Why descale your coffee machine?
The composition of clean, tasty water includes certain minerals and trace elements: calcium, magnesium, ferrous, potassium, chloride compounds. When heated, they form a limescale deposit, which gets into the coffee as white flakes and makes it tasteless, and ultimately threatens corrosion of the internal elements. The surface of the scale is porous, and microorganisms and bacteria quickly begin to multiply in it.
The maximum amount of plaque is formed by calcium dissolved in an aqueous environment, so the process of descaling a coffee machine is often called decalcification.
You can determine when it’s time to descale your coffee machine by the following signs:
Antiscale Krups
To care for your Krups coffee machine, it is better to use the products recommended by the Krups brand using liquid or anti-scale tablets for the Krups coffee machine.
- Coffee machine cleaner. Coffee machine care instructions
Cleaning or decalcification of Krups equipment is carried out independently. To do this, you must use special Krups cleaning products and strictly follow the instructions. Perform operations following the instructions in the instructions and following the prompts that appear on the control panel of the Krups coffee machine.
You can carry out decalcification of coffee equipment, as well as some minor repairs yourself. However, procedures related to cleaning and lubrication of brewing devices, drainage systems, replacement of electronics and boiler gaskets, and other breakdowns must be carried out by a specialist in a specialized workshop.
If you do not have time to carry out the operation of cleaning the machine or do not have the opportunity to tinker, use the services of a ]Krups[/anchor] service technician who will efficiently and quickly carry out the necessary cleaning procedures.
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Anti-plaque medications
To combat scale, you can use a simple anti-scale agent or specially created preparations for a specific coffee machine. In everyday life, vinegar essence or citric acid is very often used. But it is more effective to use professional cleaning products. Antiscale is divided into liquid descalers, powder and tablets.
When making your choice, you need to take into account the fact that special anti-plaque cleaning tablets contain all the necessary substances, which allow you to get rid of the problem quickly. In addition, the process of removing residual coffee oil and milk from the walls occurs.
Cleaning tablets must be purchased from the manufacturer of your coffee machine. It is they who, knowing all the features of their equipment, make cleaning preparations that can most effectively eliminate unwanted deposits. To avoid mistakes when purchasing, you should look at the product labeling in the instructions for your equipment. However, if it is impossible to find special cleaning tablets on sale that are produced by the manufacturer of your unit, it is possible to use universal products suitable for any model.
Tablets for coffee equipment are conventionally divided into two groups:
- for cleaning hydraulic systems from coffee oil
- decalcifying.
To remove limescale, decalcifying agents must be used. And cleaning the device from coffee oils, which settle on the hydraulic system, negatively affecting the taste of the drink and the color of the foam, is done using preparations for cleaning the hydraulic system. You can easily buy them in the store.
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Signs of a dirty coffee machine
Even a modern and expensive unit cannot operate uninterruptedly for several months. After a certain period of time, if preventive cleaning has not been carried out, the coffee machine becomes dirty. The reason for this is scale, which appears as a result of using water with a large amount of mineral impurities. You can recognize the fact that the coffee machine needs cleaning by a number of signs:
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- When making coffee, sounds uncharacteristic of the appliance, extraneous noise or crackling are heard;
- The preparation time for the drink increases significantly;
- the finished coffee has an unpleasant taste or smell;
- sediment remains at the bottom of the cup;
- coffee is poured into the mug slowly, in a thin stream.
If 1-2 signs from the above list are found, this means that the coffee maker needs urgent cleaning.
What parts does a coffee machine consist of?
The design of coffee machines varies greatly depending on the brand and model. There is a very affordable Bosch TAS series, which is provided with a minimum of functionality, and there is a line of Grand Barista models from Saeco, consisting of expensive devices filled with complex electronics and used for mass preparation of coffee in catering establishments and restaurants. But in general, all parts can be divided into functional groups, which are also called assemblies. In this sense, the design of the Delonghi Magnifica coffee machine will be no different from the equipment of a Bosch or Saeco device.
How to determine that scale has formed
It is almost impossible to visually determine that scale has appeared inside, since all the parts are hidden in the body. If the machine begins to prepare espresso more slowly, this means that the water for it is taking longer to heat up. Since the machine does not brew coffee until the temperature settings have been made, brewing will take longer. This indicates that the inside of the boiler is covered with a thick layer of lime deposits.
