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Food and Entertaining
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Coffee
Coffee Accessories
Coffee Machines
Coffeemakers
How to Clean a Keurig Needle Download ArticleExplore this Article parts 1 Accessing the Needles 2 Unclogging the Needles 3 Finishing the Clean Other Sections VideoWATCH NOW Things You'll Need Tips and Warnings Related Articles Expert Interview References Article Summary Co-authored by Ryan Santos
Last Updated: March 31, 2025 Approved
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This article was co-authored by Ryan Santos. Ryan Santos is a Cleaning Expert and the Operations Manager at Spekless Cleaning in Washington D.C. Ryan has over five years of experience in the cleaning industry and his team has extensive knowledge of apartment, commercial, and home cleaning services. He and his team also write blog posts and share cleaning tips based on their in-field experience. Spekless Cleaning is rated as the top cleaning company in Washington D.C. There are 12 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 81% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 159,958 times.
If your Keurig is sputtering, operating slowly, or brewing only partial cups of coffee, one or both of your unit’s needles may be clogged. Cleaning your Keurig’s needles is a fast and easy process, which should take you no longer than around 5 minutes or so. All you need is a paper clip and running water or a dishwasher. After unclogging the needles, your Keurig should run like new again.[1]XResearch source
How to Clean the Needle of a Keurig
Take out the pod holder and remove the funnel (lower part). Insert a paper clip into the tube at the bottom of the holder, move it around for ten seconds, then rinse it out with water. Open your Keurig, find the entrance needle on top, and clear it out with a paper clip, too.
Steps
Part 1 Part 1 of 3:
Accessing the Needles
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1 Turn off and unplug your Keurig.[2]X Expert Source Ryan SantosCleaning ExpertExpert Interview This is an important safety step. Disconnecting your Keurig will help protect you from electric shock and burns.[3]XResearch source
2 Take the pod holder out of your machine. To do this, simply lift the handle on your Keurig as if you were getting ready to put in a K-Cup. Then, grab the top of the pod holder with one hand, and use your other hand to push the pod holder up from underneath.[4]XResearch source
The pod holder is the place where you insert your K-Cups.
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3 Remove the funnel from the pod holder. Grab onto the top of the pod holder with one hand and the funnel with your other hand. Then, pull the two pieces apart.[5]XResearch source
The funnel is the piece that fits onto the bottom of the pod holder.
Taking these two pieces apart might be a little difficult to do if this is your first time doing it. If you can’t pull the 2 pieces apart, try placing them under hot running water to loosen the connection.
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Unclogging the Needles
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1 Insert a paper clip into the tube at the bottom of the pod holder.[6]X Expert Source Ryan SantosCleaning ExpertExpert Interview To clean the exit needle, flip the pod holder upside down. Then, straighten a paper clip and insert it into the small tube. Move it around for 10-30 seconds to loosen up any clogs that have built up around the exit needle.[7]XResearch source
You won’t be able to poke all the way through this tube, so don’t press too hard when you meet resistance.
2 Rinse the pod holder and funnel with running tap water.[8]X Expert Source Ryan SantosCleaning ExpertExpert Interview As you’re rinsing the 2 pieces, use a clean cloth or sponge to loosen up and wipe away any caked-on grime. This rinsing will also help clean the exit needle.[9]XResearch source
Take care not to accidentally poke your finger with the exit needle.
You can also clean the pod holder and funnel in a dishwasher, but only if you put them on the top rack.
Set the 2 pieces on a dry towel to dry.
3 Locate the entrance needle under the brewer head. Lift your Keurig’s brewer handle to open the place where you insert your K-Cups. The entrance needle is located on the underside of the top half.[10]XResearch source
If you look closely, you’ll see that there are openings on both sides of the needle.
The entrance needle is very sharp, so be careful when you’re cleaning it.
4 Remove particles from the entrance needle with a paper clip. Take the paper clip you straightened in the earlier step and insert it into the openings on both sides of the entrance needle. Move it around to help loosen up and knock away any caked-on grime.[11]XResearch source
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Finishing the Clean
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1 Put the pod holder and the funnel back together. Wait until the pod holder and funnel are completely dry. Then, align the side slots and push the 2 pieces together.[12]XResearch source
Push the pieces until you hear a click.
2 Reinsert the pod holder into your Keurig. Align the tabs on the pod holder with the matching openings on the machine. Position the pod holder so that the side with 2 tabs is on the bottom and the side with 1 tab is on top. Once the pod holder is aligned, push down on its top until it snaps into place.[13]XResearch source
The white arrow on the holder’s rim should be on top and centered.
3 Run 2 brew cycles with water only. After you close your machine, place a large mug on your unit’s tray, and fill your water reservoir with water. Select the largest cup size and start a brew cycle. Two water-only rinse cycles should be enough to flush out any grime that you loosened up.[14]XResearch source
After the second rinse cycle, you can insert a K-Cup and enjoy a fresh cup of coffee!
