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Give your coffee pot a deep clean with our simple guide
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Cleaning your Ninja coffee maker periodically is important if you want to keep it running efficiently. Over time, hard water causes calcium to build up in the machine. To remove these calcium deposits, you can use the machine’s clean cycle function. It’s very simple. Just pour a mixture of descaling solution and water, or white vinegar and water, into the water reservoir and press the “clean” button. You should run this clean cycle as soon as the clean light on your machine turns on to keep your coffee maker working at its best.

Part 1
Part 1 of 2:

Starting the Clean Cycle

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  1. The “clean” button is located at the bottom right of your coffee maker. You’ll know it’s time to clean your unit when a thin red light appears under the word “clean.”[1]
    • Although you’ll still be able to make a pot of coffee if the clean light is on, you’ll still want to clean your unit as soon as possible.[2]
  2. Descaling solution helps remove calcium buildup from your machine, which can improve its performance and the flavor of your coffee. Look at the directions on the specific bottle of descaling solution you’re using to find out exactly how much solution to use.[3]
    • You can purchase descaling solution at your local supermarket, or on the manufacturer’s website.
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  3. White vinegar works just as well as descaling solution and is also cheaper.[4] [5] Start by pouring vinegar into the water reservoir up to the “travel mug” line, or about 16 fluid ounces (470 mL). Then, add water until the liquid reaches the “Max Fill” line.[6]
    • Use only white vinegar. Other types of vinegar—such as rice vinegar, balsamic vinegar, or black vinegar—won’t work.
    • The travel mug line is the second line from the bottom on your water reservoir.
    • Be careful never to fill your reservoir above the Max Fill line.[7]
  4. To do this, turn the dial on your unit all the way to the right. Be sure to also put the carafe under the brew basket before beginning.[8]
  5. When you press the “clean” button, the letters “CLN” and the countdown timer of the clean cycle will appear on the clock display. Don’t press any other buttons while the clean cycle is running.[9]
    • A clean cycle will usually last around 1 hour. Although, clean times may vary depending on the model you have.
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Part 2
Part 2 of 2:

Flushing Your Unit with Water

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  1. When the clean cycle ends, the light next to the clock display will flash, and the word “Flush” will appear on the display. To empty the carafe, simply pour the liquid into your sink.[10]
    • The liquid in the carafe will be hot, just like freshly-brewed coffee, so be careful when pouring it out.
  2. Once you’ve poured the liquid out of your carafe, put the carafe back under the brew basket. Then, fill the reservoir up to the “Max Fill” line with water.[11]
    • This first flush will take around 8 minutes.
    • You don’t need to add descaling solution or white vinegar for this step.
  3. Once the clean cycle with water finishes, dump out the water, and repeat the flushing process. These flushing cycles will help clear the descaling solution, or white vinegar, out of your machine, keeping your next pot of coffee fresh and tasty.[12] [13]
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    How I descale my Ninja coffee maker?
    James Sears
    James Sears
    House Cleaning Professional
    James Sears leads the customer happiness team at Neatly, a group of cleaning gurus based in Los Angeles and Orange County, California. James and the team have nine years of experience and offer green cleaning, interior and exterior window washing, and general apartment cleaning services. He provides transformative cleaning experiences by reducing clutter and renewing your home environment. James is a Trustee Scholar at the University of Southern California.
    James Sears
    House Cleaning Professional
    Expert Answer
    Fill up the coffee maker's reservoir with white vinegar and run it through your machine. After that, flush the system out by running another cycle with clean water.
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Things You’ll Need

  • Descaling solution or white vinegar
  • Water

About This Article

Marcus Shields
Co-authored by:
House Cleaning Professional
This article was co-authored by Marcus Shields. Marcus is the owner of Maid Easy, a local residential cleaning company in Phoenix, Arizona. His cleaning roots date back to his grandmother who cleaned homes for valley residents in the 60’s through the 70’s. After working in tech for over a decade, he came back to the cleaning industry and opened Maid Easy to pass his family’s tried and true methods to home dwellers across the Phoenix Metro Area. This article has been viewed 239,482 times.
21 votes - 85%
Co-authors: 4
Updated: June 19, 2024
Views: 239,482
Categories: Coffeemakers
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 239,482 times.

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