What is Descaling?
So, what is descaling? This is simply the act of removing the remnants of foodstuff or ingredients from a machine after use. How different is descaling from cleaning? The entire process of descaling a machine involves more than a usual washing or cleaning of some of its parts. There is so much more involved in the process of descaling a machine.
Whether it is a grinder or espresso, there are different maintenance procedures to safeguard a product and maintain its durability. The act of descaling involves the use of an acidic solution to clean a machine in and out. This process of descaling removes anything stuck in different parts of the machine. This is important because particles tend to get stuck inside coffee makers.
One fundamental perk of descaling is the fact that it goes beyond mere surface cleaning. The process of descaling prevents the iron compounds formed as the leftover materials remain lodged in the device over a long period. Descaling is an intricate process that breaks down these leftovers to increase the lifespan of the machine.

Benefits Of Descaling Espresso Machine Using Vinegar
Descaling and cleaning your brewing device are two different processes that have the same goal, to provide high-quality service and best-tasting fresh coffee every single time. If you are wondering what’s the difference and the setbacks if not done properly, to keep it succinct, it will render great damage to your machine, resulting in breakage, malfunction, and low-quality cups of java experience. Nobody wants that.
Now, here’s a quick question. When did you last descaled your coffee machine? Or do you know how to describe it? Cleaning device components after using your espresso machine like portafilter baskets, carafes, grinder burrs, and brew chambers are a regular task. Descaling Nespresso or espresso machines is different.
Difference Between Cleaning And Descaling Your Machine
Coffee has natural oils that accumulate to your device every time you use it. Regardless of any coffee beans or even the most excellent and advanced machines in the market, you will need to clean your device to work efficiently and remove rancid residue buildups. This affects the freshness of your coffee. Alongside, if not clean regularly can have damaging results through the blockage and bitter taste.
The best espresso maker has self-cleaning features, while others need a solution to clean things out. Either way, they will help you maintain a good running brewing device for years to come.
To descale Nespresso devices is another story. Descaling machines enable you to remove mineral scales that build up into your devices, which hinders the extraction of full flavors from your coffee beans.
Limescale build-up comes from minerals that are present in the water, such as magnesium and calcium. Over time, these minerals stay in the heating mechanism of your devices. If left unattended, these can clog your device and later on cause breakage, or your device will stop working.

Even the best super-automatic espresso machine needs descaling to maintain its optimum level of efficiency. Nespresso's descaling solutions are available in the market that provides convenience for you to maintain a good running device at its highest quality.
Since hard water can prose damaging effects on your brewing machine, it is best to use descaling solutions to remove the hard water mineral residues and limescale left into the heating mechanism.
The descaling solution is mixed with fresh water and placed into the water tank reservoir. These solutions can remove even those hard to remove tough scales to the mechanism.
How To Descale Your Espresso Machines
Before you jump into the descaling process, it is essential to check with your manufacturer or refer to the manual for a complete descaling guide to execute the procedure properly. Simultaneously, single boiler/Thermoblock and super-automatic types of espresso machines may have different procedures of descaling.
There are excellent features you can check with espresso machines under 500 and espresso machines under 1000, which enables a different yet convenient process of descaling. These insights help you find the perfect brewing machine suitable for any coffee you prefer. Check them out today. In the meantime, let’s get back to descale your espresso machine now.
Caution: To prevent metallic components from tarnishing due to the citric acid, it is best to collect the descaling solution after placing it in a container for proper disposal.
Descaling Espresso Machine (Super-automatic models)
Before you begin, you need to check if your model has automatic descaling features. If it has, you can run that over together with the recommended descaler solution. If it doesn’t have, you can do the following super simple instructions.
- Dissolve the recommended descale solution into the full reservoir.
- Pull the descaling solution into the machine’s boiler. Run approximately one cup of the water into the steam wand—close and secure the steam knob.
- Turn the device off. Let the solution sit for about 20 minutes. This is the crucial part, and you have to keep it there with the required time for it to work properly.
- When 20 minutes have passed, you can let it run at least halfway through the reservoir into the steam wand.
- Turn off your espresso machine. Let it sit for an extra 20 minutes.
- Flush all the left water into the device steam wand. Finish by allowing clean water to run into the reservoir through your machine.
Descaling Espresso Machine (Thermoblock/Single boiler)
- Dissolve the recommended descale solution into the full reservoir.
- Pull the recommended solution into your device boiler. Run it for about one cup of the water out through the hot water/steam wand. Close and secure the device steam knob.
- Turn the machine off. Let the descaling solution sit for approximately 20 minutes. This process will help the descaling solution work properly into the machine.
- When 20 minutes is done, run about a quarter (1/4) of your reservoir out through the device steam wand, and a quarter should be out of the device brew head.
- Turn the machine off again. Let the solution sit for another 20 minutes.
- Flush the rest of the water through the brew head and steam wand.
- Lastly, run the reservoir of fresh, clean water throughout the machine. You can do this twice or as you preferred.
If you are wondering when you should start describing your espresso machines, you should give it at least about three months. However, if you don’t use it as often as normal, about 300 capsules perhaps can be the ideal beacon for descaling.
On the contrary, if you have second thoughts about using Nespresso descaler recommended solutions, you can opt for easy and DIY homemade ones. The effects are almost as great as when Nespresso describes alternative solutions are used.
Homemade Descaling Solution for Espresso Machines

