In this guide
TL;DR: Emptying a single-serve coffee maker's visible reservoir does not establish that its internal water has drained. Use the storage instructions for the exact model. Some guides provide a button-operated drain; others tell you to empty the removable tank and store the brewer upright in a frost-free place. Keep the housing assembled and finish approved cleaning and rinsing before storage.
Find the storage section before trying to drain the inside
The removable reservoir holds incoming water. Water can also remain in a brewer's internal tank or passages after that container is empty. Look for the model number and its matching care guide, including the section on storage or transport. Follow any newer directions supplied for that model. A procedure for a similar-looking brewer can use different controls.
Keurig's K55/K-Classic care guide directs owners to empty the external reservoir and keep the unit upright in a safe, frost-free environment. It provides no owner procedure for opening the housing to reach the inner tank and states that the brewer is not user serviceable beyond its recommended maintenance.
Finish residue care and rinsing before storage
If cleaning is due, complete the brewer's approved care before putting it away. Wash the permitted removable pieces separately, keeping the powered housing out of water. Follow the maker's drying instructions for those pieces and keep electrical connections dry.
GOHALL Coffee Maker Cleaner Tablets can address brewing oils and residue in compatible drip and single-serve machines when the manufacturer permits the exact product and its dissolved-tablet procedure. Complete all of the directed fresh-water rinses and discard the cleaning solution and rinse water. The cleaner compatibility and rinsing guide explains that treatment; descaling has its own requirements.
Do not store the brewer with cleaning solution inside. The GOHALL directions finish with rinsing and fresh-water preparation, and they provide no storage-preservative or freeze-protection use. Keeping a brewer out of freezing conditions remains part of its storage instructions.
Two Keurig care guides describe different preparations
K55/K-Classic: empty the removable reservoir
The linked K55 guide says to turn the brewer off, unplug it and empty its reservoir before moving it. Keep it upright during storage to avoid water leaking from the inner tank. Its frost-free storage requirement still applies when the visible reservoir is empty.
Use the reservoir washing guide for the separate question of how to wash the tank and lid. An empty container is not a reason to detach internal hoses or tip the powered housing over to force water out.
The K-Mini covered by the August 2017 guide
Keurig's K-Mini guide, revision A, August 2017 gives a specific internal-tank drain sequence. Its drawing shows BREW and power buttons on the right side of the front panel. Confirm that this guide matches your version; it does not establish the controls or drain procedure for every newer K-Mini:
- Keep the brewer powered off but plugged in, as this guide directs.
- Place a mug on the drip tray to receive the water.
- Press and hold BREW until the water has dispensed into the mug. The guide notes a three-to-five-second delay before flow begins.
Handle the collected water carefully; the brewer contains a hot-water tank. Once the documented drain has finished, turn the brewer off and unplug it before washing parts or moving it into storage. Empty the water reservoir by the matching guide's method as well, then store upright in a safe, frost-free place. This is a control-operated drain, with the housing left assembled. Do not apply the sequence to another Keurig model or treat it as permission to open the machine.
Use the model's startup rinses when it comes back out
The K55 guide calls for fresh water in the reservoir and three pod-free rinsing brews after storage. The linked K-Mini guide also specifies three pod-free rinses after wiping its reservoir, plus at least two hours at room temperature before powering on. These are model examples, not a universal rinse count.
If the machine leaks, appears damaged or will not complete its permitted startup routine, leave it out of use and contact its maker. For a secondhand brewer with an unknown history, start with the used-coffee-maker condition and recall checks before adding water.
Questions before putting the brewer away
Can I keep cleaner inside to prevent a smell during storage?
Follow the cleaner's completed rinse procedure. GOHALL does not provide directions for leaving its solution in a stored brewer or claim that it prevents microbial growth.
Does an empty removable tank make the brewer safe to store in a freezing garage?
No. Both linked Keurig guides require frost-free storage. Residual water inside can freeze even after the external tank is empty.