If you feel like your coffee is tasting funny, maybe it’s time to descale your Nespresso Vertuo. Mineral buildup can alter the taste of your brew. However, you don’t have to wait for your coffee to taste funny to descale.
You must maintain your Nespresso machine to ensure optimal performance and the machine’s longevity. Nespresso recommends descaling every 3 months or after 300 capsules, whichever comes first.
If you think descaling your coffee machine is a complicated process, don’t worry. We’ll provide a step-by-step guide on how to maintain your fantastic coffee machine easily.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to descale and when to descale your Nespresso Vertuo so you can enjoy delicious cups of coffee every time.
So, let’s get started!
What is Descaling?
Descaling is the process of removing mineral buildup. All water contains minerals, like calcium and magnesium, and eventually cause built-up mineral deposits over time.
The limescale buildup will cause damage to the machine. It can cause problems in water heating, block water channels, and damage metallic surfaces.
To ensure you’re brewing fresh cups of coffee every time and maintain your machines’ optimal condition to make it live longer, it’s important to descale.
How Often Do I Need to Descale My Nespresso Vertuo Machine?
Nespresso Vertuo has a descaling alert in half-red and half-green lights that warns you that you’ll only be able to make a couple of cups of coffee after this alert before descaling becomes mandatory.
Nespresso recommends to descale your coffee machine every 3 months or after 300 capsules.
Nespresso recommends using the Nespresso descaling Kit. While using vinegar can be a helpful cleaning hack, Nespresso strongly suggests avoiding it as it can cause damage to your Nespresso machine.
Nespresso’s descaling kit gently eliminates the limescale that builds up in your machine.
It’s also important to remember that a descaler can damage or discolor surfaces, so place something underneath the machine to protect your countertop.
If there’s any spillage, wipe it immediately. Also, wash hands thoroughly after handling.
How to Descale Nespresso Vertuo?
Materials needed:
- 1 empty container that can hold up to 27 ounces
- Nespresso Descaling kit
- 17 ounces of water
- Damp cloth
Prepare your machine
Turn on the machine by pushing the button. Push the lever upwards of the machine head to open it and eject the used capsule.
Once the used capsule is ejected, close the machine head by pushing the lever down.
To turn the machine off, press and hold the lever down for three seconds. Then, empty the cup support and the used capsule container.
Add the Nespresso descaling solution
Fill the tank with at least 17 ounces of water and one unit of Nespresso descaling liquid. Place the empty container under the coffee outlet.
Enter Descaling Mode
When the machine is off, you can enter into the special functions menu by pushing the button and the lever down simultaneously for 3 seconds.
An orange steady light should appear, indicating that you’ve entered into the special functions menu.
Press and release the lever to put the machine into the descaling mode.
The orange light should blink throughout the descaling process, and the machine will automatically stop when the descaling cycle is complete.
Rinse the water tank
Empty the water tank and cup support. Clean and rinse them thoroughly.
Then, refill the tank with freshwater.
Run a clean water flush
Press the button and release it once to start rinsing. The orange light will blink once every 2 seconds. Rinse and refill with fresh water.
A green light will flash when the process is complete.
Exit the Descaling Cycle
Push the lever down and press the button at the same time to exit descaling mode. Clean the appliance with a damp cloth.
Allow the machine to rest for 10 minutes before using it.
FAQs
How often should I descale my Nespresso Vertuo?
You should descale every three months. Nespresso Vertuo has a descaling alert in half-red and half-green light.
This warns you that you’ll only be able to make several coffees after this alert before descaling becomes mandatory.
What happens if you don’t descale your Nespresso Vertuo?
The machine can be damaged if you don’t descale your Nespresso Vertuo.
Mineral buildup can also prevent optimal water heating and may block machine parts.
What is a natural descaling solution?
Vinegar is a natural descaling solution. To make a homemade descaling solution, you can mix vinegar and water in a 1:1 ratio.
Run the brew cycle several times to clean. After descaling, fill the tank with freshwater and run the brew cycle at least thrice to eliminate the vinegar taste.
However, Nespresso advises not to use vinegar for your Nespresso Vertuo as it can damage the machine.
What is the difference between descaling and cleaning?
Cleaning removes oil and dirt from the machine, while descaling removes mineral buildup in your machine to improve your machine’s efficiency and extend its life.
Descaling also enhances the quality of water coming out from your coffee machine because limescale can alter the flavor of your brew.
The Takeaway
Nespresso is known for its delicious coffee cup, but maintaining the device properly ensures that you get a fresh cup of coffee every time. Descaling your Nespresso Vertuo is imperative to keep this amazing machine in prime condition.
It’s vital for extending the life of your ever-handy machine.
While vinegar is known as a natural descaling solution, it’s still best to use the descaling solution specifically designed for your coffee machine.
Nespresso has a descaling kit to eliminate limescale buildup in your machine gently.
However, suppose you don’t have the kit and want to try other cleaning solutions from other brands.
In that case, it’s imperative to refer to the manufacturer’s instructions before cleaning your coffee machine to prevent your appliance from getting damaged.
Ensure that the cleaning solution is gentle and is suitable for home use.
Cleaning and descaling your reliable coffee machine can make a difference in the quality of your brew and the time it takes.
