Limescale builds up in the thermoblock and slows the flow until it eventually stops altogether. How often you need to descale depends on your water hardness — every two to three months if your water is hard.
How to Descale a Coffee Machine
The single most important maintenance step — a scale-free system means hot coffee and steady flow.
Steps
- Empty the grounds and rinse the tank.
- Mix the descaling solution in the tank following the instructions.
- Run the descaling program (or cycle it through in short bursts).
- Let it sit for the time the manufacturer recommends.
- Rinse by running two full tanks of clean water through the machine.
Warnings
- Don't drink the first coffees after descaling — run the rinse water through first.
Maintenance tips
- If your water is very hard, use filtered water to space out descaling sessions.
Dans ce guide
In this guide
- Suitable descaler
- 1-liter container
Sam Radford — DiagnosFix
Technical reviewer
Last verified: 2026-06-01
Before you start
Unplug the appliance, shut off the water supply if relevant, and stop immediately if you smell burning. If in doubt, call a qualified professional.