How To Clean A Keurig Needle (Step-by-Step Guide)
If your Keurig shows an error message that says ‘Water Under Pressure’ every time you turn it on, you are brewing trouble. It means that the hollow needles that pierce the K-Cup are badly clogged, and it’s time for you to clean them.
Thankfully, it’s easy to enough to do on your own. Simply remove the pod holder to take out the funnel. Next, use a paper clip to remove dirt from around the needles. Replace them and run two brew cycles to check if your machine’s working fine now.
Clogged Keurig needles are a minor inconvenience at best and nothing to worry about, really. Coffee grinds, cocoa mix, and tea leaves, etc. can cause them to clog up, resulting in the rise of pressure behind the congested area. This results in the error message we discussed above.
Another common over-pressure message that Keurig machines also display is, “Sorry, brew interrupted.” In addition to these errors, you may also find that your machine no longer brews the selected size of the cup. This can ruin your entire coffee experience and again, clogged needles are to blame.
Don’t get left stranded with a short-cup. Instead, follow this step-by-step guide to clean the needles and ensure that Keurig is always ready to deliver at the click of a button.
How To Clean Keurig Needle
Who doesn’t like uninterrupted access to their morning brew? But it can be challenging to get a good brew going when your Keurig refuses to cooperate. Chances are that cleaning the needles will fix the issue.
The top needle on a Keurig Brewer can be found under the head of the brewer – the portion you usually lift. Right there, you’ll find two holes and an extremely sharp point. Grab a paper clip and insert it into the holes of the entrance needle, and move it around to remove debris.
Remove the clogs following this method, and you Keurig will be good as new and ready to return to work in no time at all:
Access The Keurig Needles
The first thing you need to do to clean the needles of the Keurig Brewer is to find your way to them. Here’s how you can do it:
Step 1: Turn Off The Keurig
Unplug it from the GFCI outlet as well. It’ll keep you safe from unlikely electric shocks and burns.
Step 2: Remove Pod Holder From The Keurig Brewer
Lift the handle of the machine as if you were putting in one of the K-cups. Then, hold the top of your pod holder with the left hand, and carefully push it up with your right hand. This way, the pod will come out easily from the machine.
Step 3: Take Out The Funnel From The Holder
Grab the top of the holder with your left hand and the funnel with the right, and carefully pull them apart. The two pieces will separate without much difficulty.
However, if you’re new to the Keurig machines or this is the first time you are doing the cleaning, then separating the pod holder and the funnel might be a bit tough for you. If that’s your situation currently, all you’ve to do is place the two pieces under hot running water to loosen them up.
Unclog The Keurig Needles
Here’s how to do it:
Step 1: Insert A Paper Clip or Maintenance Accessory Into The Tube Of The Holder
Clean the exit needle by first flipping it upside down. Now grab a paper clip, and straighten it up if it’s bent. Once you do it, insert your paper clip into the small tube at the bottom, and move it around for about half a minute only.
You can also use the Brewer Maintenance Accessory to clean the buildup of dirt and coffee particles clogging the needle of the machine. Ideally, a 30-second rotation is enough to remove clogs.
Step 2: Wash The Funnel And The Pod Holder With Tap Water
Rinse them with running tap water and use a cloth or a sponge to remove any remaining dirt. This washing will clean the pod holder’s exit needle as well, but be careful not to accidentally stick your finger into the needle.
Pro tip: Use a portable dishwasher to do this right.
Step 3: Find The Entrance Needle In The Keurig’s Head
To locate the entrance needle, you need to lift the handle of the brewer and open the location where K-cups are inserted. Now you should be able to see the needle right at the bottom of the head.
Step 4: Take Out The Particles From The Entrance Needle
You’ll find that the entrance needle has openings on each side. Grab a straightened paper clip and insert it into the openings on each side of the needle.
Start moving the paper clip back and forth so that the clogged particles get dislodged, but do it with great care as entrance needles are incredibly sharp.
Wind It Up
It’s time to finish the clean process. Here’s how to do it:
Step 1: Connect The Funnel And The Pod Holder
Before you put these two pieces back together, make sure they’re perfectly dry. Now, align the side slots of the pod holder and the funnel and push them together.
Pro tip: To be sure that the two pieces are connected, keep pushing them until you hear a ‘click’ sound.
Step 2: Re-Insert The Pod Holder Back To The Keurig
Put the tabs on the pod holder against the same openings on the Keurig. Make sure when you place the pod holder back to the machine, the side with the two tabs is positioned on the bottom while the side with one tab is on top. As the pod holder is adjusted, press down on its top until it sits nicely into the place.
Step 3: Check The Keurig Needles With Two Brew Cycles Of Water
Close the brewer machine, and grab your cup. Put it on the tray and fill up the water reservoir.
Make sure you pick a large mug for the brew cycles and start running it. Two brew cycles with only water will be sufficient to flush any remaining dirt particles. Once you run the second cycle, feel free to insert your K-cup for some nice and fresh coffee.
Follow a consistent maintenance schedule, clean the Keurig needles every 8 to 10 weeks, and you won’t have a problem.
Related Questions
What Are Some DIY Cleaning Tips For My Keurig?
To clean the Keurig machine, use vinegar. For better results, use white vinegar as it can remove from the machine lime and other dirt buildups. Also, you can use a DIY descaling solution. For this, you need to pour an equal amount of water and vinegar into the machines’ reservoir until it becomes full.
How Do I Replace The Keurig Puncture Needle?
Here are the steps to replace the needle:
- Lift the handle
- Find and remove the two screws on each side of the handle
- Take out the broken handle from the machine and change it with the new you bought
- Find and remove the two 9.5 mm screws
- Remove the plastic ring placed around the K-cup holder
- Now, take out the two screws from underneath the lid
- Separate the lid form the Keurig brewer
- Find and remove the two screws you see on the top of the Puncture Needle
- Squeeze the hose first and then try to pull it; this way you can easily separate it from the Puncture Needle
- Carefully, take out the Puncture Needle Assembly form the brewer machine
- Attach the new one using the same process.
Use bottled water for the best kind of results.
Softened water may not give you the best possible coffee. It has a high level of sodium ions that can make tea leaves and coffee grounds impenetrable by hot water. If you can’t get a stellar cup of coffee from your Keurig no matter how hard you try, use bottled water.
Ian Haynes is a digital marketing specialist and has successfully written hundreds of home improvement guides. Outside of his work, Ian likes fixing old bikes and exploring Brooklyn with his Labrador.
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