Why Keurigs Grow Mold, and the Weekly Routine That Stops It

Your Keurig is a damp, warm box that rarely gets taken apart, and Tasting Table says that makes it an easy place for mold to settle in. The site’s explainer walks through where it grows and the routine that keeps it out.

The drip tray is the worst offender, according to the piece, since it sits under every cup collecting spills. But any part that stays wet and doesn’t get washed can go the same way. Tasting Table suggests a light clean once a week: wash the pod holder, reservoir, spill tray and filter holder with mild soap, skip anything with bleach, ammonia or alcohol, and let every part dry fully before you put it back together.

Scale is the other half of it. Mineral deposits leave rough spots inside the machine where gunk can cling, so the article recommends descaling a few times a year with Keurig’s solution or plain white vinegar. Vinegar is cheaper, it notes, but plan on two or three rinse cycles to get the smell out. If your model has a charcoal water filter, Tasting Table says to swap it every two months or about 60 brews, soaking the new one for a few minutes and rinsing it before it goes in.

Our take: the article gives two different descaling intervals, so don’t sweat the exact number. Descale when the brewer starts running slow or the descale light comes on, and empty the reservoir if you’re going away for more than a couple of days. Our Keurig descaling guide has the step-by-step, and if your cups come out short afterward, cleaning the needles usually fixes it.