How do you descale a Dolce Gusto?

Descale your Dolce Gusto every 3 months, after the 400th coffee, or when the orange indicator light comes on (if your machine has one).

The exact steps you have to take to descale your Dolce Gusto differ for each model. That's why you should always read the manual of your machine. It'll tell you how to descale the machine with the right amounts. You can at least expect the steps below.

• Step 1. Choose the right descaling agent
• Step 2. Be well prepared
• Step 3. Go through the descaling process
• Step 4. Rinse the machine after descaling

When it's time to descale your Dolce Gusto, it's important you purchase the right descaling agent. Use the descaling agent by Dolce Gusto itself or a similar one, like the Krups descaling set. This set includes 2 bags of descaling powder and a water hardness strip. With it, you can keep the pipes free from lime and measure the water hardness. That way, your coffee will continue to taste fresh.

When you get started, you need a couple of tools. For example, a measuring cup, the descaling agent, and potentially the rinsing tool. Mix the descaling agent with 0.5L water and pour it into the empty water tank of the machine. Place an empty measuring cup that holds at least 0.5L below the spout. Grab the rinsing tool and put it in the capsule holder. This will help guide the water during the descaling process. Don't worry if you don't have a rinsing tool, you can also descale your Dolce Gusto without one.

You can start when you've filled up the water tank and placed the measuring cup below the spout. Press and hold the on/off button on your machine for 5 seconds until it starts to blink green. If you have an auto shut off, you scroll to the highest water level setting and press the warm water button. If you have a machine without auto shut off, you slide the handle to hot water right away. The descaling will start automatically and takes about 2 minutes. Afterwards, the on/off button will blink green for another 2 minutes. As soon as the button stops blinking and becomes green, the process is done.

Empty the measuring cup and clean the water tank by rinsing it thoroughly. After, you fill the water tank with 1L of clean water. Place the empty measuring cup back under the spout and turn the machine up to the highest water setting. Press the button for hot water or push the handle to the hot water setting for 2 minutes. Next, you do the same with cold water. Then, you turn off the machine. Remove the measuring cup and refill the water tank with drinking water. You're ready to make coffee again.