# How to Descale a Coffee Machine: Step by Step

> How to descale a coffee machine: which descaler to use, steps for filter, pod, espresso and bean-to-cup machines, how often, and when to call a technician.

- Page: https://oneclickdubai.com/guides/how-to-descale-a-coffee-machine
- Filter, pod, espresso and bean-to-cup machines
- Step by step, with the descaler question answered
- Reviewed by Abdul Suboor, Lead Engineer
- Updated November 2026
- Book a repair: message us on WhatsApp, +971 55 209 9785

Makers disagree on the product, so check yours first. Then follow the steps for your type of machine and rinse until no taste is left.

Descaling a coffee machine means dissolving the limescale that builds up inside it, then flushing the solution out with fresh water. The job is the same idea on every machine, from a ten-dirham filter coffee maker to a bean-to-cup machine on a kitchen island. What changes is the product you are allowed to use, the way you start the cycle and how many rinses the machine needs.

That first point matters more than most guides admit. Makers do not agree on the product. Nespresso tells owners never to use vinegar, and Philips says its Senseo machines should be descaled only with a citric-acid-based descaler, warning that white vinegar and strong acids will damage the machine. Other makers sell their own descaler and ask you to use it. So before any method, find out what your maker says, and use this guide for the steps.

The guide covers filter and drip machines, pod and capsule machines, thermoblock and boiler espresso machines and bean-to-cup machines. It explains the difference between descaling and cleaning, how to tell when a machine needs it, how often to do it, what goes wrong and when to book a technician. For a repair, see [coffee machine repair in Dubai](https://oneclickdubai.com/services/coffee-machine-repair-dubai). For Nespresso, there is a dedicated [Nespresso descaling guide](https://oneclickdubai.com/guides/how-to-descale-a-nespresso-coffee-machine), for De'Longhi there is a [De'Longhi descaling guide](https://oneclickdubai.com/guides/how-to-descale-a-delonghi-coffee-machine), for Breville and Sage there is a [Breville descaling guide](https://oneclickdubai.com/guides/how-to-descale-a-breville-coffee-machine), for Dolce Gusto there is a [Dolce Gusto descaling guide](https://oneclickdubai.com/guides/how-to-descale-a-dolce-gusto-coffee-machine), for Jura there is a [Jura descaling guide](https://oneclickdubai.com/guides/how-to-descale-a-jura-coffee-machine), for Smeg there is a [Smeg descaling guide](https://oneclickdubai.com/guides/how-to-descale-a-smeg-coffee-machine), and for Philips there is a [Philips descaling guide](https://oneclickdubai.com/guides/how-to-descale-a-philips-coffee-machine).

## How to descale a coffee machine: the short answer

1. **Read your maker's advice**: Check the manual or the maker's website for the descaler it names, and for any button sequence or descale programme.
2. **Get the right product**: Use the maker's own descaler, or a descaler the maker allows. Never mix products.
3. **Empty and clean the machine**: Remove capsules, beans, filters and water-filter cartridges as the manual says, and wash the removable parts.
4. **Dilute the descaler**: Follow the pack for the amount and the water volume. Pour it into the tank.
5. **Run the cycle**: Start the machine's descale programme, or run the solution through the brew path as the pack and manual describe.
6. **Rinse thoroughly**: Wash the tank, fill it with fresh water and run it through until the tank is empty. Repeat if the manual says so.
7. **Taste test**: Brew a cup of water first, then a cup of coffee. If anything tastes sharp or sour, rinse again.

The sections below take each machine type in turn, with what to do, what to watch for and how long it takes.

