Just like a washing machine or dishwasher, limescale builds up over time in coffee machines and tea kettles and should be removed occasionally for optimum flavour.

 

It is particularly important to remove limescale build-up from coffee machines, as the machine's mechanism can quickly become clogged with small limescale particles and the machine can break down more quickly. There are numerous products for descaling, but you can also keep your coffee machine limescale-free with simple household products.

Even if you use bottled water instead of tap water to make coffee or tea, you need to descale from time to time, as bottled water also contains calcium.

A coffee machine should be descaled every three to six months, depending on the water hardness.

There are various options for descaling:

1) Vinegar. Run a mixture of 20% vinegar and 80% water through the coffee maker or boil in a kettle. It is best to use vinegar essence, as this is stronger. Then rinse the coffee machine with clean water.

2) Citric acid. Mix citric acid with hot water and run through the coffee machine.

3) Chemical descaling agent. In the case of extreme limescale deposits, a chemical descaler is often the only solution. The descaling agent is available from chemists, supermarkets and online shops.

4) Ecological descaling agent. This more environmentally friendly descaling agent (e.g. Sodasan) keeps the coffee machine limescale-free and protects the environment.

With any descaling method, it is important to rinse thoroughly with clean water after the treatment so that no unpleasant flavour remains.