If you’re using a Ninja coffee maker and your brews are beginning to taste overly sour or bitter, the culprit might not be your beans — it’s probably your machine.
Like any appliance, your coffee maker needs regular cleaning and maintenance to keep it running smoothly. In this article, we’ll discuss the best methods for cleaning your Ninja coffee maker.
How to Clean Your Ninja Coffee Maker
There are two main models in the Ninja range — the “Speciality” coffee maker and the “Dualbrew Pro” coffee maker. The cleaning processes of each differ slightly, but there’s also some crossover.
Steps You Can Take to Clean Both Machines
These steps should be carried out after each brew you make using your Ninja coffee maker (regardless of the model):
- After brewing, remove the pod and allow the machine to cool down completely. Then, turn it off and unplug it from the outlet.
- Tip out any remaining water from the reservoir and remove the filter or pod holder and wash it thoroughly in warm, soapy water like you would your pots and pans. If you use a refillable filter, clean this at the same time.
- Next, clean the built-in milk frother with warm, soapy water and a clean dish sponge or cloth.
- Remove the grill from the drip tray (where your cup or carafe sits) and wipe it down with a damp cloth or sponge.
- If you’re using a Ninja carafe, remove the lid and clean each element thoroughly.
- Finally, wipe down the outside of the machine with a damp sponge or cloth to remove any coffee or milk stains.
Most elements including the glass carafe and its lid, the permanent filter, the removable filter holder, and the milk frother are dishwasher-safe. Although recommended, if you don’t have time to clean each part by hand, place the elements on the top shelf of your dishwasher.
Additional cleaning note: You should also remove and clean the water reservoir from your Ninja coffee maker at least once a week. This will prevent mineral buildup and mold growth in the reservoir.
Cleaning the Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker
The only additional step you should take when cleaning your Ninja Specialty coffee maker is descaling. This will need to be done once every three to six months, depending on how much you use the machine.
The descaling cycle is a simple self-cleaning program that removes limescale and residual buildup from your Ninja coffee maker. When the “clean” button is lit, the process begins.
Here’s a run-down of the process:
- Select the “Full Carafe” size, and place the carafe on the drip tray.
- Add two cups (16 oz) of distilled white vinegar to the empty water reservoir, then add cold water until the tank is full to the “Max Fill” line.
- Press the “Clean” button. The cleaning cycle will then begin and typically lasts around 60 minutes. When the “Clean” light turns off, the cycle is complete.
- Empty the vinegar solution from the carafe, and place it back on the drip tray.
- Fill the reservoir with clean water, and then run another “Full Carafe” cycle. This will rinse out the inside of the machine. Do this two to three times to remove any remaining vinegar.
- Empty the carafe and wash it with warm soapy water to ensure there’s no descaling solution left.
Cleaning the Ninja Dualbrew Pro Specialty Coffee System
The Ninja Dualbrew Pro Specialty Coffee System is more complicated and requires a few extra steps during cleaning.
Here are the specifics to clean this machine:
1. Daily Cleaning Process
This machine’s manual recommends you clean out the pod adapter and brew basket after every use. Because you’re using grounds, they’ll likely stick to the adapter’s sides and collect.
The pod adapter isn’t dishwasher-safe, so you’ll have to hand wash this part in warm, soapy water.
2. Weekly Cleaning Process
The weekly cleaning process for the Ninja Dualbrew Pro coffee maker is a little more complex than that of the Ninja Specialty coffee maker. More components in this machine require cleaning.
Here’s what you should do weekly so your machine is functioning at its best:
- Open the hinged hood that sits on top of the brewer, pulling up on the left-hand side. Do this gently without forcing anything.
- Slide the lid out of the back of the brewer, and then hand wash carefully. Rinse and dry thoroughly before reinstalling.
- Open the lid on the machine head and remove the pod holder. Clean both the pod adapter and the brew basket after every use.
- To clean the needles, dampen a microfiber cloth with warm, soapy water and gently wipe off any debris.
- Close the lid and put the handle back into the “Remove” position before reinstalling the elements into the machine.
3. Descaling
The Ninja DualBrew Pro Specialty coffee maker has an Intelligent Clean Cycle Indicator. When this indicator lights up orange, you’ll need to run a cleaning and descaling cycle.
If you switch between “pod” and “ground coffee” modes during regular use of your coffee maker, the display may read “CLn.” If that’s the case, the coffee maker requires the descaling process specifically within that mode.
In either situation, follow the steps laid out below:
- Place the carafe onto the drip tray as normal.
- Add two cups (16 oz) of distilled white vinegar to the empty water reservoir, and then top this up with clean, cool water until you reach the fill line.
- Press the “Clean” button first, followed by the “Start Brew” button. This will begin the cleaning process, which takes seventy-five minutes in total.
- The cleaning cycle will be over when the machine beeps, the clock has a message saying “End,” and the “Clean” light switches itself off.
- Empty out the carafe, which will now be full of cleaning solution, and then replace it under the brew basket as before.
- Fill the reservoir with clean water in preparation to rinse any remaining cleaning fluids from the machine.
- The next step depends upon the mode you’re cleaning your coffee maker in — (Pods mode: run a 12 oz “Classic” brew | Grounds mode: run a “Full Carafe Classic” brew cycle | Hot Water mode: run a “Full Carafe” on “Boil.”)
- After the selected cycle is complete, the coffee maker is clean. Throw out the water that you used, and then clean out both the carafe and brew basket with hot, soapy water.
- Rinse and dry each element and reassemble.
Preventative Tips to Keep Your Ninja Coffee Maker Working Well
Regular cleaning and maintenance ensures your Ninja coffee maker works as well as it can. However, there are ways to avoid carrying out the complex cleaning processes quite so often. These preventative measures can be simple, quick, and very helpful.
