How to Descale a Mr. Coffee: Clean Cycle & Vinegar Method (By Model)

One Method, Started Two Ways

Every Mr. Coffee drip maker descales the same basic way. Run 4 cups (20 fl oz) of undiluted white vinegar, or Mr. Coffee Cleaner, partway through. Let it soak for 30 minutes, brew the rest, then rinse with two pots of fresh water.

The only real difference between models is who does the pausing. A 12-Cup Programmable JPX37 has a Clean button that runs the whole thing automatically. A BVMC-SJX33GT or a 4-cup AR4 has no clean button, so you stop it by hand after three cups.

Do it every 80 brews with soft water and every 40 with hard water. On a JPX37, also do it whenever the red Clean light flashes.

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Which Method Is Yours?

Other models: check your own manual. If there's no Clean button, the manual vinegar method below is what both no-button manuals we read describe.

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What You Need

Before you start: take out the water filtration disk if your machine has one. The manuals say to remove it before decalcifying.

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Step 1: Fill and Set Up (JPX37)

1. Remove the water filtration disk.
2. Pour Mr. Coffee Cleaner (mixed per its package) or 4 cups of undiluted white vinegar into the reservoir.
3. Put an empty 10-12 cup basket-style paper filter, or the permanent filter, in the basket. Close the lid.
4. Center the empty carafe on the warming plate.

Time: 2 minutes

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Step 2: Press Clean Once

Press the Clean button one time. The red Clean light comes on steady. If it was flashing before, that's the machine telling you this was due.

Don't press Brew Now/Off. That runs a normal brew instead of the clean program, and the Clean light won't clear afterwards.

Time: A few seconds

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Step 3: Leave It for the Full Cycle

The program takes 45 to 60 minutes and runs in three stages:

1. It slow-brews about 3 cups of the solution.
2. It pauses for 30 minutes with the Clean light still on. That's the soak, not a fault.
3. It brews the rest of the solution.

When it's done, the Clean light and the machine both switch off. Don't unplug it during the pause. The JPX37 resumes after a power cut only if power returns within 7 seconds.

Time: 45-60 minutes

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Step 4: Empty and Rinse the Carafe

1. Discard the cleaning solution.
2. Rinse the carafe thoroughly with clean water.
3. Throw away the paper filter. If you used the permanent filter, rinse it well.

Time: 2 minutes

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Step 5: Run Two Fresh-Water Brews

1. Fill the reservoir with fresh water.
2. Center the empty carafe on the plate.
3. Press Brew Now/Off and let the full brew cycle finish.
4. Empty the carafe and do it once more.

Time: About 20 minutes

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Step 6: Refit the Filter Disk

Put the water filtration disk back. If it's been about a month (roughly 30 brews), fit a new one, since the manuals say to replace it monthly.

Time: 1 minute

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Manual Vinegar Method (No Clean Button)

Without a Clean button, you make the 30-minute pause yourself by switching the machine off.

BVMC-SJX33GT / SJX36GT:

1. Remove the water filtration disk. Pour 4 cups (20 fl oz) of undiluted white vinegar (or Mr. Coffee Cleaner) into the reservoir.
2. Put an empty paper filter in the basket and center the empty carafe on the plate.
3. Press Select/Off once to brew. After three cups have come through, press Select/Off until the lights go off.
4. Let it stand 30 minutes.
5. Switch it back on and brew the rest of the solution.
6. Discard it, rinse the carafe, remove the paper filter, and run two full brews of fresh water.

4-cup AR4 / AR5:

1. Fill the carafe with undiluted white vinegar to the bottom of the metal band and pour it into the reservoir.
2. Put a filter in the brew basket and close it. Put the empty carafe on the plate.
3. Switch ON. When three cups have flowed through, switch OFF and let it stand 30 minutes.
4. Pour the vinegar back into the reservoir, switch ON, and let all of it pass through.
5. Discard the vinegar and the filter.
6. Brew a full carafe of tap water, discard it, and do it once more.

⚠️ Safety: on the 4-cup, the manual warns that if the basket overflows or won't drain, don't open or handle it. Unplug, and let it cool first.

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Café Barista Deliming

The Café Barista espresso maker has its own procedure, from its manual. Delime when brewing takes longer, there's excessive steaming, or white deposits appear on the brew head. Do it every 80 brews with soft water and every 40 with hard.

