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Coffeemakers
How to Properly Clean Your Ninja Coffee Machine Download Article Give your coffee pot a deep clean with our simple guide Co-authored by Marcus Shields
Last Updated: June 28, 2025 Fact Checked
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Starting the Clean Cycle
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Flushing Your Unit with Water
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Video
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Expert Q&A
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Things You'll Need
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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. There are 11 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 258,526 times.
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.
Steps
Part 1 Part 1 of 2:
Starting the Clean Cycle
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1 Clean your coffee maker whenever the “clean” light illuminates. The “clean” button is located at the bottom right of your coffee maker.[1]XResearch source You’ll know it’s time to clean your unit when a thin red light appears under the word “clean.”[2]XResearch source
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.[3]XResearch source
2 Pour descaling solution and water into the reservoir up to the “Max Fill” line. 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.[4]XResearch source
You can purchase descaling solution at your local supermarket, or on the manufacturer’s website.
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3 Use white vinegar instead of descaling solution to save money. White vinegar works just as well as descaling solution and is also cheaper.[5]X Expert Source James SearsHouse Cleaning ProfessionalExpert Interview [6]X Expert Source Marcus ShieldsHouse Cleaning ProfessionalExpert Interview Start by pouring vinegar into the water reservoir up to the “travel mug” line, or about 16 fluid ounces (470 mL).[7]XResearch source Then, add water until the liquid reaches the “Max Fill” line.[8]XResearch source
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.[9]XResearch source
4 Turn the dial on your unit to the “Full Carafe” size and set up the carafe. 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.[10]XResearch source
5 Press the “clean” button to begin the clean cycle. 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.[11]XResearch source
A clean cycle will usually last around 1 hour. Although, clean times may vary depending on the model you have.
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Flushing Your Unit with Water
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1 Empty the carafe once the clean cycle ends. 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.[12]XResearch source
The liquid in the carafe will be hot, just like freshly-brewed coffee, so be careful when pouring it out.
2 Refill the reservoir with tap water and press the “clean” button again. 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.[13]XResearch source
This first flush will take around 8 minutes.
You don’t need to add descaling solution or white vinegar for this step.
3 Run another clean cycle with only water. 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.[14]X Expert Source James SearsHouse Cleaning ProfessionalExpert Interview [15]XResearch source
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Question How I descale my Ninja coffee maker? 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. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 6 Helpful 21
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Things You’ll Need
Descaling solution or white vinegar
Water
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Co-authored by: Marcus Shields 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 258,526 times. 27 votes - 81% Co-authors: 4Updated: June 28, 2025 Views: 258,526 Categories: Coffeemakers In other languages Dutch Japanese
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Reader Success Stories
Lisa Iovacchini
Jan 19, 2020
"The directions were very clear with step-by-step pictures. It did not ramble on like some other products with their directions. This article with the directions and pictures was much appreciated. Thank you very much. This was very helpful to me."..." more
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Yes No Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Co-authored by: Marcus Shields House Cleaning Professional Co-authors: 4Updated: June 28, 2025 Views: 258,52681% of readers found this article helpful. 27 votes - 81% Click a star to add your vote
Lisa Iovacchini
Jan 19, 2020
"The directions were very clear with step-by-step pictures. It did not ramble on like some other products with their directions. This article with the directions and pictures was much appreciated. Thank you very much. This was very helpful to me."..." more
Mr Coffee
Aug 5, 2022
"I woke up this am to 'clean' light instead of coffee. What! It's 3am and I have to go forage for the instruction booklet! No, your instructions were clear, concise and easy to follow, even at 3am. Still had to bring out the coffee press."..." more
Jocelyne Graham
Feb 22, 2023
"We got this Ninja before Christmas and this is the first time the clean light came on. We have very hard water so it is very important to clean all out machines. It was easy to follow."..." more
Bill
Jul 10, 2021
"The clean cycle will not start. All directions are followed but pressing the clean button will not start the clean cycle."..." more
Steve D.
Jan 9, 2021
"Easy process, defined with simple statements and clear pictures." Share yours! More success stories Hide success stories
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Download Article Give your coffee pot a deep clean with our simple guide Co-authored by Marcus Shields 
How to Clean Your Mr. Coffee Machine: Daily & Deep Cleaning 
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Co-authored by: Marcus Shields 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 258,526 times. 27 votes - 81% Co-authors: 4 Updated: June 28, 2025 Views: 258,526 Categories: Coffeemakers In other languages Dutch Japanese 
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1 Clean your coffee maker whenever the “clean” light illuminates. The “clean” button is located at the bottom right of your coffee maker.[1] You’ll know it’s time to clean your unit when a thin red light appears under the word “clean.”[2] 
2 Pour descaling solution and water into the reservoir up to the “Max Fill” line. 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.[4] 
3 Use white vinegar instead of descaling solution to save money. White vinegar works just as well as descaling solution and is also cheaper.[5] [6] Start by pouring vinegar into the water reservoir up to the “travel mug” line, or about 16 fluid ounces (470 mL).[7] Then, add water until the liquid reaches the “Max Fill” line.[8] 
4 Turn the dial on your unit to the “Full Carafe” size and set up the carafe. 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.[10] 
5 Press the “clean” button to begin the clean cycle. 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.[11] 
1 Empty the carafe once the clean cycle ends. 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.[12] 
2 Refill the reservoir with tap water and press the “clean” button again. 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.[13] 
3 Run another clean cycle with only water. 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.[14] [15] Advertisement 
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. 