1. Use Clean, Filtered Water
When a coffee maker needs to be descaled, mineral deposits naturally found in tap water have likely built up in the machine. This puts extra stress on the machine’s components and can lead to permanent damage if left uncleaned. Descaling dissolves these mineral deposits and cleans out your coffee machine.
However, it’s possible to slow down the rate at which these mineral deposits build up. If you use filtered water, you can reduce the mineral content of the water you add to your coffee maker. The machine will take much longer to develop mineral deposits by doing this.
Investing in a water filter can be an affordable way to extend the life of your coffee maker and reduce the amount of descaling needed.
2. Never Ignore The Descaling Reminder
The descaling reminder pops up on most Ninja coffee makers when the internal mechanisms detect extra force is needed to push water through the system. This happens because the mineral deposits narrow internal pipes, putting more pressure on the water pump.
If this happens repeatedly over a longer period, it can lead to the pump degrading and the internal pipes and tubes experiencing greater wear and tear. To ensure that your Ninja coffee maker stays in great shape for as long as possible, always be sure to descale the machine as soon as the indicator tells you to.
3. Take Care When Cleaning The Machine
When you clean these complex coffee machines, do so gently with care. If a component does not seem to want to move even though you believe it should, don’t force it. Components will move if they were designed to do so, and forcing a hinge or over-tightening a screw can break the machine.
Be careful when cleaning around the coffee machine with water and soap. Although these machines are designed for use with water, not all components are waterproof.
Ensure that the machine is unplugged when cleaning with water and that everything is dry before you plug it back in. On the same note, never submerge the base of the unit in water.
Why Is It Important To Clean Your Coffee Maker?
Keeping your coffee maker and all your coffee supplies clean can be a chore. However, there are a number of key reasons why it’s vital.
Hygiene
Food hygiene may be the most important reason to keep your coffee maker clean. Your coffee maker is a food preparation tool, and you should clean it regularly as you do with your cutlery, plates, and cookware.
Mold growth is the most common issue with coffee makers because they’re filled with water and sometimes left to sit for a while. Standing water can become a breeding ground for mold and bacteria. To avoid this, only fill the reservoir when you plan on brewing coffee.
Even if you’re careful, your coffee maker may gather condensation on the inside or outside. To avoid growing mold, follow the daily cleaning steps.
Coffee Flavor
A powerfully flavorsome coffee can pack a punch, but only if it's brewed correctly. If you allow your coffee maker to become dirty or fall into disrepair, the natural flavor of the coffee can be masked by stale, sour, unpleasant flavors.
The best way to ensure the most delicate flavors of coffee come through in each cup is to clean and maintain your machine regularly. If you’ve never cleaned your coffee maker, then you’re sure to notice a jump in quality when you do.
Longevity
Coffee makers can be expensive, with complex internal mechanisms and specialized components bumping the price up more in deluxe models. It makes sense to ensure that you get the most amount of time possible out of your coffee maker.
Cleaning and maintaining every component of your Ninja coffee maker, as the manufacturer suggests, is a great way to ensure the machine lasts for years.
FAQs – How to Clean a Ninja Coffee Maker
Cleaning a Ninja coffee maker is a simple process, but let's break down some FAQs to understand it more completely.
1. How Do You Run a Clean Cycle on a Ninja Coffee Maker?
This depends on the specific model of Ninja coffee maker you’re using. For the Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker, add the descaling solution you’re using and then press the “clean” button. Add the descaling solution (or a mix of vinegar and water) and press the “clean” button, then the “start brew” button.
2. How Much Vinegar to Clean a Ninja Coffee Maker?
The cleaning cycles generally call for adding two cups (16 oz) of distilled white vinegar to the reservoir and then filling the tank up to the fill line with clean water.
3. Why Does My Ninja Coffee Maker Keep Saying “Clean”?
If your Ninja coffee maker keeps saying “clean” after you’ve cleaned it, the most likely cause is that you accidentally interrupted the cleaning cycle. Depending on the model, the cleaning cycle can take up to seventy-five minutes, so giving it a little extra time can be wise.
4. How to Descale a Coffee Maker?
Generally, you can descale a coffee maker by adding an equal mix of white vinegar and water to the water tank. Then, you make the machine pull that solution through the system and dispense it into a container before dumping it out. Finally, rinse the machine by doing the same process with clean water, clean the carafe, and you’re done.
5. How Do I Clean My Ninja Coffee Maker Without Vinegar?
You can use several different chemicals to descale a Ninja coffee maker without vinegar. You might try denture tablets or baking soda, which are mostly sodium bicarbonate. Dissolve one tablet or two tablespoons of baking soda into the reservoir, and then run a descale cycle like normal.
6. How Do You Clean a Greasy Ninja?
The simplest way to clean grease from any appliance is with dish soap and water. Dish soap binds to the grease, allowing you to rinse it away with a combination of scrubbing and warm water.
7. Is Vinegar or Descaler Better for a Coffee Maker?
Both vinegar and descaler will work very well to clean a coffee maker. Vinegar is typically more affordable and easier to access. On the other hand, a manufacturer may not honor a warranty if you do not use their own cleaning products with the machine.
8. How Many Times Should I Run Water Through The Coffee Maker After Vinegar?
Running one to two full tanks of clean water through a coffee maker is typically enough to rinse out any vinegar or mineral deposits that may remain after descaling. Always remember to dump out the rinse water and then thoroughly wash the carafe to ensure there’s no vinegar flavor remaining.
9. Is Ninja Coffee Maker Easy To Clean?
Yes, a Ninja coffee maker is just as easy to clean as any other coffee maker on the market. The descaling process is particularly easy, and the appliance typically takes care of that itself, effectively self-cleaning for that period.
