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How to Clean Nespresso Machine Step by Step Guide

A Nespresso coffee maker is a must-have for any coffee enthusiast, as it produces an easy single-cup brew without you having to measure the grounds-to-water proportion. This type of coffee maker automatically adjusts your brew’s ratio, intensity, and temperature. However, owing to regular use, it may develop mineral stains and grime over time.

In this post, we’ll outline two methods for thoroughly cleaning your Nespresso, so you can enjoy your favorite coffee capsules without worrying about the gritty texture or mold odors from mineral buildup. Wondering how to clean Nespresso machine? Read on to find out.

Should You Clean Your Nespresso Machine and Why it is Important

A clean Nespresso machine produces the best espresso possible. Coffee has a lovely aroma and flavor, but if you don’t regularly clean your machine, this could change for the worst and add an odd or unpleasant taste.

When you make your lungo, espresso, and latte macchiato drinks, coffee and oil residues will pile up in your machine’s system, affecting the coffee taste/machine function. Even worse, if limescale accumulates, it may block the water flow to the point where your coffee machine stops working entirely.

Nespresso advises routine cleaning to keep the machine in good shape. Routine maintenance will provide the best-tasting coffee. Additionally, you’ll increase the lifespan too.

How do I clean my Nespresso machine? Step by Step Instructions

Cleaning your machine is the best way to keep bacteria and mold at bay. Here’s how to clean your Nespresso machine quickly and easily:

Rinse and Clean the Water Tank

Start by taking out the water tank. Place it into the sink. Wash it with dish soap and thoroughly clean it before filling the tank with fresh water. Dry your water tank using a fresh cloth, or let it air dry. This will prevent the growth of bacteria or mold, which thrive in moist areas. After that, reattach the clean tank to the machine.

Wipe the Capsule Container With a Clean Cloth

First, remove the Nespresso capsule from the coffee maker by lifting the lid. Next, take out the container and hand wash it with dish soap and water. Leave the capsule container to dry and search inside the machine for the capsule detector lens.

Gently wipe the lens clean with a soft cloth. Avoid using water or soap. The idea is to clean any smudges from the lens. After cleaning it, put it back in its original position.

Clean the Drip Tray

Empty and clean the drip tray with dish soap. Rub out any residue. Return the drip tray to its original location. To avoid overflow, empty the drip tray daily.

Clean up the External Parts

Frequently wipe the machine’s coffee outlet and exterior cover. The part where the coffee pours into your cup is called the coffee outlet. Wipe away any residue with the cloth. Clean the inside walls and outer edges around the capsule holder. We recommend repeating this multiple times each week.

Run a Rinse Cycle

To clean the inside of your machine, you’ll need to run a quick cleaning process. Add some water into the water tank and heat your machine. Wait for the light to stop blinking.

Place a container large enough to hold 4 cups of water on the cup tray once the light stops blinking and is steady. Start the cleaning procedure by pressing the machine’s button three times quickly within two seconds. This can take some time as the cleaning process will run until the water tank is empty. Now, reassemble all the parts.

What’s the Difference Between Cleaning and Descaling?

Cleaning makes coffee taste better by removing coffee oil residue. The descaling procedure effectively removes the mineral scale from the heating element, increasing the life of the device. Descaling is a chemical method of removing limescale buildup. Limescale is a chalky coating that can clog a coffee maker.

Since over 99% of a cup of coffee is water, it’s among the essential ingredients in brewing good coffee. All water contains magnesium and calcium minerals, which travel through your coffee maker and finally build as limescale on the heating element.

Months of mineral accumulation might exist in a machine without you being aware, since the heating elements can’t be seen. Cleaning your coffee machine removes accumulated coffee oil residue over time. Both descaling and cleaning processes are critical for producing safe, flavorful coffee.

How to Descale a Nespresso Machine?

Descaling your machine is not the same as simply running it through a cleaning cycle. Let’s see how to descale your Nespresso machine.

Read the Instructions

Before starting the descaling procedure, carefully read the directions for the descaling liquid, and make a note of any important details. Ensure that your descaling liquid is non-toxic and food-safe. Descaling solutions for models may differ, so ensure you get the right one.

Prepare the Machine

Detach the appliance and thoroughly clean it. Turn the device on and wait for it to reach the proper temperature before unlocking it. Pull the lever to release the capsules from the capsule container. Remove the top, capsule container, and drip tray and place a 1-liter container beneath the coffee outlet.

Now, add your preferred descaling solution and around half a liter of water to the water reservoir. This can help you remove any limescale or grime and make the descaling process more successful.

Set the Coffee Maker to Descale Mode

Setting your Nespresso in Descaling Mode is a breeze. However, the method you use will differ depending on the model you have. Make sure to read the manual.

If it’s a Vertuo model, you’ll need to press and hold just one button for seven seconds. Suppose you have a different model, such as an Inissia, Citiz, or Pixie. Take into consideration that you must press two flashing buttons simultaneously for three seconds (this timing is a baseline, some models require more).

Run a Descaling Cycle

Start a descaling cycle by pressing the flashing button(s), then watch as water is pumped through the appliance. This may take some time, so wait till the tank is empty. Nespresso advises repeating the process with the solution after the water runs through.

Run water through the system multiple times to ensure every bit of the descaling fluid has been rinsed away. If not, the first brew you make can taste strange. When completed, empty the used water container and replace it under the spout.

Exit the Descaling Mode

After thoroughly cleaning the machine, stop the descaling mode by hitting the appropriate buttons. The device will beep to notify you of this. Dump the water collected after descaling down the sink and rinse your machine.

Give your machine at least ten minutes to dry. After that, fill the water tank with fresh water. Now you’re all set to brew a fresh cup of coffee.

Top Tips for Maintaining Your Nespresso Machine

Regular and effective maintenance can greatly simplify your cleaning routine. Here are a few tips to make cleaning easier and increase the life of your machine.

Use Filtered Water

The quality of water should meet the brand’s quality. We advise using filtered water to prevent limescale formation in your Machine. Limescale forms when you utilize unfiltered hard water.

Regularly Clean Your Machine

You must clean the Nespresso machine daily, starting with a moist, clean rag to remove debris and stains that could block the device. You can also use an espresso machine cleaner as directed by the manufacturer for this process.

Descale Your Machine

Your machine should be descaled every three months. If you brew a lot of coffee, descale it after 300 capsules. Some models have a machine light that flashes when descaling is required.

Soak Removable Parts

If you’ve used your coffee maker at least once this week, it’s a good idea to save some time on a less busy day to soak and wash all the removable parts of the machine. You may do a deeper clean and focus on your machine’s most difficult-to-reach crevices. Combine hot water and Nespresso machine detergent.

Remove Coffee Grounds Quickly

After brewing your coffee, remove the used coffee grounds from the portafilter or the device. If you leave them in for an extended period, the natural oils or coffee grounds may stick to the parts, making it difficult to clean your machine. Even worse, the machine’s oils may become rancid or sour, leaving you with poor espresso.

Endnote

Learning how to clean a Nespresso machine is as simple as tapping a few buttons, so if this is a task you’ve been putting off, don’t worry — there’s no reason to wait any longer.

The descaling process for this type of coffee maker is really simple, and as long as you follow the methods stated above, it shouldn’t take you very long.