clean Keurig water filter screen without disassembly?

[Ace Crysler]

I have had this Keurig for about ten years. I can't tell you how many times I've had to bring it back to life after the cleaning procedure they recommend, so its amazing it still works, but that's a topic for another day. One item that clogs about twice a year is the water filter screen. This is the screw on part located at the bottom of the water reservoir and it contains a fairly fine metal screen to block particulates. The problem is that I always have to use a long handled Phillips screwdriver to remove the three screws and then use long needle nose pliers to bring out the screen assembly, then remove the screen and use something similar to a cleaning pad to remove the build up from the screen. Since this summer was unusually hot, the build up has occurred more often and I hate having to keep disassembling to get to the screen. Is there any simple way to clean it while leaving everything in place?

[Dean Hoffman]

A quick search said to cycle the Keurig with a mix of water and white vinegar or water and citric acid. Those must not be working?

[invalid unparseable]

A whole house water filter did wonders for me. I have sediment from well but a friend on city water also uses one.

[Ace Crysler]

Those sort of work when I use them 2-3x a year, but they often cause the unit to stop working and I have to use extraordinary means to get it working again. That's the topic for another day I was talking about above. They do nothing for the screen, however, which was the reason for my post.

[Ace Crysler]

I use a multistage water filter for the faucet that fills the unit. Changed regularly. Improves water taste, but does nothing to offset particulate build up on the screen.

[Ace Crysler]

All taken care of, but ended up unscrewing and removing the filter assembly. This time, upon reinstallation, one of the screws wouldn't tighten. No leaks, and still workable, but another reason I had hoped for an alternative, non-removable cleaning method that worked. You can only screw into plastic so many times before warping occurs.

[invalid unparseable]

I think what happens is that there are dissolved minerals in the water that do not precipitate until they are oxidized by exposure to air. You see these deposits in toilet tanks and bowl. I have noticed a whole house water treatment system includes air injection before water meets filter.

I suspect if you pour tap water right into the Keurig it just sits there exposed to air and particulate forms which eventually clogs filter. If it takes years to clog screen it may not be worth the bother to have another intermediate container where particles can be precipitated and decanted.