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Things You’ll Need
Clean metal paperclip
Running tap water or a dishwasher
Dry towel
Large mug
Tips
Try hitting the pod against the counter a few times to dislodge the grounds if nothing else works. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published Name Please provide your name and last initial Submit Thanks for submitting a tip for review! Advertisement
Warnings
Keurig needles are sharp, so take care when cleaning them. Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 2
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Expert Interview
Thanks for reading our article! If you'd like to learn more about cleaning appliances, check out our in-depth interview with Ryan Santos.
Co-authored by: Ryan Santos Cleaning Expert This article was co-authored by Ryan Santos. Ryan Santos is a Cleaning Expert and the Operations Manager at Spekless Cleaning in Washington D.C. Ryan has over five years of experience in the cleaning industry and his team has extensive knowledge of apartment, commercial, and home cleaning services. He and his team also write blog posts and share cleaning tips based on their in-field experience. Spekless Cleaning is rated as the top cleaning company in Washington D.C. This article has been viewed 159,958 times. 19 votes - 81% Co-authors: 7Updated: March 31, 2025 Views: 159,958 Categories: CoffeemakersArticle SummaryX
The needles on a Keurig can sometimes get clogged up, so try cleaning them if your Keurig isn’t working properly. You’ll need to unplug the Keurig and take out the pod holder, then separate the funnel from the bottom of the pod holder so you can access the needles. To clean the exit needle, turn the pod holder upside down and slide an unbent paperclip into the small tube at the bottom. Wiggle it around for 30 seconds to loosen any clogs, then rinse the pod holder and funnel in warm, soapy water. Keep reading to learn how to clean the entrance needle!Did this summary help you?YesNo
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Reader Success Stories
Patricia Fleming
Jul 31, 2021
"OMG. I literally (and I do mean literally) just dug my Keurig out of the trash and tried this. I'm drinking a cup of liquid gold right now! Cleaning the bottom needle was the trick for me. I tried cleaning the top needle with no luck. This works!"..." more
More reader stories Hide reader stories Share your story
Did this article help you?
Yes No Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Co-authored by: Ryan Santos Cleaning Expert Co-authors: 7Updated: March 31, 2025 Views: 159,95881% of readers found this article helpful. 19 votes - 81% Click a star to add your vote
Patricia Fleming
Jul 31, 2021
"OMG. I literally (and I do mean literally) just dug my Keurig out of the trash and tried this. I'm drinking a cup of liquid gold right now! Cleaning the bottom needle was the trick for me. I tried cleaning the top needle with no luck. This works!"..." more
Lex Hamlin
Mar 9, 2023
"So glad I finally Googled my question and found this wikiHow. After 4 days of failure to brew, I was ready to kick it to the curb. Easy peasy and no surgical dissection of the offending K-cup was necessary. Thanks for posting this solution. :)"..." more Rated this article:
Anonymous
Aug 23, 2023
"I didn't want to dispense water, so I followed the directions on how to clean the needles, and it worked! Thank you."..." more
Dru Arnold
Jan 13, 2021
"The pictures, along with the clear description, really helped. Success in fixing my Keurig flow problem! Thank you!"
Cheryl Morton
Jul 25, 2019
"Really easy-to-understand written instructions and very clear videos on how to clean everything inside the Keurig!" Share yours! More success stories Hide success stories
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Download Article Explore this Article parts 1 Accessing the Needles 2 Unclogging the Needles 3 Finishing the Clean Other Sections VideoWATCH NOW Things You'll Need Tips and Warnings Related Articles Expert Interview References Article Summary Co-authored by Ryan Santos 
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Co-authored by: Ryan Santos Cleaning Expert This article was co-authored by Ryan Santos. Ryan Santos is a Cleaning Expert and the Operations Manager at Spekless Cleaning in Washington D.C. Ryan has over five years of experience in the cleaning industry and his team has extensive knowledge of apartment, commercial, and home cleaning services. He and his team also write blog posts and share cleaning tips based on their in-field experience. Spekless Cleaning is rated as the top cleaning company in Washington D.C. This article has been viewed 159,958 times. 19 votes - 81% Co-authors: 7 Updated: March 31, 2025 Views: 159,958 Categories: Coffeemakers Article SummaryX
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1 Turn off and unplug your Keurig.[2] This is an important safety step. Disconnecting your Keurig will help protect you from electric shock and burns.[3] 
2 Take the pod holder out of your machine. To do this, simply lift the handle on your Keurig as if you were getting ready to put in a K-Cup. Then, grab the top of the pod holder with one hand, and use your other hand to push the pod holder up from underneath.[4] 
3 Locate the entrance needle under the brewer head. Lift your Keurig’s brewer handle to open the place where you insert your K-Cups. The entrance needle is located on the underside of the top half.[10] 
3 Run 2 brew cycles with water only. After you close your machine, place a large mug on your unit’s tray, and fill your water reservoir with water. Select the largest cup size and start a brew cycle. Two water-only rinse cycles should be enough to flush out any grime that you loosened up.[14] 
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