What to do When “Clean Light On” – NinjaCoffee Maker

One of our readers caught me the other day and asked why the “Clean” light was on for their Ninja 10-Cup Specialty Coffee Maker. They threw the instructions out and thought I might know. I didn’t know off the top of my head, but after a bit of research, I found the answer, and lucky thing for you, these instructions will work for the CM401, CP301, and CP307 models of the Ninja Specialty Coffee Makers and Ninja Hot and Cold Brew Systems. Other models have not been confirmed yet, but most likely, if you have a clean light with a 50 oz reservoir tank, these instructions will fit perfectly.

Answer: The clean light on the brewer means it is time to clean your coffee maker. Follow the instructions below to clean the coffee maker. You can find these instructions in the manual, but my post will help if you lost them or don’t want to bother pulling them out. Just keep reading, and I’ll tell you everything you need to know.

If you do not have one of the models listed above, check out our guide to using vinegar in coffee machines here (opens in a new tab).

Cleaning Ninja Specialty Coffee Maker

and Ninja Hot and Cold Brew Systems

1. Wait for the unit to cool down and remove the filter holder from the brew basket; wash the filter with soap and warm water.
2. Select Full Carafe size and set the empty carafe as you would for a regular brew.
3. Use the descaling solution (see our equipment guide with options opens in a new tab), or use vinegar. Either way, fill the reservoir with the descaling solution or 16 oz of distilled vinegar.
4. Fill the reservoir the rest of the way to the Max fill line (should be 50 oz) with distilled water.
5. Press the CLEAN button
6. The Ninja will take over the cleaning process, and it will take approximately 60 minutes to complete.
7. When finished, you will hear a beep, and the CLEAN light will turn off.
8. Empty and thoroughly clean the carafe and water reservoir with warm, soapy water to remove any cleaning solution or vinegar.
9. Fill the reservoir with water to the Max Fill line and put the empty carafe as you usually would for a brew.
10. Now flush the system by running a Full Carafe, Classic Brew cycle with the water only. After completion, discard the water and clean the carafe again.
11. Repeat steps 9 and 10 if you smell any vinegar or cleaning solution smells in the coffee maker, but typically two flushes will eliminate the smell for the most sensitive noses.
12. If the CLEAN light comes on again, calcium build-up is still in the machine. Start back at step 3 and repeat.

If you have any issues, leave a comment below and let us know. We will do our best to answer!

Quick Notes on Cleaning Other Parts of the Ninja

• The carafe is not dishwasher safe. You should only use a soft brush or foam brush and mild soap with warm water to clean it.
• The reservoir is top-rack dishwasher safe. Feel free to clean this after your first treatment (handwash instructions are similar to the carafe, warm water, mild soap, and soft brush).
• The brew-through lid from your Ninja coffee maker is top-rack dishwasher safe.
• The coffee and tea permanent filters are top-rack dishwashers safe.
• The flip-top lid is top-rack dishwasher safe