How to clean a Nespresso machine

THERE’S nothing quite like a nice hot cup of joe to start your day, but your coffee maker may need a clean from time to time.

So if you’re using a Nespresso machine, how do you clean it, and how often should this be done?

How to clean a Nespresso machine

Nespresso machines are a great way to get a barista-style brew from the comfort of your own home.

But you’ll need to clean it regularly to keep at its best, and ready to give you that much-needed boost in the morning.

Here’s how you clean one, according to the , (with further info on how to descale it later).

To do it, you’ll need some dish soap, and a container that can hold a litre of water to fit under the appliance’s machine head.

Empty the water tank

First things first: take out the water tank and toss the contents into the sink.

Using a mild dish soap, give it a hand wash and then a thorough rinse.

After that, refill the tank with fresh drinking water and put it back into place.

Give the capsule container a once over

Lift open the top of the machine and remove the used capsule in there, if there is one.

Take out the container and give it a hand wash with water and a mild dish detergent again, dry it and put it back.

Clean the drip tray

Next, pull out the appliance’s drip tray and use your trusty warm water and soap to clean it.

When it’s dry, pop it back in.

Turn the heat up

Now it’s time to heat up your machine, once it’s ready the light will go from flashing to steady.

Start the cleaning function

After the light indicates it’s ready, place container on the cup tray.

Push the button three times in quick succession.

The rinsing process will now begin, and water should start to come out from where the coffee normally appears within a couple of minutes.

The process should be completed in around seven minutes.

How often should I clean my Nespresso machine?

Cleaning appliances like your coffee machine may not sound like fun, but it’s important to keep your kitchen devices working at their best.

Thankfully, we’ve got plenty of cleaning hacks to make cleaning your home as simple and effective as possible.

Where Nespresso machines are concerned, how often you clean it depends on how much you use it, but you should look to give it a good clean at least once a month.

How to descale a Nespresso machine

It’s also important to descale your machine, as limescale can build up within it.

In order to avoid this, you’ll need to descale it every three months or so.

Here’s how you do it:

1. Take out the capsule container and drip tray, and empty them. Wash them with soapy water as before and put them back when dry.
2. Take out the tank and pour out any water in it. Put in one unit of Nespresso descaling liquid and half a litre of water, before putting the tank back in
3. Get the machine to heat up as before, waiting until the light stops flashing
4. Now for the tricky part: activating descaling mode. Open the machine head to pop out the capsule, then close it and move the lever clockwise to the unlocked position
5. Then, press and hold the button until it begins flashing orange. Once this begins, you’ve got 45 seconds to begin descaling. This is done by placing a container that can contain at least a litre under where the coffee comes out, then turning the lever anti-clockwise to lock the device
6. Descaling will then begin automatically
7. Once it’s completed, the light will stop flashing orange. Remove the drip tray, water tank and capsule container and give them a good hand wash, before drying and putting them back in the appliance
8. Then fill the tank back up with drinking water and throw out what’s in the container from the descaling process and put it back under the cup tray.
9. Press the button and the rinsing cycle will start
10. After that, chuck out the container contents, give it a wash and put away for next time
11. Refill the water tank put it back in, and you’re good to go!