You know it’s time to clean your pod holder when your fresh cup of coffee tastes like yesterdays that’s been left out all night – yuck!
Using a rinse pod is just as easy and convenient as brewing a coffee and far easier that dissasembline the capsule mechanism and flushing it manually.
To use a rinse pod, first take the pod and place it on the pod holder. Next, lower the handle, select the largest brew size (typically 10oz), and let the device brew like normal. Then run a clean water brew to remove any residual solution. And you’re done.
Now you’re ready to brew another tasty cup of coffee.
If you want to learn more about how to use Keurig rinse pods, carry on reading this post.
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Table of Contents
What Do Keurig Rinse Pods Do?
Keurig rinse pods clean the k-cup holder on your brewer. With frequent use, the pod holder can build up grime and mold, as well as retain the flavors of your previous brews.
If it’s not clean, any subsequent coffees will taste terrible, and you also risk making yourself sick.
How Often Do You Need To Use Rinse Pods?
To ensure your brewer maintains its peak performance, Keurig recommends you use the pods once a week or anytime after brewing.
Rinse Pods vs. Descaling
The process of rinsing and descaling your machine is similar in that they help maintain the effectiveness of your device- and the cleaning agents contain citric acid. But there are some differences between the two. The table below summarizes these differences.
| Rinse Pods | Descaling | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | To reduce flavor carryover. | To remove and prevent mineral build-up and scale. |
| How it’s used | Placed on a k-cup pod holder – it only cleans the holder. | Added to the water tank so it can access the internal parts of the brewer for a deep clean. |
| Frequency | Once a week or after every brew. | Every 3-6 months |
What’s Inside A Keurig Rinse Pod?
The inside of a rinse pod contains cleaning agents. These agents are.
- Maltodextrin: a white powder processed from vegetable starches like corn, rice, wheat, or potato.
- Sodium bicarbonate: commonly known as bicarbonate of soda or baking soda. It’s an antacid used for medicinal purposes like the relief of heartburn. It’s also widely used as a substitute for chemical-based cleaning products.
- Citric acid: a compound that naturally occurs in citrus foods. It’s also used as a cleaning agent, as in the case of the rinse pods.
- Sodium citrate: commonly known as the “sodium” of citric acid; used as a preservative and acid neutralizer.
How To Use Keurig Rinse Pods (Step-By-Step Guide)
Similar to brewing coffee, rinse pods are simple, fast, and convenient to utilize. Here’s how to use Keurig rinse pods.
- Place a large container on the drip tray.
- Lift the handle and place the rinse pod on the pod holder.
- Lower the handle and select the 8oz brew size.
- When the brewing’s complete, remove and discard the rinse pod.
- Discard the brewed rinse solution.
- Return the container to the drip tray and run an 8oz water brew to rinse any residual solution on the holder.
- When brewing’s complete, discard the water.
Where To Buy Rinse Pods
Here are three convenient places to buy rinse pods that offer value for your money.
1. Target
Price: $8.79 ($7.03 when purchased online) works out to 70c each
Quantity: 10 pods
2. Amazon – Cheapest!
Price: $40.99
Quantity: 10 pods (pack of 6) working out to 68c each – the cheapest in our roundup!
Keurig Rinse Pods: Buy at Amazon
- Price: $40.99
- 10 pods (pack of 6) working out to 68c each – the cheapest in our roundup!
3. Walmart
Price: $18.87 or $1.89 each
Quantity: 10 pods
Frequently Asked Questions About Rinse Pods
Q. How do you use the rinse cycle on a Keurig?
You use it as you would when brewing a cup of coffee. When running the rinse cycle, you should select the largest brew size so that the pod holder gets a proper deep rinse. Here’s how to use the rinse cycle on your Keurig.
1. Place a large container on the drip tray.
2. Lift the handle and place the rinse pod on the pod holder.
3. Lower the handle and select the 8oz brew size.
4. When the brewing’s complete, remove and discard the rinse pod.
5. Discard the brewed rinse solution.
6. Return the container to the drip tray and run an 8oz water brew to rinse any residual solution on the holder.
7. When brewing’s complete, discard the water.
Q. Are Keurig rinse pods necessary?
Keurig rinse pods are necessary. If you brew several cups of coffee daily, there might be remnants of the previous brew. This is especially true if you switch between beverages like coffee, cocoa, and tea.
So, to remove residue and prevent these flavors from carrying over and spoiling your drink, it’s best to use rinse pods.
Q. Are Keurig rinse pods toxic?
No, Keurig rinse pods are completel nontoxic and safe for everyday use. They contain the following natural cleaning agents
Maltodextrin: a white powder processed from vegetable starches like corn, rice, wheat, or potato.
Sodium bicarbonate: commonly known as bicarbonate of soda or baking soda. It’s an antacid used for medicinal purposes like the relief of heartburn. It’s also widely used as a substitute for chemical-based cleaning agents.
Citric acid: a compound that naturally occurs in citrus foods. It’s also used as a cleaning agent, as in the case of the rinse pods.
Sodium citrate: commonly known as the “sodium” of citric acid; used as a preservative and acid neutralizer.
Q. Do Keurig rinse pods descale?
Keurig rinse pods do not descale, they only clean one portion of the machine – the pod holder. If you want to descale your brewer, you can purchase a descaling solution to remove and prevent mineral and scale buildup.
Not the right machine for you? Check out our other descaling guides for Keurig coffee machines below:
Conclusion
Cleaning your pod holder is an essential part of ensuring you drink a tasty fresh cup of coffee. It differs from descaling in that it only cleans the pod holder, whereas descaling cleans the internal components of your brewer.
Cleaning the holder prevents flavor carryover that can potentially spoil your favorite drink. Depending on how often you brew coffee, you can perform this task after every brew or once every week.
So, if you don’t want to throw out a fresh brew, do yourself a favor and rinse the pod holder.