A thin stream of coffee is also a signal that the pipes are clogged and require cleaning. The taste of coffee may change because various chemicals - calcium, magnesium, iron, aluminum - get into the water. Coffee oil accumulates on the back of the brewing unit and prevents the liquid from flowing freely.
If tap liquid is used, the Krups EA coffee machine according to the instructions should be cleaned more often - 2 times a month. When using bottled water – once every 2 – 3 months.
This model has a self-cleaning function. To avoid problems with the device, it is recommended to run the process every week.
History of the capsule coffee maker
The inventor of modern capsules was Eric Favre, who at that time worked at Nestle. He and his wife wanted to come up with a way to serve the perfect espresso, so they went to Italy for inspiration. In a small coffee bar, they met the ideal taste from their point of view, and noticed that the barista uses a special method of pouring under pressure, as if saturating the ground beans with air.
When coffee oxidizes, its essential oils, aromatic and flavor components pass into the water, making the drink as dense, rich, and intense as possible.
Being an engineer, Favre came up with a container with a filter and a membrane, and also developed a special device for a coffee machine. At first his idea was not accepted, but some of the machines began to be installed in hotels, bars and restaurants already in 1986. In 1988, they became more widespread and people began to buy them for the home.
In the 2000s, other manufacturers became interested in capsule coffee makers, and the market went up sharply. Several brands were introduced to buyers at once, and the world discovered capsule coffee en masse.
Coffee machine cleaning options
The coffee machine can be cleaned automatically or manually. There are many devices: tablets, solutions and home remedies. Which one is better? Let's figure it out.
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Coffee machine tablets: type, cleaning technique, use
Tablets for cleaning the device are divided into two types:
- For cleansing essential oils. Such tablets are used for coffee machines that have automatic programs. They remove essential oils quite well that settle on the surfaces of the device when using it. Well-known brands: Acidem, Nivona, Urnex, Jura, Saeco, WMF, Bosch.
- To clean scale and plaque. The tablets help to get rid of scale and plaque very quickly; with their help, you can perfectly clean even hard-to-reach places; they clean the filters and nozzles through which water and coffee pass. Well-known decalcification tablets: Filtero, Topperr, Top House, Bosch.
The tablets will help get rid of harmful bacteria and fungi.
Advice! After you have completely cleaned the machine, you should discard the first cup of coffee, as it may contain particles of the cleaning agent.
Manually
If the machine does not have an automatic cleaning mode, then you need to manually clean the device using tablets. This is not a difficult process and takes a little time.
From oils
To clean the machine from coffee oil, you need to remove all residues and place the tablet in the section where ground coffee is poured. You need to use 2 liters of water per spill.
Line of care products
The most effective way to clean a Krups coffee machine - capsule or regular - is to use professional chemicals that are safe for health. They contain organic acids that act on lime deposits and dissolve them. After using them, all parts are washed with clean water.
In the line of coffee machine care products:
- powder products;
- decalcification solutions;
- universal tablets against scale and oil deposits or different ones for individual functions.
Powders and solutions can be used every month for prevention, and tablets can be used a couple of times a year to completely remove contaminants.
Folk remedies
It happens that the machine gives a signal that it is necessary to carry out decalcification, but there are no necessary products at home. Then you can use citric acid by dissolving it in water and pouring it into a container before cleaning. Citric acid is weaker in composition than the mixture of acids in professional products, so the washing procedure must be run 3 to 4 times.
Vinegar is also used to clean coffee machine parts. The used solution is also poured back several times to thoroughly remove scale.
Constantly using traditional methods is not recommended. The best option is to alternate between chemicals and regular citric acid.
Anti-scale and oil tablets - composition and principle of action
The manufacturer produces two types of tablets for coffee machines - anti-scale and cleaning. The former contain acids, as they are capable of dissolving the limescale layer. Cleaning tablets contain soda-based substances that can dissolve oil deposits, that is, vegetable fat.
Anti-scale tablets are dissolved in water and then poured into a container, after which water flows into the appropriate units and washes away the scale.
Video: Cleaning the coffee machine from sediment, fats and oils
The cleaning tablets do not dissolve, but are placed entirely in the ground coffee compartment, the liquid from which is directed to the brewing unit and cleans it. If there is no such compartment, the tablet is placed on the filter, and if the cooking unit is removable, it can be washed with soapy water without tablets at all.
