Abstract: Containers having a portioned amount of a cleaning composition located in an internal volume are provided for cleaning a portion of a beverage making machine. The external size and configuration of the container is designed to fit within a carrier in a single (or multi-) serve beverage making machine. The container is insertable in the carrier in the place of a beverage making pod, cup, cartridge or the like. Following placement of the container in the carrier, the beverage making machine may be operated to perform a regular brew cycle or a specialized cleaning cycle in which water is introduced to the internal volume of the container and cleaning solution is released from the container, optionally under pressure, to contact and clean internal surfaces of the container carrier.