# Descaling your home machine



## Glenn

Most domestic coffee machine warranties do not cover damage from lime scale, the cause of a large number of machine failures.

*Limescale* buildup is noticeable and can often be detected visibly and audibly

*Visible indicators*:


Restricted water flow

Specs of white limescale in the espresso

Clogged up shower screen

Lack of pressure


*Audible indicators*:


Muffled pump sounds - the pump will be operating at lower pressure than normal

Whistling or sporadic whooshing sounds from the steam arm or group head


*Descaling*:

Descaling your machine is a fairly simple task and preventative maintenance is better than battling with scale buildup, which can be costly

I descale my machine every 2 months, even though I use filtered water.

Most machine manufacturers have a preferred descaling product to use.

I recommend using well trusted citric acid based descaling solution, designed specifically for espresso machines.

This should be mixed and prepared as per the instructions on the bottle or packet.


Do not use vinegar, or lemons as a poor mans substitute - these may do more harm than good to your machine.

Follow the manufacturers guidelines and ensure that you descale a machine when it is cold.

Please add your descaling tips here


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## adamfahn

JUST DO IT is my tip!

You are spot on Glenn, if people don't do it the quality drops and the machine breaks.

Even general cleaning, some of our commercial customers hate spending £10-£20 on cleaning products yet spend thousands on their machine in the first place.

Same as water filters, in a commercial setting, £150 a year for 8 years is just over £1,200 but it can make a £1,500 machine last twice as long so they are effectively free.


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## NickZaskar

I've had my gaggia evolution for a couple of months now and need to descale it. I live in a very hardwater area (N yorkshire) and have noticed a difference in my machine.

Glenn, can you recommend a specific product i can get from a supermarket please? According to the gaggia uk website you should use their product. They're obviously going to say this but i don't know the difference between descalers and don't want hassle getting hold of the stuff!

Thanks


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## Glenn

Hi Nick

I use the Gaggia product in Gaggia machines. You can pick it up at John Lewis, Fenwick, Selfridges and House of Fraser as well as most good independent kitchenware stores.

You get 3 sachets in a box - which for you would be about a years worth I would guess unless the water was really hard, in which case it will last at least 9 months.


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## LeeWardle

You would be better to buy a de-scaler specifically for espresso machines as Glenn said. Don't worry about buying the Gaggia one because Gaggia are really expensive. Check out http://www.espressoparts.co.uk - They are spot on.I'm a coffee machine engineer and buy most parts and ancillarys from these guys. You can just pay by card to. If you have any questions just click the contact us Tab and ask for Ryan.

Good luck

Lee


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## NickZaskar

Thanks Glenn and Lee.

Will look at both options and probably choose depending on price! A mate bought a testing kit thing to check how hard the water is around here (a dipstick type thing) and said it was literally off the scale! Scary. Need to do my machine asap.

Thanks again.


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## NickZaskar

Just checking espressoparts.co.uk and there seem to be 2 options. The descriptions aren't very good! Do i go for something like this powder (top left £6.70);

http://www.espressoparts.co.uk/700019E.asp

Or these tablets?

http://www.espressoparts.co.uk/591186E.asp


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## LeeWardle

None of those. They are tannen removers and milk cleaners for auto bean to cup machines. Click here and get a couple of packets of this stuff. I use this in the workshop. Just use half to one packet per instructions.

Regards

Lee


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## NickZaskar

They could give some better description!

Thanks Lee, will get some of that ordered as it's pretty cheap. Been everywhere in town today trying to find some gaggia stuff but noone seems to stock it!


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