, scaling occurs. This refers to the situation when several sediments, including the calcium ions, accumulate into the machine’s inner section. When this takes place, the descaling light of the machine turns on. This is a sign that your coffee unit requires cleaning, and there is a good amount of accumulation of dirt and similar substances.
If you don’t clean it as soon as required, the machine may soon stop working as expected. The descaling of the coffee machine is required frequently, and the period depends on the hardness of water that you use in the machine.
Reason Behind The Descaling Light Turning On
Nothing can upset your mood more than when you want to have coffee but end up finding that the light on the coffee machine is downhill. This light is a sign that the machine needs a thorough cleanup and that a regular descaling will not work.
Now, what to do when the coffee machine is not working, and you have tried several attempts.
When the dreaded light of the coffee machine turns on, it is a sign that there is an interruption in water flow. The build-up has scaled up in several parts of the coffee machine, and you will have to find out the solution to the problem. Not packing the coffee down is a smart thing to do.
Unless you clean the machine and descale it, the descaling light will not turn off. That said, you need to keep your coffee machine clean and hygienic to make sure that the light doesn’t turn on and you enjoy your coffee whenever you wish to.
How To Descale Your Coffee Maker?
One of the significant signs of descaling is that it’s already been three months since you last descaled the coffee machine.
Moreover, if you have not even descaled once, it’s time that you should clean it to ensure the required performance. You may have tied the refillable cup very tightly, interrupting the flow of water.
To fix this issue, you can remove the cup completely from the machine and see if the flow gets back to normal. If it does, there is a problem with the cup, and you need to tie it a bit lightly. If the flow doesn’t get normal, you will have to get started with descaling the Keurig coffee maker.
You can descale the coffee maker using many options that include citric acid, lemon juice, vinegar, etc.
Simple Steps to Clean The Machine
With the help of the following steps, you can descale the coffee machine and ensure that it performs without interruptions.
- Take the coffee machine, empty the entire water present inside it and remove the filter from the setup.
- You then need to turn the machine off to carry out the process further.
- Now pour the descale solution or any other solution inside the machine you are planning to clean.
- Fill a bottle with fresh water and then add the bottle to the reservoir to clean it.
- After turning the machine on, put the cup under it to get the disposal collected.
- Pour the collected mixture into the sink to get rid of it.
- The process repeats itself, adding fresh water to the machine, turning the light on.
- Turn the brewer on and let it run for around 30 minutes.
- It would help if you cleaned the water reservoir properly to ensure no residue is left.
- If you want the coffee machine to be cleaned immediately, you should perform these steps at least 10-15 times.
Cleaning the Exit Needle
The exit needle is made up of a piece of metal that will get damaged if a large object is being put by the user in the coffee machine. The exit needle is a significant part of the coffee machine since it pokes the machine. This also allows the coffee to dispense from the machine after the brewing is done. Despite being the smallest part of the coffee machine, it should be cleaned and cared for.
People often neglect it and are not aware of the cleaning process. That said, if the residue and other elements get accumulated in the needle too much, it may stop the coffee from flowing into the cup.
Conclusion
If the coffee machine is of Keurig and is not performing well or not dispensing coffee, you should choose to descale it. We hope that this article helped you learn how to descale your Keurig coffee machine. For optimum use, make sure to clean it after every use. This will prevent the scales from building up and interrupting the operations of your machine.
At times, you may not understand that calcium ions and other sediments have settled in the machine, which is preventing the operations. Also, hard water can damage your machine, and you should use filtered water when cleaning the machine.
FAQs
- How often should the coffee maker be descaled?
Descaling the coffee machine completely depends on the quality of water available in your area and the scale of accumulation in the machine. You will have to use the machine for the first few months to find suitable answers to such questions. If you descale it very often, the chances are that the buildup will not be much and that you can clean the machine quickly.
- How much vinegar should I use to descale my coffee machine?
Initially, when you run the solution in the machine, you should take water and vinegar in the ratio of 1:1. Take water and vinegar in equal parts and mix them up to form the solution. The turns depend on the accumulation on your machine and the duration for which it was not being cleaned.
