A Nespresso machine can start your day bright and delightful with a cup of coffee. However, you need to descale your Nespresso Delonghi from time to time as a maintenance technique that prevents your coffee from tasting bad or the machine failing to work.
If your coffee tastes stale or bitter, it means that your machine requires descaling. In this article, you will learn how to descale the Nespresso Delonghi machine. You will also learn tips on how to maintain your Nespresso to prevent clogging.
Why should I descale my Nespresso Delonghi?
You should descale your Nespresso machine if you want to extend its serving time. It also helps get rid of limescale, which clogs in the machine’s pipes and causes them to wear out quickly.
Calcium may also build up in the machine’s pipes from heating tap water. The build-up makes the machine slow and gets rid of the coffee’s taste. It is, therefore, best that you descale your machine every two to three months to make it run smoothly.
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How often should I descale my Nespresso Delonghi?
The Nespresso manufacturers recommend that you descale after every three months or 300 cup servings.
Before descaling, you must have a Nespresso Descaling Kit that clears the build-up. You can also use vinegar, though it isn’t recommended since it may damage your coffee machine.
How to descale a Nespresso Delonghi
Descaling a Nespresso Delonghi machine takes about 20 minutes. The procedure is, however, easy and fast. You can choose to use the Nespresso Descaling kit or a vinegar solution to descale your coffee machine.
How to use a Nespresso descaling kit
Below are Nespresso Delonghi descaling instructions using a Nespresso Descaling Kit:
- Remove the capsule and close the lever.
- Clear the drip tray and capsule container and reinsert them. Remove the cup support before starting the descaling process.
- Remove the water tank and descaling pipe at the back of the coffee machine.
- Connect the pipe to the steam connector on the right side of the machine. Once complete, the espresso button will blink white while the descaling button will blink orange.
- Fill the water tank up to two-thirds water level and pour one packet of Nespresso descaling solution.
- Place a large mug or bowl under the coffee outlet to start the descaling process.
- Press and release the espresso button when the descaling solution begins flowing out of the coffee outlet. During the entire process, the descaling indicator light will blink orange and the espresso button will blink white when the descaling process is complete.
- Rinse the water tank, refill it with fresh water and reinsert it back into the machine.
- Empty the capsule container and drip tray and then reinsert them. Place the large mug under the coffee outlet and start the rinsing cycle.
- The Nespresso machine will automatically turn off when the rinsing process is complete. Get rid of the rinsing water.
- Drain the contents from the capsule container and drip tray and rinse them before reinserting them. Next, rinse the descaling pipe and store it in its kit.
- Refill water into the water tank and reinsert it into the machine. Let the coffee machine dry and rest for ten minutes.
How to use vinegar to descale a Delonghi Nespresso coffee maker
Another alternative is descaling Nespresso Delonghi with vinegar solution. To make the vinegar solution, mix one cup of vinegar and one cup of fresh warm water. Let the mixture rest for five minutes to mix completely.
The descaling process is the same, the only difference being that you are substituting the descaling solution with the vinegar solution. You also need to run four to five rinsing cycles to get rid of the vinegar solution completely.
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It should be noted that using vinegar solution as a descaling solution may harm your coffee machine and should not be used frequently. The solution can corrode the pipes and their internal parts.
How to prevent build up in your Nespresso Delonghi
Limescale and calcium are present in hard water. You can, however, avoid them by using distilled water instead of tap water to brew your coffee. Also, do not leave used grounds in the Nespresso machine after brewing to prevent unnecessary growths and buildups.
Descaling and deep cleaning the machine is also an alternative that helps in reducing build-ups in the coffee machine’s pipes. You can clean it daily, weekly, or monthly, depending on your cleaning routine.
Use water filters to filter limescale and calcium out of the water. You can purchase them from online shopping sites or your nearest store. If you think that filtered water will get rid of the coffee’s taste, it won’t. Filtered water makes the coffee taste great.
Note that like any other electric appliance, the Nespresso Delonghi machine also requires regular servicing to extend its life and performance. Descaling is one of them.