## Descaling, cleaning, decalcifying: what the words mean

People search for this job under many names. Most of them describe the same thing, but a few describe a different job that needs a different product.

| Term | What it is | What it removes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Descaling or decalcifying | Running a descaling solution through the machine | Limescale (calcium and magnesium deposits) from heater, pipes and valves |
| Coffee machine decalcifier | Another name for a descaler | Limescale |
| Descaling liquid, powder or tablet | Three forms of descaler. Check the pack for the dose and the water volume | Limescale |
| Coffee machine cleaning tablet | A tablet for removing coffee oils and residues, used mainly on bean-to-cup machines. It is a different product from a descaling tablet | Coffee oil and residue in the brew path |
| Coffee machine cleaner | Can mean a descaler or a cleaning product. Read the label | Depends on the product |
| Backflushing | Cleaning the group head of an espresso machine with a blind basket and cleaner | Coffee oil and grounds |
| Washing the removable parts | Warm water and a mild washing-up liquid | Old coffee, oils and milk |

Check the front of the pack. A descaler removes scale. A cleaning tablet removes coffee oil. They are not interchangeable, and using one in place of the other leaves the real problem in place. Many bean-to-cup machines ask for both, at different intervals.

## When a coffee machine needs descaling

Some machines tell you. Others rely on you to notice. These signs are in rough order from early to late.

| Sign | What it suggests | What to do |
| --- | --- | --- |
| A descale light or message on the display | The machine's own counter says it is due | Descale now. Do not clear the message without descaling |
| Coffee takes longer to brew | Scale narrowing pipes and valves | Descale |
| Coffee is lukewarm | Scale insulating the heater | Descale, then test again |
| Louder pump or kettle-like noises | Scale on the element or heater | Descale |
| White flakes in the cup, tank or filter | Scale breaking away | Descale and change the water habit |
| A white crust around the spout or steam wand | Scale on the outside, where hot water evaporates | Wipe and descale |
| Steam weaker than before | Scale in the steam path | Descale |
| Machine switches off by itself or shows an error | Overheating or a flow sensor starved of water | Descale, then see the troubleshooting section |

Waiting for a symptom is the expensive approach. By the time coffee comes out cold, scale has been building for months. A date on the calendar works better than a symptom.

## Which descaler to use: the honest answer

There are four routes, and the right one depends on your maker, not on what is cheapest.

| Option | What it is | In favour | Against |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| The maker's own descaler | A product sold or named by the machine's maker | Matched to the machine. Safest for warranty | Often dearer than generic products |
| A citric-acid-based descaler from a third party | A product sold for coffee machines and based on citric acid | Philips names citric acid based descalers as the type to use on its Senseo machines | Quality varies. Read the pack and check your maker allows it |
| Plain citric acid powder | Sold in supermarkets and online | Cheap. Mentioned in guides as a home method | Not a maker recommendation for most machines. You mix the strength yourself |
| White vinegar | A household acid | Cheap and in every kitchen | Nespresso says never to use it. Philips says do not use it. It also leaves a smell and taste |

If your maker names one, use that one. If the maker is silent, a citric-acid-based descaler made for coffee machines is the sensible choice. Avoid vinegar, since two of the largest makers explicitly warn against it, and avoid mixing products.

Descalers sold for kettles are not always made for coffee machines. Read the label for the machines it names before you use one.

### A note on descaling tablets

A descaling tablet is a pre-measured dose of descaler. It is convenient, but tablets are made for specific machines and water volumes. Follow the pack, dissolve the tablet fully and do not break it to use half.

## What you need

- Descaler: the maker's product or the one the maker allows.
- Fresh water for mixing and for the rinse.
- A large container to catch liquid if the machine runs through to the spout.
- A soft cloth and warm water with a mild washing-up liquid for the removable parts.
- A tray or towel to protect the worktop, because descaler can damage some surfaces.
- The manual, or its web page open on your phone.
- Gloves if your skin is sensitive. Wash your hands after handling descaler.

Set aside about half an hour for a filter machine and up to an hour for a bean-to-cup machine with a descale programme.

## Descaling a filter or drip coffee maker

A filter machine has the simplest path: tank, heater, spray head, basket and carafe. Scale collects in the heating tube and in the spray head, and it slows brewing and cools the coffee.

