John Myers
The coffee only flows slowly or does it taste funny? Time to descale your coffee maker! It’s very easy – and usually without expensive special cleaners. Read how you can efficiently clean filter coffee machines and what demands coffee machines place on descaling.
Descale the coffee machine – this is how it works
Wherever water is used in the household, sooner or later limescale deposits will inevitably form: The mineral is a natural component of our tap water, which supplies us with an important nutrient via drinking water – but leaves annoying traces in the kitchen. The coffee machine is one of the classic victims of hard water, but even soft water will eventually cause your machine to slow down or you will find white chunks in your coffee. Then it’s time to descale the coffee machine – before you get started, read here how you can descale your coffee machine with simple household items.
Clean filter coffee machines
The easiest and most effective way to descale conventional filter coffee machines is to use vinegar, which is also suitable for cleaning your kettle. To do this, mix water and household vinegar in a ratio of 2:1 and pour the mixture into the machine’s water tank. Allow the liquid to run through about halfway, then turn off the machine for 20 minutes. This allows the vinegar to take effect and fight the limescale inside the device. After the time has elapsed, let the remaining vinegar water run through and then clear water two to three times – your breakfast coffee tastes great again!
Descale coffee machine with citric acid? Not such a good idea. The acid is basically just as good a home remedy for removing limescale, but unlike vinegar, it is not suitable for hot descaling. When heated, calcium citrate is formed, which in turn forms hard, non-water-soluble deposits on surfaces and in machines. It is therefore better to descale the coffee machine with vinegar. You take advantage of the acidity of citrus fruits when you make your own orange cleaner.
Descale modern coffee machines
Fully automatic coffee machines and Nespresso machines have slightly different decalcification requirements than the good old filter coffee machine. Acetic acid can attack rubber seals, and the deposits from heated citric acid can clog the thin tubes in the machine. To descale your fully automatic coffee machine, you can use another remedy that you are guaranteed to have at home: baking powder. Put a packet of it in the filled water tank of your device and let everything run through. Then start another cycle with clear water – the machine is purring like clockwork again. On the off chance that you can’t find baking soda in the kitchen cupboard, just grab an aspirin tablet and do the same. The acetylsalicylic acid contained in the drug effectively dissolves limescale. You can decalcify an espresso machine in the same way, and any conventional coffee machine can also be decalcified with baking soda.
DIY tip: You can also use citric acid and vinegar to make super glass cleaner yourself!
