How often do you clean or descale your Nespresso machine? Well, we all want high-quality espresso – whether from the local coffee shop or home-brewed, and if you’ve been using a Nespresso coffee maker, you may have noticed a change in the taste of your coffee.
And you know what? Most people resort to local coffee shops whenever they think their home-brewed coffee is not tasty.
Like other coffee makers, you need to regularly clean your Nespresso machine to ensure it produces delicious coffee and operates appropriately and continuously. Unfortunately, most users have little information on how to clean and descale their machines. In this post, I’ll share a step-by-step guide on how to clean Nespresso coffee machines.
Let’s jump right in.
What Is the Difference Between Descaling and Cleaning?
Descaling involves cleaning the inside of a Nespresso machine. It’s important to descale your machine every three months or whenever you notice that your coffee is tasting slightly off. Usually, the descaling process takes approximately 15 minutes.
The tap water used in making coffee leaves mineral (calcium carbonate) deposits that build up over time and clog the machine. If you happen to be using hard water – with high calcium carbonate concentration – you need to descale your machine regularly.
Cleaning your Nespresso coffee machine involves routine washing and rinsing before and after you make your coffee. Regular cleaning prevents the growth of mold and yeast and ensures the coffee machine is always running perfectly. Cleaning the device on a regular basis can go a long way in boosting the quality of your cup of coffee.
Descaling Your Nespresso Machine
When it comes to descaling, there are several factors you need to consider. These include how often you use the machine, whether you rinse the water reservoir and machine daily, or how frequently you carry out deep cleaning. For correct descaling, you will need the following products:
- Fresh water for washing and rinsing
- A descaling agent for removing limescale from the pipes
- A cleaning capsule for cleaning the brewing unit
Here are steps to guide you through the descaling process:
1. Prep Your Machine
Turn on the machine and allow it some time to heat up to the correct temperature before unlocking it. Then pull the lever to remove the capsules in the capsule container. Empty the drip tray and coffee capsule container and put a 1-liter container under the coffee outlet.
Now fill the water reservoir with about half-a-liter of water and your preferred descaling solution.
2. Start the Descaling Process
Put your machine into descaling mode. The button(s) you’ll press will vary depending on your machine model. A beep will indicate the device is in descaling mode.
3. Run Descaling Cycle
After the descaling process has started and the first cycle has ended, refill the water reservoir with the used solution. Run it for the second cycle.
4. Rinse the Machine
Fill the water reservoir with clean water and put the container under the coffee outlet. Let the machine run the clean water through by pressing one of the buttons on your Nespresso. Once the cycle is complete, empty the container, and add clean water again. Repeat the process.
5. Exit Descaling Mode
After you have rinsed the machine properly, exit descaling mode by pressing the correct buttons – the machine will beep to indicate an exit from descaling mode. Let it dry for about ten minutes, and you are good to go.
Cleaning Your Nespresso Machine
If you are looking to give your Nespresso coffee machine a good cleaning, there are a few things that you will need:
- Damp cloth
- liquid dish soap
- Gentle cleaning solution
- Container
- Soft towel
Step 1: Clean the Water Reservoir
First, remove the water tank and empty its contents into the sink. Using a damp cloth and a mild dish detergent (don’t use abrasives), wash the tank and rinse it thoroughly with warm water. Dry the tank with a soft towel and refill it with fresh drinking water. Then put it back on the Nespresso.
You should not leave the water reservoir to air dry. Air drying the machine can lead to the buildup of minerals.
Step 2: Clean the Drip Tray
For this step, you remove the drip tray from your machine and wash it in warm soapy water. Scrub away any buildup on the tray. Rinse the drip tray thoroughly with warm water and allow it to air dry.
You should wash your drip tray periodically since the tray usually gathers coffee residue.
Step 3: Wipe the Capsule Collection Drawer
Open the machine’s capsule head so that the used capsule can be ejected. Empty and wash the drawer in warm soapy water. Rinse it using warm water and use a towel to dry it.
Follow this step to clean the capsule containers.
Step 4: Wipe the Capsule Detector Lens
To properly clean the detector, you need a soft, dry cloth. Remove any smudges on the detector lens by wiping it gently using the clean cloth.
Step 5: Wipe External Parts of the Machine
Before you start wiping the external parts of the machine, ensure it’s unplugged. Now rinse the soft cloth with warm water and wipe the outside of the machine thoroughly. You can use a gentle cleanser if needed. Ensure that you wipe the coffee outlet (to remove any buildup), the inside walls, and the outside edges.
Step 6: Run a Rinse Cycle
Put a container that can hold at least four cups of water under the head. Press the start button three times within two seconds and wait for the cycle to run. The process should take about 5 minutes, after which you will discard the water from the collection container.
Step 7: Reassemble the Parts
Put the drip tray and the capsule drawer back into place.
In addition to these steps, we recommend that you check your machine’s specific cleaning instructions. It’s worth noting that the steps mentioned above are based on Nespresso coffee machine manufacturer guidelines.
Tips for Maintaining Nespresso Machines
Proper maintenance of your Nespresso coffee machine can extend its lifespan more than you can imagine. Moreover, regular and effective maintenance makes your cleaning process much easier. Here are a few things you can do to increase your Nespresso’s life span:
- Keep the machine in a dry place: The temperature should not be too hot or too cold. Therefore, don’t place the appliance near a heat source or inside/on top of a fridge. The reason for this is that coffee is susceptible to temperature changes.
- Don’t leave water in the reservoir: Always leave the water tank empty whenever it is not in use.
- Don’t use white vinegar as a cleaning solution: White vinegar has acetic acid that can attack the machine’s internal parts and even cause leaks.
- Don’t submerge any of the coffee machine components in water
Enjoy Your High-Quality Coffee
It only takes a few minutes to get the most out of your coffee machine. And that is why you need to ensure you get the most extended service out of it. Now that you’ve learned how to clean your Nespresso coffee machine with these cleaning and descaling steps, you don’t have any excuse not to clean your Nespresso machine.
Other than not cleaning/descaling your machine, there are many reasons you’re not getting a high-quality cup of coffee. Here are some mistakes you may be making during your coffee routine.
Happy Caffeinating!
