Does your coffee taste bad despite the perfect recipe? It might be the time to descale your Nespresso vertuoline machines.
What is descaling?
Descaling is a method to remove excessive minerals compiled up in your Nespresso machine that is not good for your health. Descaling comes with the proper method that includes specific dos and don'ts.
If you don’t treat it on time, the minerals stored can affect your health, the quality of coffee, and the machine's water flow. There are certain signs which indicate the need for descaling, like the difficulty in pumping water.
There are many ways to descale your machines, but it is advisable to follow the Nespresso descaling instructions recommended by the Nespresso.
Descaling should be done after every 3 months or after the use of 300 capsules. If you use hard water, it is advisable to do it more often.
If you are unsure about the level of minerals in the water, you can opt for a low-cost water testing kit.
How do you know your Nespresso Vertuoline needs descaling?
The machine has a light that indicates the need to descale. The light appears green when your machine is ready to use. If the light appears orange or red, it is high time to descale it or check the water supply.
The VertuoPlus indicates the light that is half red and half green. The green color might look yellow. Moreover, on the VertuoNext, Vertuo and Evoluo there will be an indication of orange blinking light.
Apart from this, if your machine is no longer serving hot coffee or pumping water, it is another sign to get its maintenance done as soon as possible.
The descaling process usually takes twenty minutes to clean. The descaling process continues until it is completed, so you should keep all your supplies ready beforehand.
Before you perform the descaling procedure, you should always check the instruction guide for descaling your Nespresso Vertuoline machine to avoid any complications.
Things you require before descaling:
Before you start the descaling process, you should take all the safety measures. If the machine is unplugged during the procedure, it will automatically start the process again once it is activated.
To descale your Nespresso machines, you should have the following things:
- Each container has the capacity to hold 21 ounces of liquid.
- Nespresso Vertuo descaling solution of your choice.
- 17 ounces of water is required to dilute the descaling agent.
- The same amount of water - 17 ounces is needed to flush out your coffee machine.
Why Descaling Nespresso Vertuoline With Vinegar Is A Bad Idea
People wrongly assume that machines should be descaled by using vinegar, but it is the most harmful way of getting rid of limescale from the machine. Vinegar tends to damage the internal parts of the coffee machine like rubber gaskets and seals.
Moreover, it is hard to rinse and get rid of the smell and taste that vinegar leaves in your coffee machines.
You should never clean the Nespresso Vertuoline machine with vinegar because of its acidic nature. It can wear down the metal of the machine risking the leakage of the unit.
It can also harm the longevity of machines. You can use many alternatives in place of vinegar that can keep your machine safe.
Nespresso descaling solution:
Nespresso descaling solution is a solution kit specially designed for cleaning purposes. You can use it in descaling Nespresso Vertuoline plus and all other models. You should always opt for the kit instead of using other harmful Descalers.
The solution will remove the excessive limescale. Each kit comes with 100 ml sachets of descaling solution for all the models. One sachet is enough for a single-use.
It is a harmful product as it has lactic acid that can cause severe health issues like causing serious eye damage or skin irritation. You should handle these products with care.
If your Nespresso Vertuoline plus or Nespresso Vertuoline goes half green and half red - it is the right time to use Impress Descaler. It is the top-selling discolor as it uses citric and sulfamic acids. Both the chemicals are gentle on aluminum and metal.
You can use it twice, one bottle for each use. It is designed to ensure the good quality coffee and extended life-line of your machine. It is a simple liquid that is poured directly into the machine and water. It can also protect your machine from corrosion.
Nespresso Vertuoline Descaling Instructions:
The main question arises, how do you clean Nespresso Vertuoline? Like any other coffee machine, Nespresso Vertuoline also needs high maintenance to ensure the taste of the coffee.
This is why it is important to learn how to clean Nespresso Vertuoline so that you can do it when needed.
How to Descale Nespresso Vertuo Next?
Following is the detailed step-by-step guide that can help you clean it at home without any hassle.
1. Initial Cleaning:
The initial step is a simple yet the most important thing to do. Before you start, thoroughly clean the leftovers of previous use from the coffee maker. Then open the lid; it will eject the last used coffee capsule into the container.
As soon as it's done, ensure that the lid is closed and the lever is left in the unlocked position.
Then remove the capsule tank, drip tray, water tank, and cup support to empty all the remaining contents. Lastly, rinse them with clean water and place them into their designed positions
2. Prepare Descaling Solution:
The next step is to pour 500 ml of clean water into the tank of your machine. Take out the sachet from the descaling kit and mix it into the water.
3. Turn on the Descale mode:
Once you complete all the above steps, turn on the power supply to activate it. The machine will preheat the water for about 15 seconds.
Then hold on with the power button for some seconds, so it switches back to a descaling mood.
4. Start the descaling process:
Next, you should lock the lid by holding the lever to the left of the lock icon. Then, press the power button to begin the process. The whole process is automatic, the machine will pour the descaling solution through the nozzle and cup until it is empty again.
5. Repeat and rinse:
For better results, repeat the process again. Once you complete the steps, remove the water tank and all the parts. Then empty the containers and clean them with warm water. You should clean the components and put them back in their desired positions.
Lastly, put the cap on the drip tray and fill it with the water tank up to half of its volume with the fresh water and rinse. This step is important to get rid of any leftovers.
6. Turn off Descale mode:
Lastly, switch your machine brew settings. To turn off the descale mood, press and hold the power button for seven seconds.
How to Descale Nespresso VertuoPlus:
1. Initial Step:
The first step is to know when the descaling alert appears. Check the lights if it turns green or red - it is the time to descale. Turn on the machine by pressing the button.
