Step 1

Even if you’ve been faithfully rinsing your carafe and filter basket every time you brew, your coffee machine could be less than sparkling. Look for chalky mineral buildup in your carafe, water reservoir, and filter basket. If you see any buildup, it’s time for a deep clean.

Step 2

Mr. Coffee recommends that you run a cleaning cycle with vinegar or store-bought cleaning solution about every 80-90 brew cycles. If you live in an area with hard water, you’ll need to clean your coffee maker more often, about every 40 brew cycles. Descaling regularly will keep your coffee maker running smoothly.

Step 3

Reading the user manual isn’t the most fun way to spend your day, but it can be the best way to keep your machine from malfunctioning. Read the cleaning section and carefully follow each step.

Step 4

After you pour in vinegar or cleaning solution, push the start button, ensuring that the cleaning light stays red and stops blinking. You may need to push the button three times.

Step 5

The cleaning cycle should take about 60 minutes. Your machine will pause partway through to allow the cleaning solution to sit in the carafe. Don’t unplug or turn off your machine while the cleaning cycle is running, as this may cause the light to stay on.

Step 6

After the cleaning cycle finishes, rinse your carafe and filter basket thoroughly. You don't want to taste the vinegar in your next pot of coffee!

Step 7

If you didn’t save your user manual, you may be able to find it online.

Step 8

A classic technology trick: unplug your coffee maker and let it sit for a minute or two. Then plug it back in. This will reset the machine, likely turning off your pesky flashing clean light.

Step 9

If all else fails, check if your Mr. Coffee is under warranty. These coffee makers typically come with a limited one-year warranty, so if you’re within that time frame, Mr. Coffee may repair your machine for you.