Instead of buying descaling solutions from the store, did you know you can create your homemade descaling solution? It is relatively easy to make a DIY descaling solution for your espresso machine.
There are some advantages of making your descaling solution. Some store-bought espresso machine descaling solutions contain harsh ingredients that may lead to rusts or damage if you do not use it properly. There's also the possibility that these solutions contain harmful ingredients.
With homemade descaling solutions, you know exactly what it contains and how it can affect the parts of the machine. Also, homemade descaling solutions tend to work better for descaling coffee machines.
There are two main ingredients used in the production of homemade descaling solution; vinegar and lime. These are common household ingredients, and mixing them to create a solution is an easy, straightforward process. Some people choose to add other ingredients like lemon to their descaling solution, but just these two ingredients would work just fine.
How To Make Your Own Coffee Maker Descaling Solution
Making a coffee maker descaling solution is easier than you may imagine, and you don’t need any professional training or expertise. Using a homemade descaling solution can be safer, healthier, and a more affordable option than using commercial descaling solutions.
As we indicated already, you can use either powdered citric acid, lemon juice, white vinegar, or baking soda.
- When using citric acid to descale your coffee machine, mix two tablespoons of citric acid with one liter of water.
- Put the solution in your reservoir and run a brew cycle as though you’re making a cup of coffee.
- Then rinse it by putting water in the tank and running it a few times.
- Always use warm water rather than cold water for the descaling process. Rinse it repeatedly to get rid of remnants of the descaling solution in your tank. Ensure there are no coffee grounds left in your machine.
For all the other cleaning agents, the process is virtually the same, however, the mixing ratio varies.
- For lemon juice, mix it with water in a 50/50 ratio.
- For white vinegar, mix the vinegar and water in a 50/50 or 30/70 ratio.
- For baking soda, mix it in a 25/75 ratio.
All these descaling agents work equally well for both semi-automatic and fully automatic coffee machines. Some people prefer natural options like lemon juice over vinegar since the latter tends to affect the taste of your brew after it is used.
How to Descale Espresso Machine Using Lemons

Did you know that you can use lemon to descale espresso machines? This is due to the acidity of lemon and its ability to remove stains from metal surfaces. It is easy to learn how to descale espresso machine using lemon. The process is easy, and this practice is more widespread than you may imagine.
The first thing you have to do is to put water into the espresso machine and allow it to run for some time. This is important since there is always a probability that some coffee remnants are lodged in parts of the machine. Rinsing the machine thoroughly eliminates any coffee in it and ensures you can descale it successfully.
After running the machine with water, add lemon juice to it. You have to mix the lemon juice with water and then put the mixture into the espresso machine. Allow it to run for several minutes. This will help to bring out all the coffee residue and flush the entire machine.
Tips and Tricks in Using a Citric Acid Descaler
Citric acid is a natural, non-toxic, odorless cleaning agent so it is often added to descaling solutions or used as a standalone descaling agent in place of vinegar, acetic acid, or hydrochloric acid. If you’re using a citric acid descaler, here are some tips and tricks to make the process safer and more effective.
It is best to use powdered citric acid for descaling, but you can also use pump-free lemon juice. Both are available at many retail shops.
Unlike vinegar, citric acid descaling solutions will not affect the taste of your brew after you use it to clean your coffee machine. However, citric acid can also build up in the water reservoir, brew group, and other parts of your machine if you use it frequently. To avoid this, rinse your machine thoroughly after descaling it with a citric acid solution. Also, alternate between using citric acid and other descaling agents.
Like any other descaling product, you need to dilute citric acid with the right amount of water for best results. Over-diluting may make it ineffective while under-diluting may leave a lot of residue in your coffee machine.
To reduce the buildup of limescale in your coffee machine, use spring water instead of tap water when making coffee. Tap water has a higher water hardness rating than spring water. It contains a lot more minerals like calcium and magnesium.
Can You Descale Espresso Machine Vinegar

