Descale the Portafilter – This is How it Works in Just a Few Steps

If you notice that your espresso suddenly comes out of the portafilter only lukewarm and has a bitter or sour taste, this is an indication that you should descale your machine. If you clean the machine regularly, you also protect it from major damage.

How to descale the portafilter

Depending on which region of Germany you live in, the tap water can be more or less calcareous. This leaves residues in your espresso machine, which in the long run can lead to calcification in your portafilter. Regular cleaning and descaling are not only important for the taste of the espresso but also protect the device from serious damage.

• To descale, turn off the machine’s boiler by simply unplugging it. This will prevent the water in the portafilter from heating up. If you are not sure where this plug is located, refer to the instructions for use for this information.
• For descaling, you can either use special descaler products or household products such as vinegar or citric acid. Mix equal parts descaler with water and pour the mixture into the portafilter machine.
• Let the mixture run through both the hot water spout and the portafilter spout. If you were unable to switch off the boiler heating beforehand, you can also mix the descaler with cold water and run it through the machine as quickly as possible before it gets hot.
• The reason for this is that if the heat is too high, there is a risk that the surfaces of the device will be damaged. This is especially true if the machine has an aluminum boiler, as this material is less acid resistant and tends to be soft.
  Before you brew the first coffee after descaling, you should rinse the portafilter machine with clear water. This ensures that all residues of the cleaning agent are removed from the machine.

Also, clean the rest of the machine

In addition to the boiler, you should also regularly clean the removable parts of a portafilter machine.

• To do this, put some of the descalers in a bowl of warm water.
• Then put the detachable parts of the machine in the bowl to descale it. In most devices, this includes the group head, the sieve, the portafilter, and sometimes also the tube of the milk frother.
• Let each part soak in the descaler/water mixture for about half an hour.
• Then rinse the parts with clear water and reassemble them on your portafilter machine.