Single-cup coffeemakers are great if you want consistency in your brew. Trouble is, they tend to have more components than a standard automatic-drip coffeemaker, which makes cleaning quite a hassle. So if you want your brew to taste fresh, housecare weblog Clean My Space offers this helpful video tutorial on how to thoroughly clean your single-cup coffeemaker using an old toothbrush and vinegar:



While this should take around 15-20 minutes, you don't have to do it very often: once a season if you use the machine everyday and less if it's only used occasionally. Start by disassembling the machine and take your old toothbrush to clear any coffee grinds left in the K-cup holder. Then use this opportunity to wipe down the surface of the machine with a paper towel or dishrag and a little all-purpose cleaner. Clean any white crusty buildup (mineral deposits) with a touch of white vinegar.

Once you reassemble everything, run vinegar through the machine to create a descaling brew to remove mineral deposits in the internal workings of the coffee maker. Fill your water reservoir halfway with white vinegar and run several brewing cycles with no K-cups to get rid of the vinegar. Then rinse out the reservoir, fill with water, and run enough brewing cycles to empty the water reservoir again to get rid of any leftover vinegar from spoiling your next fresh cup of coffee.