1. **Empty it**: Throw out any old coffee and remove the filter paper, the grounds and the water-filter cartridge if it has one.
2. **Mix the descaler**: Follow the pack. For a citric acid powder, one published guide suggests a couple of tablespoons in the reservoir for a drip machine. Check that your maker allows it.
3. **Pour it into the tank**: Fill to the level the pack states.
4. **Run a brew cycle**: Run it until the tank is empty. Some makers want you to stop halfway and leave it for a short time. Follow the pack.
5. **Rinse with fresh water**: Fill the tank with clean water and run another full cycle. Repeat until there is no smell or taste.
6. **Wash the carafe and basket**: Warm soapy water, then rinse.
7. **Brew a cup of water**: Taste it. It should taste of nothing.

One published guide recommends descaling a filter machine every one to two months, depending on use. Follow your maker's schedule if it gives one. If it does not, that range is a sensible starting point for a machine used daily.

### Machines with a hot plate and a thermal carafe

The method is the same. Let the machine cool first, and do not pour descaler into a thermal carafe. Wash the carafe separately.

## Descaling a pod or capsule machine

Pod machines heat water quickly in a small heater, so scale shows up as slow flow and lukewarm coffee. Each maker has its own sequence, and the pods and capsules have to be out of the machine.

1. **Remove the pod and empty the used-capsule container**: Never descale with a pod in the head.
2. **Wash the removable parts**: Tank, drip tray and capsule container.
3. **Mix the descaler in the tank**: Use the maker's quantity of descaler and water.
4. **Enter descale mode or run water through**: Many pod machines have a descale mode started by a button combination. If yours does not, the manual describes a manual method.
5. **Collect the liquid**: Use a large container under the spout.
6. **Rinse**: Wash the tank, refill with fresh water and run it through. Repeat as the manual says.
7. **Wipe and dry**: Dry the drip area and the outside.

For Nespresso, the button sequences differ between the Original and Vertuo lines, and we cover both in our [Nespresso descaling guide](https://oneclickdubai.com/guides/how-to-descale-a-nespresso-coffee-machine). Other pod systems, such as Dolce Gusto and Senseo, have their own steps and their own descalers.

Philips says Senseo machines should be descaled only with citric-acid-based descalers. A pod machine is a good example of why the maker comes first.

## Descaling an espresso machine

Espresso machines come in several designs, and the design changes the method. Our [espresso machine repair guide](https://oneclickdubai.com/services/espresso-machine-repair-dubai) explains the designs. For descaling, there are two groups.

### Thermoblock and small home machines

1. **Switch off and cool**: Let the machine rest if it has been on.
2. **Remove the portafilter and basket**: Take out the water-filter cartridge if there is one.
3. **Fill the tank with the descaling solution**: Use the amount the pack states.
4. **Place a large container under the group and the steam wand**: Both need to be run through.
5. **Run solution through the group**: Press the brew button and run a small amount, then wait as the pack says.
6. **Run solution through the steam wand and hot water tap**: A small amount from each, then wait.
7. **Repeat**: Continue in stages until the tank is empty.
8. **Rinse**: Wash the tank, refill with fresh water, and run it through the group, steam wand and hot water tap. Repeat.

### Boiler machines and heat-exchanger machines

Boiler machines hold more water and have more places for scale. The routine is similar, but you must fill the boiler as the manual says and leave the solution in for the time it states. Heat-exchanger and dual-boiler machines may also have a separate steam boiler. Some makers advise a professional service rather than a home descale. Follow your manual, and if it does not cover descaling, ask us.

### Do not backflush instead of descaling

Backflushing cleans the group head. It does not remove scale from the boiler, and descaling does not clean the group head. A well-kept machine needs both.

## Descaling a bean-to-cup (fully automatic) machine

Most bean-to-cup machines have a descale programme, started from the menu or by a button combination. The machine controls the sequence and tells you what to do at each step.

