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How To Clean Your Nespresso Machine
A look at everything you need to know about cleaning your Nespresso machine
Published March 18, 2022
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Chandra Melo
Coffee experts@The Coffee Lab
Owning a Nespresso machine guarantees that you can make great cups of coffee every day. The Nespresso machine is an appliance and needs some maintenance. The maintenance ensures the machine continues making you great cups of coffee. Unless something has gone very wrong, taking care of your Nespresso machine usually means cleaning it. Ideally, you should clean your Nespresso machine every week and deep clean it every month, and in this article, we are going to tell you exactly how to do it.
Why Should You Clean Your Nespresso Machine?
Cleaning is not something everyone enjoys but it is necessary for a Nespresso machine if you want it to continue giving you amazing coffee. Cleaning also prevents the build-up of bacteria and mold in the machine. In addition to changing how your coffee tastes, these two can also cause serious health issues and should be avoided at all costs.
How Do I Know it is Time To Clean My Nespresso Machine?
Even though you should clean the machine regularly, some signs can tell you that you should clean it earlier. The first sign is the coffee has a burnt or dirt taste. The machine might also make some noises as you use it. If the steamer or machine is making any unusual noises, you need to clean it.
The machine might also be pouring the coffee a lot slower than it normally does, or the coffee might not be as hot as it should be. Lastly, some Nespresso machines have a light that comes on if you need to clean or descale the machine.
Routine Cleaning
If you do not know how to clean Nespresso machine Delonghi or have never done it before, you should know that there are various ways to clean the machine. There is routine cleaning, deep cleaning, and descaling.
For regular cleaning, you want to remove the drip tray and wash it. To wash the drip tray, you can just use some detergent and cloth. The procedure is the same as cleaning your stitches. You can also scrub the drip tray if you notice any buildup on it.
You should also clean the container capsule the same way, rinse it in warm water, and then wipe it down. Warm water, detergent, and clean cloth will help stop the buildup of bacteria on both of these parts.
Routine cleaning should also involve the water tank. When cleaning the drip tray, also remove the water tank and clean it. When learning how to clean Delonghi Nespresso machine, you should also learn how to remove the water tank and its lid. Because every machine is different, refer to your user manual or visit the Nespresso website for detailed instructions.
Clean the water tank and its lid in warm water and then rinse it well. If you do not, you will find that your coffee tastes like soap. Let the water tank and lid sit out in the open to dry. If you like, you can also use a cloth to complete the process.
You should also wipe the capsule detector lens with a cloth. No need for water here as you only want to remove the smudges. Wipe down the externals of the machine regularly, ideally a few times every week.
Running The Cleaning Process
Before we look at how to descale your Nespresso machine, we need to learn about the cleaning process. This is a process that will help you deep clean Nespresso machine and is an inbuilt function of the appliance. Before you start the process, you need to get a container that can hold about a liter of water.
Now, turn the machine on to warm it up. You should see a blinking light that lights up steadily when the machine has finished heating up. Place the container with the liter of water on the cup tray and then press the button on the machine three times in quick succession.
The cleaning process will start. The Delonghi Nespresso machine cleaning cycle lasts for about 7 minutes, but you should see water coming out of the coffee outlet two minutes after this process has started.
Why Descale a Nespresso Machine
Besides cleaning Nespresso machine, you should also descale the machine. Why? Water contains a lot of minerals. These minerals can cause limescale buildup, which not only slows the machine down, it can also cause the coffee to start tasting differently.
Minerals like calcium also accumulate on the heating elements. Because of this, the water does not get to the desired temperature. The result is poor extraction that causes the coffee to taste sour or stale even when you use fresh bags of coffee. Regular descaling prevents this buildup.
The build-up of these minerals can also cause the machine to fail. This can be quite expensive as it means the machine has to be repaired or replaced. It is also a massive headache, especially for those who need a cup of coffee in the morning.
Descaling Process
Knowing the importance of descaling, the next question is, how often do I descale my Nespresso machine? You should descale your Nespresso machine every 3 months. Also, if you use the machine very frequently, you should descale it after every 300 capsules.
The process of descaling the Nespresso machine is relatively simple. To start descaling Nespresso Vertuoline and other models, you need to prep the machine. You do this by checking that the capsule container does not have any capsules in it. You should also empty drip tray Nespresso and ensure it is clear of all water and debris.
Next, put everything back together and turn the machine on. Then out the machine in the descaling mode. For descaling Nespresso Vertuoline, you need to hold the one button it has for seven seconds. The CitiX, Pixie, and Inissia models have two buttons that flash and that you should hold together for three seconds to start the process. The Prodigio model has three buttons that you need to hold together for three seconds.
You will need to use the Nespresso descaling liquid for this process. You add one container of the descaling solution to the water tank and then add half a liter of water. Furthermore, you will need a container that holds at least a liter of water to catch the water as it comes out of the machine once cleaning starts.
The descaling process is complete once the orange light on the machine stops blinking. Once this happens, it is time to start rinsing everything. Remove the water tank, the capsule container, and empty drip tray Nespresso. Now rinse everything in warm water, ensuring that you do so carefully, and put everything back together.
Rinsing
Once you put everything back together, it is time to rinse the machine. To do this, add clean water to the water tank and press the button in the machine to start the rinsing process. The process will pass the water through the machine to ensure it is clean and has no rescue left.
All that is left is refilling the water tank and making some coffee.
Making Descaling Solution
You might have heard that you can make your descaling solutions so you might ask, “can I descale Nespresso with vinegar?” Yes, you can. Here is how to clean my Nespresso machine with vinegar. Start by buying some vinegar and mix it with water in a 1:1 ratio. If you use vinegar, you should run five rinse cycles before using the machine again.
Another option is using citric acid or lemon juice. Here, you should mix it with water, adding one part citric acid and 20 parts water. If you do use either of these, you should rinse the machine two times.
The process of descaling using these options is the same as that of using the Nespresso descaling solution, With the key difference being the rinse cycles.
Cleaning The Milk Container
Some Nespresso machines have a milk container that holds milk used to create creamy coffees. This container should be cleaned every time it is used. The Rapid Cappuccino Systems in models like the Lattissima should also be removed and cleaned after every use. Handwashing is an option, but you can always place these items on the upper level of your washing machine when doing the dishes. Just ensure there is adequate rinsing to stop your coffee from tasting like soap.
Cleaning The Steam Wand
If you do use a steam wand when making milky coffees, you need to wipe it and purge it after every use. Doing so removes milk residue from inside the wand. If not cleaned properly, the milk will go bad and then end up in your coffee. This will make the coffee taste terrible and may even be bad for your digestive system. The same applies to the outside of the steam wand.
Conclusion
The first cup of coffee from your Nespresso machine was creamy and delicious. You then noticed a change in flavor as you used the machine. That change was because the machine needs cleaning. Use the steps and tips outlined above to ensure your Nespresso machine keeps making great coffee into the future.
About the author
Chandra Melo
Marketing as job, barista as passion. An authentic coffee lover, looking for the next fantastic cup of coffee that I will fall in love with. Coffee, for me, is more than a beverage. It's about community and connection - how can all the world consume the same fruit? And differently? How can we have so many different tastes? I also don't know. And because of this, I feel in love each day more for this world. Happy to share and make a change in the coffee community.
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