The Keurig is considered a luxurious coffee brewer used in both homes and shops. How long can you leave water in a Keurig machine though? With concerns that come from the process the machine uses to brew coffee, questions might arise concerning how long one can leave water in it.
How long can you leave water in a Keurig?
You can leave water in the Keurig for 3-4 days. But it is recommended that you refresh the reservoir of water after that, or properly reheat the water before its use.
The concern arises because some say that bacteria may grow in warm and moist environments. However, this might not be a major concern as bacteria cannot survive at temperatures above 75 degrees Celsius.
Should you even leave water in your Keurig?
Keurig machines are designed in such a way as to recycle water in the machine’s reservoir. This design is based on the regular use of the brewer.
This means that when the brewer is not being frequently used the reservoir should be kept without water. Having the water stagnant can lead to a build-up of limescale (which is a chalky deposit of calcium carbonate).
The substance can be harmful in large quantities but in small quantities quite harmless to health. Limescale however can become an enemy for those with sensitive taste buds, as it affects the taste of the coffee.
How long you can leave water in Keurig is therefore determined also by the time which it takes for limescale to appear. Therefore for coffee enthusiasts (who are most probably all personal Keurig owners), it is best to not leave water in your Keurig.
Do Keurig coffee makers get mouldy because of moisture?
If the version of a Keurig machine you have is not easy dismantled mould can be a concern. It is true that mould can build up in your Keurig.it is therefore very important to try as much as possible to keep the machine dry.
Mould usually appears in dark and moist places and it no wonder that it can accumulate in a Keurig brewer that is not well maintained but regularly used.
Many Keurig owners might have seen a video which showed a Keurig with a disgusting amount of mould in the filter. This might be a result of using water with a lot of minerals in it and also placing other substances like milk in the reservoir. And this will cause the filter and water lines to be clogged and giving mould a nice place to breed.
How often should I change the water in my Keurig?
If you leave water inside your Keurig just to have it ready for when you want to make your next cup of coffee, you will want to change out the water after every 3 to 4 days.
When you do it this way, you ensure that the water is not contaminated. This can happen due to bacteria growing in the water.
This may not be something you need to worry about as they will be killed by the intense heat when you brew your next cup.
How do I completely empty my Keurig?
Knowing how harmful it might be for your Keurig to leave water in it, you might have a challenge in emptying it. Here are some instructions and tips on completely emptying your Keurig brewer.
For most home use Keurig you need to firstly power off the machine, use a mug on the drip tray, and then lift the brewer handle to move leftover water from the Cold Reservoir to the Hot Reservoir.
Lastly hit the BREW button to empty out all the water from the Hot Water Reservoir. Some versions do have an external tank that is removable which makes it easy to empty the water out.
For other versions like the 2.0, it is not possible to empty out the internal tank, you can only clear out the removable reservoir tank and store it in a suitable environment where the water will not freeze.
If you want to empty the commercial versions of the Keurig for moving or storage each version has a specific guide to help you. And the good thing all of the commercial versions can be drained.
Keurig not pumping water?
Your Keurig might be giving you a brewing sound and yet nothing comes from the outlet. This is usually due to water not being pumped from the tanks or the machine.
Debris is usually the cause of interference in the water pump, a quick technique that helps is to clean the opening where water is pumped into the brewer.
The water flow may be also affected by a blockage in the filter of the machine; this is caused by using water with big mineral molecules in it.
To resolve this problem with water flow and the filter use a mixture of lemon juice and water in the reservoir tank, run it through the cycle several times.
The acid in the lemon juice helps to dissolve the particles clogging the water lines and filter. Another reason for the pump not working is some air bubbles in the waterline.
This can be resolved by filling the reservoir with some water and then moving it up and down until you do not see bubbles appearing.
If the problem persists it might be because the pump itself is damaged and it is best to get help from a professional in replacing the pump. Take care of your Keurig using it regularly. When not in use turning it off and storing it correctly to always have a healthy reliable coffee butler.
Conclusion on leaving water inside a Keurig
Your Keurig is a great machine that consistently delivers a perfect cup of coffee every time. To keep things that way, you need to make sure that you take the utmost care of it.
You can leave water in it for up to 4 days for health reasons. A good practice, however, is to make sure that you empty out the water after use and dry it out. Keeping it dry will prevent moulds from forming and your water from getting contaminated.