How to Clean and Descale Your Coffee Machine

Why should you clean your coffee machine?

If left without cleaning for too long, your coffee can start to taste bitter as limescale builds up. It’s not just the taste that’s impacted by this build up though, it also hinders the performance of your machine and can cause leaks and blockages.

How often should you clean a coffee machine?

According to Which, a vast amount of people have never cleaned their machine and some do it less than once a year. How often you clean and descale your coffee machine will depend on if you live in a hard water area or not, as hard water is filled with minerals which group together and solidify, causing limescale.

Signs your coffee machine needs descaling

Most of our machines actually have an orange/amber light that tells you when you need to descale. But, if your machine doesn’t have one, look out for any of the following signs. It might be time to get cleaning!

• Leaking
• Reduced water flow
• Water stopping entirely
• Not heating up properly
• Strange noises
• Excessive amounts of water dripping

How to clean a coffee machine

Luckily, coffee pod machines are amongst the easiest types to clean. We recommend flushing through with water after every use and descaling your machine every 3 – 4 months to get rid of the limescale build-up to keep your machine performing at its best.

We sell water descaler, specially designed for use with your Dolce Gusto® coffee machine that’s super simple to use. Each kit comes with two bottles of descaler liquid to treat and prevent limescale to ensure that each cup you enjoy is packed full of that delicious flavour you know and love.

For cleaning the outside, make sure you regularly wipe with a microfibre cloth to keep it shiny and looking like new. Removable items such as the drip tray and pod holder should also be taken out regularly and cleaned – washing up liquid is fine for this.

For information on how to clean each of our coffee machines, check out our specific machine guides by clicking on the model you own for detailed and personalised cleaning advice.

Want to find out more about your coffee machine? Check out our coffee machine FAQS, next.