1. Reservoir: fill it with undiluted white vinegar, leave it overnight, discard, and rinse twice.
2. Internal: switch off and unplug. Fill the reservoir half full of white vinegar. Fit the porta-filter with a filter but no coffee, and put a cup underneath.
3. Switch on. When all three lights are steady, press Espresso twice.
4. Put a cup of 11 oz or more under the frothing tube. Fill the milk reservoir with water, turn the Froth Control Knob to Clean, and hold Latte/Clean for 3 seconds. That gives about 30 seconds of steam.
5. Repeat the whole internal sequence with tap water to rinse.

More Café Barista fixes are in our Café Barista troubleshooting guide.

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How the Methods Compare

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Troubleshooting the Descale

The Clean light is still on afterwards (JPX37). The cycle didn't finish, it was started with Brew Now instead of Clean, or the red light is actually the Strong Brew light. Our clean light guide goes through each one.

The coffee tastes of vinegar. Run another fresh-water brew. The manuals call for two, so a third does no harm.

It's still brewing slowly. The manuals' only listed cause of slow brewing is that the machine needs cleaning. With heavy scale, run the full method again. Our slow brewing guide covers what else to check.

The 4-cup stops pumping before the water's all gone. The AR4 manual names that as a sign the machine needs cleaning. Descale it, and if it still happens afterwards, call Mr. Coffee.

Water came out of the back. The reservoir was filled past the MAX line, and the excess runs out through the overfill hole. Fill no higher than the MAX line for your carafe.

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When Descaling Isn't the Answer

Call Mr. Coffee if:

• The machine won't switch on at all, with a working outlet
• There's a burning smell not explained by an empty or spilled-on warming plate
• Water appears under the base

Support: 1-800-MR COFFEE (1-800-672-6333) in the U.S., 1-800-667-8623 in Canada, with the model number from the bottom of the machine. The 1-year limited warranty covers repair or replacement. The manuals say there are no user-serviceable parts inside, and "Do NOT attempt to repair or adjust any electrical or mechanical functions."

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How Often to Descale

• Soft water: every 80 brews.
• Hard water: every 40 brews.
• JPX37: also whenever the red Clean light flashes.
• Water filtration disk: replace monthly, about every 30 brews. Rinse it and clean the machine before use after a long break.
• Carafe stains: fill with equal parts water and vinegar, leave for about 20 minutes, then wash. No abrasive cleaners, since scratches can make the glass break.

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FAQ

How much vinegar do I use to clean a Mr. Coffee?

For a 12-cup model, 4 cups (20 fl oz) of undiluted white vinegar, which is what the JPX37 and SJX33GT manuals call for. For the 4-cup AR4/AR5, fill the carafe to the bottom of the metal band. Mr. Coffee Cleaner is the alternative both manuals name.

Should I dilute the vinegar with water?

No. The manuals specify undiluted white household vinegar for the machine. Equal parts water and vinegar is the recipe for removing stains from the glass carafe, not for descaling the coffeemaker.

Does my Mr. Coffee have a clean button?

Look at the control panel. The 12-Cup Programmable JPX37 series has a button labelled Clean. The BVMC-SJX33GT, the 4-cup AR4/AR5 and basic switch models don't, so you use the manual method and switch it off for the 30-minute soak yourself.

Why does the cycle stop halfway through?

Because it's meant to. On a JPX37 the program brews about 3 cups, then waits 30 minutes with the Clean light on so the solution can soak, then finishes. On models without a Clean button, the manuals have you create the same pause by switching off.

Can I leave the water filter in while descaling?

No. The JPX37 and SJX33GT manuals both say to remove the water filtration disk before decalcifying. Refit it afterwards, or put in a new one if it's been about a month.

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Related Mr. Coffee Guides

• Mr. Coffee Clean Light Won't Turn Off?: when the JPX37 light stays on after cleaning
• Mr. Coffee Error Codes & Blinking Lights: what each light means on each model
• Mr. Coffee Brewing Slow?: the symptom descaling fixes most
• Mr. Coffee Café Barista Not Working?: the espresso maker's own fixes

Sources: Mr. Coffee JPX37-R Series User Manual (P.N. 202723); Mr. Coffee BVMC-SJX33GT and BVMC-SJX36GT User Manual (12ESM2); Mr. Coffee Coffeemaker Models AR4 & AR5 User Manual; Mr. Coffee Café Barista BVMC-ECMP1000 User Manual.