Cleaning a Krups coffee machine with a tablet takes little time – 10 minutes maximum.
The need for decalcification
Scale interferes with the operation of the device, clogging the water passages. The sediment gives the coffee an unpleasant aftertaste, increases energy consumption, and can lead to serious damage.
Important ! The rate of limescale formation depends on the degree of water hardness. The higher the hardness, the faster plaque forms.
Signs of limescale
Not all models of coffee makers are equipped with a sensor that signals the need for cleaning to remove deposits. Therefore, it is important to recognize the signs of device clogging in time:
- deterioration of the taste of the coffee drink;
- appearance of foreign odor;
- presence of light gray sediment;
- the finished drink flows out in an intermittent thin stream;
- increased energy consumption when using the device;
- It takes much longer to prepare a cup of coffee than it used to.
The heater and tubes of boiler-type drip and carob coffee makers quickly become overgrown with limescale. In devices with a thermoblock, water does not stagnate, so scale forms more slowly.
Types of specialized decalcification products
How to descale a coffee maker? For this, special products are used that can be purchased in many stores. They are specially designed for decalcification of coffee machines. They usually come in liquid and tablet form.
Liquid products
Liquid products are effective descaling agents. They are available in ready-made form; they can be used to remove deposits inside instrument containers. Typically the solution contains the following components:
- baking soda;
- benzotriazole;
- some types of acids - sulfamic and maleic.
It is worth considering the choice of chemical liquid for descaling depends on the specific brand of coffee maker. For example, if the process of decalcifying a coffee machine from Philips Saeco, Krups, Scarlett is being carried out, then the product must be from exactly the same company.
Liquid for Philips Saeco
Manufacturers of many liquid descaling products for coffee makers prescribe the correct use, as well as the entire process of removing deposits. They are designed for 1-2 uses.
Solution for DeLonghi
On sale you can find multi-brand liquids with universal use. Popular brands include Top House or Filtero. They contain the same active substances. For this reason, they can be safely used to descale your coffee maker at home.
In tablet form
Tablets, which are intended for cleaning appliances from scale deposits, have the same composition as liquid products. They contain the same chemical acids and additives. Usually the packaging of tablets contains the inscription “for decalcification”, which means that this product is suitable for removing scale from inside the hydraulic system of coffee makers.
Decalcification tablets
Unlike liquid cleaners, tablets contain a high concentration of active substances, so they completely remove thick crusts of lime deposits almost the first time. For complete cleansing, 1-2 tablets are enough.
Types of capsules
There are two general categories of containers on the market:
Disposable
As a rule, most capsule-type coffee machines work with just these; they are sold in stores and come as standard. There are a lot of them, some of them are compatible, but this does not always happen. It happens that new models from one brand work with containers from another, but older models do not support the standard. Or something is wrong with a specific coffee machine model.
Do not buy large packages until you are sure that the coffee will actually brew in your specific coffee machine model.
- Nespresso is the most popular standard, with many brands making compatible containers. But at the same time, although Nespresso and Nescafé Dolce Gusto belong to the same Nestle corporation, their microcapsules do not fit together. Look for the words Nespresso or Caffeluxe on the packaging, but remember that new products are usually not suitable for older devices.
Reusable
There are few of them on the market, and more often you have to order them online. These are usually plastic containers where you can pour ground coffee or even tea. The only thing is that they are not so airtight, so the taste and aroma are weaker. If you don't feel the difference, you can use them.
Reusable capsules are designed for about 30 uses, after which they begin to deform.
Folk remedies
You can remove scale from your coffee machine using proven folk remedies. Their effectiveness has been proven by the experience of many users and experts.
Cleaning with citric acid
The method allows you to remove fresh scale from the coffee maker, which has not formed a thick layer and has not become hard. The food additive is safe for all plastic, metal and glass surfaces. To prepare the solution, you need to use 2 tbsp. l. acid diluted in 0.5 liters of water, which will allow you to obtain an effective and not overly aggressive composition.
Cleaning with citric acid removes fresh scale.
Cleaning with brine
The brine needs to be poured into the coffee machine reservoir and boiled for 25-30 minutes.
After this time, the contents will need to be shaken and waited until it cools completely. The method allows you to eliminate rust and sediment.