Aside from using recommended solutions for descaling brewing devices, you can opt for an organic process. There are a lot of effective and trusted ways to use your favorite brewing machines.
For example, Vinegar is known for its natural acidity, which is a great option for removing lime scales from water minerals. There are various options on how you can safely descale your coffee brewing machines at home, like things you can find around the kitchen and such. For example, you can use lemon juice, white vinegar, baking soda, hot water, and citric acid.
Keep in mind that you need to be cautious when working with hot water and solutions. With the right amount of each ingredient, you can easily descale your espresso machine in no time and enjoy that lovely fresh cup of piping java to boost your productivity.
Descaling with vinegar is a simple home remedy. You need to prepare the solution with these measurements; ⅓ cup of white vinegar and ⅔ cup of clean water.
Mix these ingredients properly and place them into your machine. Let the solution sit to do its job and rinse properly. Aside from the inside, you can also use this solution when cleaning the exterior of your espresso machine.
Whether you are using a descaler for cleaning your espresso machine or prefers vinegar is fine. Only that vinegar is cheaper compared to buying ready-made solutions that are formulated for ease of descaling.
Pros and Cons of Descaling with Vinegar
You can use a vinegar-based solution or just vinegar to descale your espresso machine. Many descaling solutions contain vinegar, but using vinegar alone works just fine. However, descaling with vinegar is not something you should venture into if you do not know the pros and cons.
- Vinegar is affordable, and it can be obtained without much difficulty.
- Vinegar does not react harshly to metals.
- Using vinegar is a more natural way of descaling espresso machines.
- Vinegar is not usually effective in the descaling process. Often, there is a need to descale again after using vinegar.
- The smell of vinegar can affect the taste of the coffee produced with the machine after descaling.
It is unclear how much vinegar you need. This can lead to over usage or under usage.
Now that you know some pros and cons of using vinegar for descaling your coffee machine, you can now make the right decision whether to try it out. It is best to find out what works for you and what you are comfortable with.
How To Clean Espresso Machine With Vinegar
Since vinegar is a natural descaler, you can use it as a home remedy to remove lime scales from your coffee brewing machines. Here are the easy steps!
- Mix one part of vinegar to one part of water. You can place it in a bottle or any container and shake the mixture well.
- Let the mixture run into your espresso device. You can do this process like you are brewing your daily java. You can also use this to clean from the exterior.
- When the cycle is done, you can empty the mixture from your espresso machine. Then let the device run with clean water several times. The rinsing process will take off any unwanted smell from the vinegar mixture.
- Wash the espresso portafilter with warm and soapy water. Make sure that the filter basket is dried thoroughly.
- That’s it, you’ve got a cleaned brewing machine!
Best Brands of Espresso Descaler
Although creating a homemade coffee machine descaler is the best option, some people who lead busy lives may find it more convenient to buy one from the store. If you are looking to buy an espresso descaler, there are numerous coffee maker descaler brands to choose from, and it can be tricky to figure out which ones are worth your money. Here are three descaler brands that are worth checking out.
1. De'Longhi EcoDeCalk Natural Descaler
This espresso machine descaler, made in Italy, is produced with 100% lactic acid sourced from plants. It can be used for all types of coffee/espresso machines. De'Longhi EcoDeCalk Natural Descaler can extend the lifespan of your coffee machine and improves its energy efficiency by preventing scales from building up in it.