1. **Empty the milk system and remove the water-filter cartridge**: If the machine has a cartridge, take it out before descaling, as the manual states.
2. **Empty the grounds container and the drip tray**: Replace them when told.
3. **Fill the tank with descaler and water**: Use the maker's descaler and the quantity in the menu.
4. **Start the descale programme**: Follow the prompts. It may take thirty minutes or more.
5. **Do not interrupt**: Stopping halfway can leave solution in the machine.
6. **Rinse when prompted**: Fresh water, as many cycles as the machine asks for.
7. **Refit the filter cartridge and restart the counter**: If the machine has one, as the manual states.

A bean-to-cup machine also asks for cleaning, which is separate from descaling. Cleaning tablets remove coffee oil from the brew unit, and the milk system has its own rinse. Do all three jobs. A machine descaled on time but never cleaned will still make bitter coffee.

For Jura, Saeco, Miele, Gaggia and other automatic machines, see our brand repair pages, which describe the common faults.

## Which kind of machine do you have?

Pick the type first, because it decides the method below.

| Type | How to recognise it | Where scale collects | Method |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Filter or drip | A tank, a basket for ground coffee and a glass or thermal carafe | Heating tube, spray head | Run a descaler cycle, then rinse cycles |
| Pod or capsule | A slot or head that takes a pod, capsule or cup | Small heater, valves, the piercing head | Maker's descale mode or manual method |
| Thermoblock espresso | Portafilter, steam wand, heats within a minute or so | Metal heating block, narrow lines | Run solution through group, wand and tap in stages |
| Boiler or heat-exchanger espresso | Portafilter and often a pressure gauge, slower to heat | Boiler, element, valves | Follow the manual, or ask a technician |
| Bean-to-cup (fully automatic) | Hopper for beans, a screen, a brew unit inside | Heater, valves, steam path | The machine's own descale programme |
| Stovetop moka pot | An aluminium or steel pot on the hob | Little, because it has no heater | Rinse and dry. Descaling is rarely needed |

If you are unsure, the model number is on the base or back. Search it with the word manual and you will find the maker's own descale steps.

## What scale does inside a coffee machine

Limescale is a hard mineral coating left when water is heated. Understanding where it forms explains why descaling is not optional.

- On the heating element or block, it acts like insulation. The heater works harder, takes longer to reach temperature and delivers cooler coffee.
- In narrow pipes and valves, it narrows the path. Flow slows and the pump strains against the restriction.
- On sensors, it can give false readings. A flow meter or a temperature probe coated with scale may trigger errors.
- In the steam path, it weakens steam and blocks the wand.
- As flakes, it breaks off and ends up in the cup or the filter.

None of this happens overnight. It builds a little with each brew. That is why a machine can seem fine for months and then slow suddenly.

## Descaling steam wands, frothers and milk systems

Steam wands and milk frothers collect two kinds of deposit: scale from water and dried milk. Descaler dissolves the first and does nothing for the second.

| Part | Scale | Milk residue | What to do |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Steam wand tip | White crust inside the holes | Yellow or cream film | Soak in milk cleaner for milk, run descaler through the wand for scale |
| Hot water tap | Crust at the spout | None | Run descaler through the tap |
| Frothing jug and whisk | Rarely | Yes | Wash with warm soapy water |
| Built-in milk system | Inside the heating path | Yes, in tubes and the mixing chamber | Run the maker's milk cleaning cycle, and descale on schedule |
| Milk container lid | None | Yes | Wash by hand or as the manual says |

Never put descaling solution into a milk container, and rinse the milk path separately. Dried milk blocks tubes faster than scale does, so clean the milk system daily.

## Cleaning routine between descales

Descaling is one job among several. These routines keep a machine hygienic and prevent faults that mimic scale.

| Machine | After each use | Weekly | At each descale |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Filter machine | Discard grounds, rinse the basket and carafe | Wash the basket, carafe and lid | Wash all removable parts |
| Pod or capsule machine | Empty the used-capsule container when full, wipe drips | Wash the tray, tank and container | Wash all removable parts and wipe the head area |
| Espresso machine | Wipe the group and steam wand, purge the wand | Backflush if the machine has a three-way solenoid, soak the basket and tip | Wash the portafilter and drip tray |
| Bean-to-cup machine | Empty grounds and drip tray, rinse the milk system | Clean the brew unit as the manual states, wipe the hopper area | Run the cleaning tablet cycle if the manual says to |

Bean-to-cup brew units hold oil, and the manual says how and when to clean them. A machine that is descaled on time but never cleaned makes bitter coffee.

