Descaling

Descaling is the process of dissolving and flushing out mineral deposits, mostly calcium and magnesium from tap water, that build up inside a machine's boiler, pipes, and valves over time. Left alone, this scale narrows water paths, clogs valves, and can eventually damage heating elements or pumps.

How often you need to descale depends heavily on your water's hardness; someone with soft water might go many months between descales, while someone with hard water may need to do it monthly. Using filtered or descaled water from the start slows scale buildup significantly and is often easier than descaling more frequently.

Most machines are descaled with a citric acid or dedicated descaling solution run through the machine in a specific cycle, followed by several rinses with clean water to clear out any residue. A common mistake is ignoring descaling until the machine already shows symptoms like slow flow or strange noises, at which point damage may already be underway.