How to Drain a Keurig (1.0 and 2.0)

Learning how to drain a keurig 1.0 and 2.0 model is a must if you want to maintain your Keurig for a long time period.

You may think that once the water has been taken out of the reservoir, then there is none left within your Keurig.

This is not the case. As all models of Keurig use a tube system to carry water from one component to another, there is every chance that there is some water left in certain parts of the machine.

If you are going to leave your Keurig unused for a period of time, say you are going away for an extended vacation, leaving the Keurig without draining it thoroughly increases the chance of mold and other health risks, and can also affect the taste of the coffee produced.

Another risk if you are in colder climates is that the water within the tubes can freeze; this can even cause them to become warped.

Your Keurig should be drained if it is not going to be used for an extended period of time, but you may also need to if something unwanted has found its way into the mechanism.

For instance, if something else got into the water reservoir or even if the reservoir still had some cleaning solution in it and this was making your coffee taste like chemicals.

The draining process should totally get rid of any excess water left within the pipes or anywhere else in your machine, leaving your Keurig flowing clear the next time you use your machine.

As we explore in this guide, there are a few different methods of draining. If you are fortunate, it will take minimal effort and can be done in just a minute or two.

The method will depend on whether you have a model from the 1.0 or 2.0 generation of Keurigs, as well as the specific model.

A Note on Warranties

Some of the methods will require you to start to deconstruct and adjust the inner parts of your Keurig. Be warned that doing so will take away the protection of a warranty, should your Keurig still be covered.

Most have a warranty of 12 months, and if you start messing around with the internals of your machine within this time period and something were to break, you wouldn’t be entitled to a replacement.

Definitely worth considering before starting the process.

Draining Whilst Assembled

If you can avoid having to disassemble any elements of your Keurig then you should do so. There is a method which will work on many Keurigs which doesn’t require anything to be done to the inside of your machine.

It is great if you aren’t confident taking things apart, but it is a bit of a ‘trick’ method.

You’re basically fooling the Keurig’s computer into thinking that the reservoir is full of water so it will attempt to brew with an empty reservoir, and in doing so draw out any remains of water.

Step One
The first step to this method is to remove any water from the reservoir and then adjust the magnetic float. This is a small disc which is designed to track how much water is in the reservoir.

You can then move this magnet all the way to the top of the track in which it sits.

The Keurig will then function as if the water goes up to this line and won’t ask you to refill instead of brewing when requested.

Step Two
The second step is to complete a brew without a K-Cup or other coffee pod in place. You don’t need coffee because you’re just draining the system so it would be a waste.

Run a brew as you usually would, with a cup or jug underneath to catch the remnants of water which will hopefully be drawn out of your machine.

Step Three
When the brew is complete, a ‘Prime’ message will often read on your machine. This will tell you that the brew (and therefore the draining) is complete.

Sometimes, it will ask you to replace the water. If this is the case, it is worth repeating the procedure by moving the magnetic float back up to the top and repeating the process.

You will be able to observe whether there is any water coming out of your machine.

How to drain a Keurig 1.0

Keurig 1.0 models tend to be a little older, and are also a little bit simpler to take apart and drain ready for storage.

Step One
Lift up the compartment which contains the K-Cup holder and take out the two screws which keep the top in place. Removing this lets you access the water tank.

These will need a flat head screwdriver to remove. Once you have done this, the whole of the top of the machine will be removable.

Step Two
Remove the top of the machine. If you now pull the top of the machine without too much force you should see the insides of your coffee maker including the tubes.

Step Three
The next step is to find the tubes which are connected at the top of the water tank. They may be held in place with zip ties, so you might need to cut these away or even loosen them with pliers.

Step Four
It’s time to pour out some water. You will need to invert your Keurig to force water to drain from the L-Shaped opening where you will have just removed one of the pipes.

