Keurig Descale Light Stays On: How to Fix it? – 2022 Guide

Everyone loves to enjoy their coffee in the morning or during any time of the day.

Someday when you take the Keurig and start it on and while placing your cuppa you don’t hear the usual sounds your Keurig makes and there is a light that turns on and stays on.

This usually happens because there is something being put into the machine and it needs a bit of time to do what it needs to do. When the Keurig makes these sounds, it is telling you it is done.

The first thing you may notice is the Keurig descale light stays on, and you may experience the coffee maker producing a weak or inconsistent cup of coffee.

Also, you may notice the water doesn’t seem to drain completely from the tank. You may even hear a faint gurgling noise. A clogged filter is the most common cause for these symptoms you should stop pouring when the light turns off and the machine then stops running.

This will cause the filter to need to be changed. You can tell because the water runs out. You need to let your machine rest for a minute and when you start it back up and insert the filter it will turn on immediately

Wondering how you should fix this irritating issue? Today we are going to look at the best possible way to fix the descale light on your Keurig staying on.

First of all, Keurig is a company that manufactures coffee makers that prepares single-serve coffee for you.

Why does the descale light come up?

It’s a problem that has plagued coffee maker owners since Keurig unveiled its innovative, single-serve coffee maker: Descaling light stays on.

It can be particularly frustrating when the problem is intermittent since it can be difficult to tell exactly when to descale the machine.

Regular maintenance will also keep your Keurig Coffee Maker from developing a stale or moldy smell. You should also clean out your coffee maker at the end of the brewing season and before it goes into storage.

In this article, I’ll explain what is causing your Keurig descale light to stay on, and how to fix it.

The purpose of the descale light is just to show or tell you that your coffee maker is dirty and needs cleaning.

When the water passes in the machine there is something that happens known as scaling. This simply happens when small particles of calcium and many other sediments get collected in the inner part of your coffee maker’s machine.

When something like this happens the descaling light will automatically turn on. In short, now your machine needs some cleaning. If the machine gets very dirty then it might also stop working.

How to solve the problem of descaling light on your Keurig?

The most appropriate reason for scaling is the hardness of your water. I would recommend you to use softer water for your Keurig machine. If you use hard water, there might be possibilities of getting your machine scaled regularly. Filtered water also makes a mess and turns on the light.

First Unplug the brewer and remove both the water reservoir. You should make a full rise out of your water reservoir.

You should avoid using filtered water. This ensures that the scale does not scratch your coffee machine and if it does, you can scrape the scale off. It is recommended to use freshwater.

A good piece of advice is to clean the scale when you take a break. Caffeine is very hard to dissolve in boiling water. Therefore, if you are about to use boiling water, make sure to scale your machine at least after a 30-minute rest. Also, you should check that the scale is functional before boiling your water.

It’s an exact and obvious reason behind the descaling light turning on in your Keurig. You can use a chemical that is known as Dezcal which will help you descale the machine.

You can also use vinegar to make the process easier and better. Use the mixture of Dezcal and vinegar inside the machine. This will make the descale light turn off.

Here is an official video from Keurig showing how to descale your Keurig coffee maker

If you want to maintain your machine you will need to use the descaling solution after several months. For this, you will need the descaling solution with you.

How to clean the machine in simple steps.

How to Clean The Keurig Exit Needle?

The exit needle is a piece of metal that can be damaged if you put a large object in the Keurig. The exit needle is a very important part because it pokes the coffee filter and makes a hole for the coffee to come out of while brewing. Since it is a small part, most people ignore it and don’t know how to clean it.

Here is hands on video for you demonstrating how to clean the exit needle.

For buying a Keurig coffee maker click the below-mentioned link.

Some Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. How often should I descale my Keurig?

It’s time for a Keurig maintenance 101: among the most common issues with these famous one-cup coffee makers is a tendency for them to become clogged with mineral deposits, and if you don’t clean the machine regularly, it will start to produce weaker, less flavorful coffee. It’s time to give your Keurig a tune-up.

We will give you some tips on how to descale your Keurig. Keurig Descaling Solutions

There are essentially two ways to descale your Keurig: a solution you can make at home using vinegar, or a more convenient solution with a Keurig descaling kit that you can buy at any major retailer.

Keurig recommends performing the descaling process approximately every 3 months.

Official Keurig recommends changing the water filter in the water tank every 2 months and using their rinse capsules once a week. Personally, I’ve never used the rinse capsules, but I think it’s a good idea to run a cycle or 2 with just water once in a while to keep the tubes clean.

2. Can I hit my Keurig to dislodge scale build-up?

If you have a Keurig coffee maker, you know that scale build-up can be a problem. Scale can make your machine less efficient and cause your coffee to taste bad.