2. Lever setting:
The next step is to push the lever upwards so that it can extract the capsule. You should press the lever down for 3 seconds to turn the machine off.
3. Descaling process:
First, you should empty the cup support and the capsule container. Then, fill the water tank with 17 ounces of water and one potion of descaling liquid. While the machine is not on, push the button and lever together for 3 seconds.
4. Light indication:
As you enter the special functions menu, an orange light will appear. Press and then release the lever again to enter the descaling process. Place a container that has the capacity to hold 27 ounces under the coffee spout.
The uniqueness of this machine is that you can stop the process by pushing the button whenever you want. To start the rinsing process, press and release the button. The machine will stop once the process is completed.
5. Rinsing Cycle:
Once your machine has completed the descaling process, empty, clean and rinse the water tank and cup support. Fill the tank with fresh water. To enter into the rinsing cycle press and release the button.
The orange light will blink throughout the process of descaling. To exit the descaling mode, press the button and lever for 3 seconds until the light appears green. Let your machine rest for 15 minutes and it's ready to use again.
How To Descale Nespresso Evoluo:
1. Preparations for descaling:
The first step is to fill the water tank with one packet of descaling solution. When the machine is plugged in, you should empty the capsule container and drip tray. Once it is empty, place it back.
2. Light indication:
Press and release the button and keep the lever in an unlocked position. As you complete these steps, wait for the light to appear. You should press and hold the button until you see that the light is turned off and is blinking. This process might take 7 to 8 seconds before the light blinks.
3. Set the Lever position:
Hold and turn the lever to the left side and back to the front to unlock it. Keep on pressing and holding the button until the light turns off and blinks again.
Lastly, lock the lever, this light should be blinking at first as it indicates that you are now in descaling mode. If this does not happen, repeat the process from the start.
4. Start the descaling mode:
In this step, press and release the button once to enter descaling mode. The light will keep on blinking in this process. The machine will pass out the solution as soon as the solution is passed out, the machine will go silent. Discard the solution and empty the coffee spout.
5. Rinsing process:
Rinse the water tank and refill it with half fresh water and put it back. Press the button to start the rinsing process. Discard the water when the process is completed.
6. Light indication:
Once the water tank is empty, press and hold until the light is steady. This step might take 7 to 8 seconds. Lastly, refill the water tank and place it onto the machine. Then empty and rinse the capsule container and drip the tray.
Place the tray again and wipe the machine with the damp cloth. Let your machine rest for 10 minutes and then it is ready to be used again.
How To Descale Nespresso Vertuo:
1. Initial Cleaning:
In the first step, you need a descaling solution. Wait for the light to be steady and the signal to be heated. Then empty the capsule container and cup support.
2. Set the machine:
Open the machine and then empty the capsules. Close and leave the lever in the unlocked position towards the front position. Add the solution and water, following the instructions on the solution. Once these steps are completed, hold the button for 7 seconds to enter the cleaning process. Leave it for 45 seconds when the button will blink rapidly when it is ready.
3. Set the Lever:
For this, turn the lever towards the left side and turn right to unlock it. Then hold the button in the unlocked position for 7 to 8 seconds. Place the container underneath. Turn the lever left to lock the machine and push the button. It will stop when this phase is completed.
4. Rinsing Cycle:
Rinse and empty the water tank, drip tray, and cup support. Fill it with more than half of the tank with fresh water and push the button to rinse. Push the button for 7 to 8 seconds to complete the descaling process. Push the button to rinse and you are done.
What To Do If the Light Stays On After Descaling?
The descaling light should work perfectly if you follow the right instructions throughout the process. There is no need to worry about anything if you perform all the steps perfectly.
If the Nespresso Vertuoline light stays on, it is suggested that there is an extra scale built up inside your machine. This usually happens when you do not clean your machines thoroughly.
When you are facing such a situation, ask yourself the following questions:
- Do you generally descale when you first see the descale light?
- Do you clean your machine more often than once every three months?
- Do you always use clean filtered water?
If your answer to any of the above questions is no, you should deep clean your machine, open and close it again to see the status of the descaling light. If the issue does not resolve, you might need to reset your Nespresso.
FAQs:
How do I know if my Nespresso machine needs descaling?
If you are wondering when you should descale your coffee machine, check the following indications:
- Your coffee has a burning taste.
- Your machine is making unusual sounds when you are using it.
- Your machine is pouring slower than usual.
- Your coffee is not as hot as usual.
What can I use instead of Nespresso descaler?
If you don't have the descaling kit and solution, you can use vinegar or citric acid instead. If you are opting for citric acid, you will need to adjust the acid-water ratio.
One part should be acid, while the 20 parts should be water. For the vinegar, it should be a 50/50 ratio. You should choose the largest volume brew cycle and then press start.
Place an old pod as your machine will not work without it. If you are using vinegar, 4-5 water-only cycles are necessary to get rid of smell and taste.
What happens if I don't descale my coffee machine?
Your Nespresso can be affected greatly if you don't descale it. Minerals' scale build-up inside the machine will affect the quality and longevity of the machine.
If the water doesn't reach its optimal brewing temperature, it is nearly impossible to extract the full flavor from your coffee beans.
The excessive minerals stored can clog the flow of water, and if they are not removed, the machine might stop working.
Lastly, the taste of the coffee will not be good enough to enjoy.
Why is the Nespresso descaling kit a must-have?
The descaling kit is a must-have because it gently removes the excessive limescale without harming the machine. Descaling liquids are made in a way that does not affect the machine. Using alternatives can severely damage your machine and affect its longevity.