A Nespresso machine provides delicious coffee every day, until limescale comes out to play. On this page, you'll discover different methods to effectively descale your Nespresso machine. This way you can continue to enjoy tasty and hot coffee.
Whether you have a Nespresso Vertuo Lattissima or a Nespresso Original, regular descaling is essential for good coffee quality. It also extends the life of your coffee machine. Limescale, a white deposit caused by minerals in the water, can damage the pipes and pump of your machine. Without regular coffee machine maintenance, you run into problems such as lukewarm coffee, a slow coffee flow, reduced taste and even malfunctions or defects.
To descale your Nespresso machine, it’s best to use a descaler that's specifically intended for coffee machines. Don't have a descaler at home? Then you can also use citric acid. In addition to the descaler or citric acid, you will need 500 ml of water and a container of at least 1 litre.
Here is a step-by-step guide:
1. Turn on your Nespresso machine and wait for it to be ready for use.
2. Remove used capsules and empty the drip tray.
3. Fill the water tank with 500 ml of water and the recommended amount of descaler.
4. Place the empty container under the coffee spout.
5. Press the Espresso and Lungo buttons (or both buttons on your model) at the same time for 3 seconds until the lights flash.
6. Then press the Lungo button to start the descaling process. The device will now pump the descaling solution through your machine until the reservoir is empty.
7. Empty the bin.
8. Rinse the water tank and refill it with water.
9. Replace the reservoir and place the container back under the coffee spout.
10. Press the Lungo button to rinse the machine with clean water.
11. Press and hold the Espresso and Lungo buttons at the same time for 3 seconds to finalize the descaling process.
Tip: Always consult the manual of your specific model for any deviations in the process.
We do not recommend descaling your Nespresso machine with vinegar for 2 reasons:
To prevent limescale damage to your machine, we recommend descaling a Nespresso machine at least 2 times a year. There are also modern devices that give a signal when you need to descale them, for example an indicator light that flashes when it’s time to do it. Do you think our advice might be too late and your device is beyond repair? Then look at our Nespresso machines or other capsule machines.
Important: If there is a lot of lime in your water, you should descale more often. Check your water company's website to see how hard the water is at your home.
Almost all Nespresso machines can and need to be descaled regularly. Some examples of these devices are:
Nespresso is a coffee system developed by the well-known brand Nestlé. Due to the popularity of the machines, there are now many different brands that make Nespresso machines. Think, for example, of the Nespresso machines from Magimix, or the Krups-Nespresso machines. You can descale all these devices in the same way. Each brand offers its own descaler for this.
To extend the life of your Nespresso machine, it's important that you descale your machine regularly. Do this every 6 months, or when your device tells you to. Use a descaler for coffee machines, or citric acid.