Coffee machines are not cheap! The Keurig—a single-cup coffee maker that lets you make just one coffee at a time—is no exception. If you have one, you probably don’t want to take chances with it. That’s why you keep it clean—and not just the outside, but the inside, too. You have a habit of taking the handle off the top, washing it, and then putting it back on. You know you should do that once a month, but you’re busy, and you’ve got other things to do, so it just keeps slipping your mind.

Of course, I’m sure Keurig doesn’t recommend it and your warranty may be voided. However, there are people who rely on this method when all else fails. It even has the official name “Slap and Burp Method”.

In this article, I will talk about this in more detail, including what not to do to avoid voiding the warranty. But here’s a quick step-by-step guide.

Basically, you are trying to relax with perseverance. But there is another potential benefit. Your Keurig has a magnet that matches the water tank magnet (so Keurig knows how little water is available).

Too much lime build-up can cause the magnet to stick and give it the dreaded light of light, even when there is a lot of water.

3. How do I descale my Keurig with lemon juice?

If you have used your Keurig for a long time, you may find that the water from the machine is not tasting as fresh as it once did. This might be because of calcification in your Keurig, and one of the best ways to fix this is to descale your machine. Although descaling is quite simple, many people struggle to do it.

When you have a Keurig coffee maker, you may have to descale it from time to time. This is especially true if you have hard water and/or use mineral-rich distilled water. However, you don’t need to pay for the expensive descaling solutions sold in stores. You can make your own descaling solution using lemon juice and vinegar.

You will need a 1:1 ratio of lemon juice to water to make the mixture. So you will need about 7oz of lemon juice (almost 1 cup).

4. How do I descale my Keurig with citric acid?

While there are some methods to descale a Keurig without citric acid (e.g., vinegar), these methods take more effort than using citric acid, which is readily available in a household’s kitchen.  Coffee is one of the most popular drinks in the world, with billions of people drinking it every day.

But no matter how much you love the stuff, nothing ruins a cup of coffee like a stale, or sour, taste. That’s where descaling comes in. Descaling is a process that removes mineral deposits and other impurities from your coffee maker. It is really important to descale on a regular basis since it helps keep your coffee tasting its best. It’s easy to forget to descale your coffeemaker, but there is a simple solution: citric acid.

After the normal descaling process of your Keurig, use 1-2 tablespoons of citric acid powder in a full water container (depending on the size of your unit).

Citric acid powder can usually be found in the baking section of your grocery store, where pectin and gelatin can be found. But you can also find out where they carry vitamin C pills.

Citric acid is the primary ingredient in Keurig’s official descaling solution, but buying a 1 lb bag would be more economical than buying their descaling solution (which is about 50% water).

5. How much vinegar do I use to clean my Keurig?

This seems like a simple question, but there are a lot of conflicting opinions out there.

The quick answer is to use just enough vinegar to make the water cloudy. Most people believe that more vinegar = greater cleanliness, but it is actually the other way around.

To clean a Keurig, first, add the vinegar to the water, then run a cleaning cycle.

Stirring the solution should be done with a ratio of 1 to 1 of white vinegar to the water.

For most Keurigs, this means you will need a total of 14 ounces of homemade descaling solution.

So mix 7 ounces or white vinegar with 7 ounces of water.

This will get rid of all the old coffee grounds and leave it smelling fresh. If the machine still doesn’t smell clean after that, repeat the process. To avoid this problem in the first place, run a vinegar-water cycle once a week.

If the coffee oil and coffee dust are not cleaned, the coffee will brew with a bad taste.

6. How to drain a Keurig

There are a few different ways to do this, depending on the model of your keurig coffee machine. For models that have a removable water reservoir, like the K50, K55, and K60, remove the water reservoir and pour out all of the coffee. Pour about 2 cups of cold water into the reservoir and place the coffee filter over the spout.

Push down on the plunger until the coffee is fully drained. For models that do not have a removable water reservoir, like the K-Classic, K50 Elite, and K55 Elite, remove the reservoir and clean it using vinegar or dish soap. Place new coffee grounds in the machine and push down on the plunger until coffee is brewed.

7. Why does my Keurig still say descale after I already did it?

It is possible that the water in your machine is still too cold. Make sure that you wait at least two hours after your last use of the machine before you put water into it again. If you are still having problems after trying these tips, please contact customer service.

8. How do you get out of descaling mode?

If you’re having trouble getting your Keurig coffee machine out of descale mode, there are a few things you can try. The first thing to do is check the water level – if it’s low, the machine may not be able to reach operating temperature and may enter into descale mode.

Secondly, make sure your water is fresh by using cold water and letting the machine run for a few minutes before using it to brew your coffee. If all else fails, you can try resetting the machine by unplugging it for five minutes and then plugging it back in.

Conclusion

Descaling light is a light that reminds you to regularly clean your machine when required and you don’t have to worry if your Keurig stops working it might only due to the calcium particles cloaked inside the machine.

We learned that using Hard water might damage your machine.

And descaling should be done regularly and the solution to use for the same.

For preventing the descaling light to turn on and use the selective solution within three months and wash the machine with it.