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How To Clean Nespresso Vertuoline
Cleaning and maintenance tips for Nespresso VertuoLine.
Published January 26, 2022
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Johan Hedlund
Coffee experts@The Coffee Lab
If you want to invest in a new coffee maker, then the new Nespresso VertuoLine coffee maker is a great choice. It comes with a convenient way to dispose of used pods after brewing coffee, a drip tray that is easy to remove, and a water canister, which are mainly the only things that you’ll need to worry about when cleaning your machine. As you probably already know, cleaning and descaling your Nespresso coffee maker is key to making sure that you always get the best-tasting coffee. If you’re not sure where to get started or having trouble figuring out how to clean Nespresso Vertuo, then keep reading to find out more about Nespresso Vertuo cleaning and the Nespresso Vertuo cleaning cycle to help keep your machine in the best condition for producing the best tasting coffee.
Cleaning a Nespresso VertuoLine Machine
Once you get used to the Nespresso machine and become familiar with the cleaning process, cleaning your Nespresso coffee machine is not too difficult. To clean the machine, you will need to follow a few steps.
1. Preparing
The initial step involves preparing for the cleaning process. This is fairly simple. Make sure that you eject the coffee pod after using the machine, letting it fall into the capsule holder. Then, empty the container and remove and empty the drip tray to prepare the machine for cleaning. You will then need to rinse out and refill the water canister. Be sure to fill with fresh water. Then, place a container or cup underneath the spout to catch the water flow – something that can hold at least 20oz of water is recommended.
2. Machine Cleaning Mode
The next step in how to clean Nespresso Vertuo machine is to turn the machine on. Just press the button and turn the lever on the coffee maker until it is in the locked position. Then, press the button again, but three times quickly. Once you have done this, the cleaning process will begin after about two minutes. You will see the excess water from the machine pouring out into the container. The entire cleaning process will take around five minutes. While the Nespresso cleaning cycle is running, you can hand wash the drip tray. If you want to stop the cleaning cycle early, just press the button to stop it.
Descaling Your Machine
Most coffee makers work with a descaling kit that is used to get rid of mineral deposits and calcium build-up in the machine. You can buy the descaling kit that is designed for use with Nespresso VertuoLine machines, however, a white vinegar solution will also work just as well. When your Nespresso VertuoLine machine needs to be descaled, you will see the power button blink three times and then remain lit.
To descale the machine, you will first need to prepare it in the same way as you would for the cleaning cycle. Remove the coffee pod by opening the machine and letting it drop into the pod canister. You can leave the lever in the unlocked position for the descaling process. Empty any used pods from the canister and empty the drip tray.
Then, fill the water tank with 17oz clean water and one packet of descaling liquid or 6.7oz of white vinegar. Press the button to turn the machine on for preheating. The power light will begin to turn on slowly. Then, hold the button down for seven seconds, which puts the machine into descaling mode. Lock the machine with the lever once you see the light start blinking. Then, unlock the lever and press the button for another seven seconds. Place a container underneath the spout while doing this.
Finally, turn the lever to the locked position one more time and push the button to start. You should then start to see the descaling process start as the solution will begin to go through the machine and come out of the coffee spout.
Once the descaling cycle has finished, rinse both the water canister and the drip tray in clean water before replacing them. You should also remove, rinse, and replace the machine’s cuff support.
Nespresso Machine Blinking – Does it Need Cleaning or Something Else?
All Nespresso VertuoLine coffee makers come with built-in light-based alerts. If you see a light that is blinking red or orange, this means that there is a problem with your Nespresso machine that needs fixing. An orange light appears on the Vertuo, Vertuo Next, and Evoluo, while a red light appears on the VertuoPlus and VertuoPlus Deluxe.
Orange Light Blinking Twice
If you see an orange light that is blinking twice, this is a sign that you need to clean your Nespresso machine. To do this, follow the steps mentioned above to prepare the machine for cleaning and run the cleaning cycle. If the light continues to blink after cleaning the machine, try holding the button down for at least seven seconds. Try running a descaling cycle if the light continues to blink after doing this. If you still see a flashing orange light after descaling, call Nespresso support.
Orange Light Blinking Three Times
If you notice an orange light that is blinking three times on your Nespresso Vertuo coffee maker, then you will need to run a descaling cycle on your machine. This removes any mineral and calcium build-up from the water that is used to brew the coffee, and if the light is blinking, the build-up might be blocking the flow of water.
Alternating Light Blinking White and Orange
If you see this light alert on your Nespresso Vertuo coffee machine, then it’s a warning sign that you will need to descale the machine soon. You will only be able to use your machine a few times before you will need to descale it.
Pulsing Orange Light
If you have cleaned or descaled your machine recently and you notice a pulsing orange light, then don’t worry – it doesn’t need cleaning again. A pulsing orange light means that your machine is too hot and will need to cool down. This can sometimes happen after a lot of use. Turn the machine off by pushing the button down for three seconds, then push it again to turn it back on. Allow 20 minutes to one hour for the machine to cool down. If you still see a pulsing orange light after waiting, see if it stops when you hold the button down for at least seven seconds.
Orange Light Blinking On then Off Quickly
When your Nespresso Vertuo flashes a light alert like this, it’s indicating that your water tank is either low or empty. All you need to do is replenish the tank with clean water and push the button to start.
Orange Light Blinking Five Times in Ten Seconds
If you see the rapidly blinking light alert on your coffee maker, it means that you need to factory reset the machine. You can do this by first opening the head and ejecting the coffee pod, then leaving the head in the unlocked position once closed. Finally, push the button five times quickly within three seconds. Once the factory reset is done, the light will blink slowly five times.
Steady Red Light
If you notice a steady red light on your VertuoPlus machine, the coffee maker needs to cool down. You should switch it off and unplug it, then wait fifteen minutes before setting it back up again. The light will turn to a steady green once cooled.
Flashing Red Twice Then Steady Orange
This occurs when a special function is running.
Red and Green Light
Some models including the VertuoPlus show a red and green light when you need to descale the machine.
Flashing Red Light
A continuously flashing red light could indicate that the head has stopped moving or there is some other kind of obstacle in the machine. Empty the coffee pod container and then open or close the head depending on the position it’s in.
Vertuo Next: Using the Nespresso App
If you have a Nespresso Vertuo Next machine, the best way to make sure that you can easily figure out what the flashing lights on your coffee maker mean is to use the Nespresso app. The Vertuo Next is the only model in the Nespresso VertuoLine that has Bluetooth. It sends alerts directly to the app so that you can see exactly what you need to do with your machine to stop the light.
If you have a Vertuo Next machine, then download the Nespresso app to your smartphone. Make sure that Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are both switched on on your phone and place it on the top of your machine. Then, open the app, click the machine icon in the top right corner, and follow the steps to set up. You will be prompted to choose a Wi-Fi network. Choose the network that your phone is connected to and enter the password. Then, press connected. The machine should display ‘connected’ once set up.
If you have a Nespresso VertuoLine machine, you’ll find that they’re mostly easy to clean and maintain once you get used to it.
About the author
Johan Hedlund
I´m living in Karlstad, Sweden with my family. Been working the last 25 years with several start ups in the tech industry. Coffee has been an integral part, both professionally and privately. Eager to learn new things and happy to be a member of the era of we community.
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