How To Use Keurig Rinse Pods: An Easy Way To Keep Your Brewer Clean

What do you get when you mix french vanilla, hazelnut and caramel flavored coffee together? Something that tastes a bit off… If you use your Keurig to brew flavored coffees, hot chocolate or even tea, you may have noticed that your coffee starts to taste a bit different over time. That’s because pods leave behind flavor residue and oils. If not cleaned, they can end up in your next cup of coffee. If you want to keep your brewer clean, learn how to use Keurig rinse pods.

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What Is A Keurig Rinse Pod?

Over time, residue and oil from coffee grinds can build up in your coffee maker. A Keurig rinse pod is the easiest way to clean your K-cup pod holder. These pods contain a special formula that can rinse away the leftover coffee residue and oils. Keeping your pod holder clean will give you a better tasting cup of coffee.

What’s Inside A Keurig Rinse Pod?

Keurig rinse pods contain only four ingredients:

• Maltodextrin: a processed, plant-based powder made corn, rice, wheat or potato starch
• Citric Acid: a gentle cleansing acid that is safe and effective on the metal parts inside your brewer
• Sodium Citrate: an acid neutralizer derived from citric acid
• Sodium Bicarbonate: an acid neutralizer also known as baking soda

These ingredients create a safe and effective cleaning agent that is gentle and odorless. It is made in the USA.

Rinse Pods vs Descaling Solution

Both rinse pods and descaling solution contain citric acid, but they serve purposes. A rinse pod goes in the K-cup holder and can clean that area specifically. On the other hand, the liquid descaling solution goes into your water tank and travels all the way through your brewer. This enables the descaling solution to remove limescale from all of the areas where water flows through.

Use the rinse pods weekly or in between flavored coffee brews. Use the descaling solution when prompted by your Keurig or every three months, whichever comes first. If your machine is not pumping water well, it is a sign that you need to descale.

How To Use Rinse Pods

The cleaning pods work with all Keurig coffee makers except the Vue system. Just follow these simple steps:

1. Place a large cup on the drip tray
2. Lift handle and insert rinse pod
3. Lower handle and select 8 oz brew size
4. When done, remove and discard the rinse pod
5. Empty the cup and place it back on the drip tray
6. Run an 8 oz water brew to rinse your Keurig

When To Use Rinse Pods

Keurig advises using a rinse pod once a week. However, if you often use your brewer to make hot chocolate, tea or a variety of flavored coffees, you may want to use them more often.

If you use a Keurig to make hot water and the hot water starts tasting like coffee, you should run a cleaning rinse. Or if you use it to brew tea every now and then and the tea starts to taste like coffee, the pod holder needs cleaning. Using a rinse pod before and after you make hot chocolate or tea will ensure any residue doesn’t end up in your next cup of coffee (or vice versa).

Using in between brewing different flavored coffee K-cups will prevent any mixing of the flavors. That way you can enjoy your coffee as the manufacturer intended.