2. Impressa Universal Descaling Solution
This coffee machine descaler, made in the U.S, can be used for Keurig machines, Nespresso machines, Delonghi machines, and all types of coffee/espresso machines. It effectively eliminates limescale and other mineral deposits in the machine to prevent corrosion and improve the device's efficiency.

3. Essential Values Coffee Descaler & Cleaner
This is a powerful cleaning solution that can be used on the dirtiest machines. It is made with a citric acid formula that is safe and non-toxic. This multi-purpose descaler can be used on all types of coffee/espresso makers, both manual and automatic. It can also be used on humidifiers. This product is made in the U.S.

Pro Tips on Maintaining a Cleaner Espresso Machine
Maintenance is not only necessary to extend the lifespan of your coffee maker, but it is also essential to get a cleaner espresso machine. Anybody can get an espresso machine, but not everyone knows how to maintain it. Here’s a tip; develop a maintenance culture for your espresso machine and other devices. Maintenance is very important for any equipment or appliance and more so for an espresso machine.
These are some pro maintenance tips for your espresso machine:
- Make sure the espresso machine is always emptied after use.
- Do not plug in the appliance whenever it is not in use.
- Make sure that you descale the espresso machine at least once a month.
- Do not allow the liquid to touch other parts of the machine like the wires and coating.
- Set your espresso machine down at a specific location to avoid falls and breaks.
- The espresso machine should be properly covered when it is not in use to protect it from dust and damage.
These tips can increase the durability of your espresso machine and help it serve you better.
Do I Need To Descale My Espresso Machine
Honestly, it is highly recommended to descale the brewing coffee device to achieve its optimum potential over time. This can also help you maintain and prevent machine breakage due to the clogging heat mechanism.
Limescale buildup is due to the natural mineral content of water. Once you use formulations for descaling, make sure to keep it in a container for disposal as the harsh ingredients have a great tarnishing effect on metals.
Coffee Descaler From Scratch: Things You Need and Where To Buy Them
Did you know that you can make a homemade coffee descaler that will work just as well as a commercial descaling solution? Yes, and you may have everything you need already in your kitchen right now.
When thinking of creating a descaling solution, it is easy to consider using dish soaps and other cleaning solutions. While they can be used to clean your drip tray, they won’t work for descaling the internal components of the machine because they don’t have the acidity level to remove the mineral buildup on the heating element of your coffee machine or coffee pot.
All descaling solutions contain an acid to remove the buildup of limescale and coffee oil in your coffee machine. Commercial decalers contain either acetic acid, formic acid, citric acid, glycolic acid, hydrochloric acid, formic acid, sulfamic acid, or phosphoric acid. Apart from acid, the only other thing you need is water.
Some of these acids are rare while others are very common. The good news is that you don’t need to use these acids to create a descaling solution. Household items like powdered citric acid, pulp-free lemon juice, baking soda, white vinegar are excellent descaling agents. You will find them at just about any retail shop.
There are different recipes for homemade descalers online along with directions for how to create them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Vinegar works just as well as any descaling solution for removing limescale from coffee machines. The jury is still out on which is better. Some manufacturers recommend using white vinegar to descale your coffee machine. The main criticism of using vinegar as a descaler is that it tends to leave a lingering taste, but that can be resolved by rinsing your machine thoroughly.
Yes, you can make your own coffee descaling solution. The process is quite simple and straightforward. You just need an acidic base and water.
If you don’t descale your coffee machine, the buildup of limescale on the heating elements will prevent the machine from reaching its optimal brewing temperature.
As a result, the water won’t be able to extract the full flavor of your coffee so your brew may end up tasting a bit watered down. If you do not descale your coffee maker for a long time, it can even clog up the machine and affect the flow of water. Ultimately, this could damage your machine or at least drastically reduce its lifespan.
Coke contains phosphoric acid, which makes it suitable for removing limescale. Although it is not as popular as some of the other descaling agents, it is just as effective. Pepsi contains a similar level of phosphoric acid as Coke and is also a great descaling agent.
Conclusion
Descaling espresso machines is essential to maintain their excellent quality. This will help your device provide fresh and rich-tasting cups of piping java without bitterness. It can be done after a few months, which depends on how often you use your brewer. You can use a descaler solution or natural distilled vinegar.