The water doesn’t flow quickly so you might have to wiggle things around or be patient. You can make the process a little quicker by putting a straw over the other tube opening, to increase the air flowing through the machine and force out any unwanted water.

You should be able to observe until there is no water left in the tank at all.

Step Five
The next task is to put everything back together. The zip ties need to be replaced (if they were there in the first place) so it is a good idea to replace them with new ones.

This will make sure that the tubes stay where they are meant to be and you don’t get any leakage within your machine.

The final step is to attach the top once again and screw back in the two screws which hold it together. Hey presto, your machine should be drained of all excess water!

How to drain a Keurig 2.0

Keurig 2.0 machines are a little more complex. If you can drain it without any disassembly then this is strongly recommended. If not, the steps below will help you to drain the machine properly.

Step One
You will need to remove the ring that sits behind the pod assembly. This is fastened by five snapping devices and is removable by pressing it and pushing up. Removing this chrome ring is key to the next steps.

Step Two
Take all screws out of the bottom of your Keurig. There are normally six of these depending on your model. When you have done this, you can remove the front of the Keurig.

If there is a silver plastic covering, you need to get rid of this first. This panel is held on with hooks which can be pressed to release.

Step Three
Once the front of your Keurig has been removed, you need to take the screws out which sit on the side where the reservoir is.

There will be two screws close to the top of this side which also need a phillips head screwdriver.
When you have done this, you can pull the machine apart as it is only kept together at this point by plastic clips.

A flat object such as a spatula or butter knife can be used to wedge the top and bottom apart.

This takes a little force and can feel like you are breaking the machine. It is easy to see why the warranty is voided if you choose to make these kinds of alterations.

Step Four
Expose the internals by removing any exterior casing. This is fixed to the base and can be unsnapped. You will then be able to see the pipes and the internals of your Keurig.

Step Five
Locate the water intake and drain. There will be two tubes attaching to the water intake, just like in a Keurig 1.0. Remove the plastic holding them in place and then drain.

It may be necessary to shake and tilt the tubes to encourage the water out.

Step Six
Take the screws out of the motherboard base, which will expose the internal filter. This is a smaller screw so it is important to keep it in a separate place to the others screws so you don’t get confused when reassembling.

Step Seven
Take the screw out which holds the tank and pump attached to the machine. This has a white washer so you will know that this is the right screw.

Once removed, the whole machine will come apart, be sure not to damage anything at this stage.

Step Eight
Draining the filter is the next step. Once it is detached a silicone tube will be exposed, which you can then drain.

It is key to detach the filter from the pump before you do this. Just like before, the water may not come out straight away so you may have to tilt or gently shake.

Step Nine
Take the tube out of the top. This will mean that air enters the machine and will displace the water when you do the final step of draining the brewer.

Step 10
This is where the Keurig actually gets drained and is a truly vital step! Once you take the tube out which attaches the tank to the pump assembly, the water will start to come out of the tube.

Make sure you are doing it over a bucket or the sink to ensure you don’t make a mess.

At this time, you can also utilize a syringe (if you have one) to take out any other water which may remain in the pump. Sometimes the water is stubborn and stuck in different parts of these components.

Step 11
Reassembly! This is not a fun job. Retrace your steps from bottom to top and reattach the different components. This is why it is so important to pay attention while you are deconstructing the machine.

The screws should be firmly put back in place and all of the casing properly clicked back into place.

As you can see. The Keurig 2.0 models are more complex. The truth is, when you have done it once you will be much more confident in the procedure.

The first time you drain your Keurig, take extra care to note what the steps are so that should you have to do it again, you will know how.

Conclusion

Draining your Keurig can be something that takes a couple of minutes, or it can take a little longer with deconstruction.

Ideally, if you can, you should do so by using the machine’s functions to pull through the water without having to mess with any of the hardware, but this isn’t always an option.

Though disassembly can be a challenge, it might be necessary if you are going to be leaving your Keurig for a long time.