## Water filter cartridges and descaling

Some machines take a water-filter cartridge in the tank. The cartridge reduces the minerals that cause scale, but it does not replace descaling.

- Remove the cartridge before descaling if the manual says so, and refit it after the final rinse.
- Replace the cartridge on the maker's schedule, which may be a number of weeks or litres.
- Reset the machine's filter counter if it has one, or you will get false alerts.
- Never store an unused cartridge in a warm place. Use it by its date.
- Do not leave an old cartridge in the tank past its replacement date.

If your machine has a filter option but no cartridge is fitted, ask the maker which type to buy.

## How to read a descaler label before you buy

| Look for | Why it matters |
| --- | --- |
| The machines or machine types it names | A product made for coffee machines is better than a general-purpose acid |
| The active ingredient | Citric acid is the one Philips names for its Senseo machines. Other makers name their own products |
| The dose and the water volume | The pack tells you how much to use. More is not better |
| Whether it needs a rinse and how many | Some need several rinse cycles |
| Single-use or multi-use | Single-use sachets and tablets remove the dosing guesswork |
| Warnings | Skin contact, worktop damage and storage away from children are standard |

If the label is vague about which machines it suits, choose another. If your maker lists a product by name, that is the one to buy.

## A machine that has never been descaled

Second-hand machines, holiday-home machines and machines nobody has looked at for years often arrive heavily scaled. A single standard cycle may not be enough.

1. **Check it runs**: Fill the tank with plain water and run it. If the flow is very slow or the pump labours, expect heavy scale.
2. **Do the first descale as normal**: Use the maker's product and quantity. Do not double the dose.
3. **Rinse, then judge**: If flow and temperature are better, you are done. If water still struggles, descale again.
4. **Repeat if needed**: A second cycle on another day is safer than doubling the dose.
5. **Stop if flow does not return**: Scale may have blocked a valve or the heater, and forcing more descaler through will not help.
6. **Book a technician**: A heavily scaled machine may need parts cleaned or replaced, and we can say which on site.

Scale that has been there for years can plug a small leak. Once the scale dissolves, the leak may appear. That is the machine telling you the seal needed replacing already.

## The rinse: the step that decides the taste

Every guide says rinse, and many owners rush it. Descaling solution left in a machine tastes sharp and sour, and some products are not meant to be drunk.

- Rinse the tank by hand first, then fill it with fresh water.
- Run at least one full tank through the brew path, and the steam wand and hot water tap if the machine has them.
- Smell the water that comes out. Any trace of the descaler means rinse again.
- Pull one drink of water, then make a coffee and taste it. A sour or sharp taste means there is still solution in the lines.
- Wipe the spout and the drip area, where solution can dry into a film.

Be wary of products that claim you need no rinse. Follow the pack, and rinse more than it asks if in doubt.

## Mistakes that damage a coffee machine

| Mistake | Why it matters |
| --- | --- |
| Using vinegar | Nespresso and Philips both warn against it, and it leaves a taste |
| Mixing descalers or adding bleach | Mixed chemicals can react and harm the machine. Bleach is not a descaler |
| Using a kettle descaler without checking | It may be stronger than a coffee machine allows |
| Descaling with a capsule or filter cartridge in place | It wastes the cartridge and contaminates the path |
| Interrupting a programme | Leaves solution in the lines |
| Skipping the rinse | Sharp-tasting coffee and, with some products, residue you should not drink |
| Using too much descaler | Stronger is not better, and an over-strong mix can harm seals |
| Putting descaler in a milk container or a thermal carafe | Those parts are washed separately |
| Leaving spills on the worktop | Descaler can mark stone, wood and polished surfaces |
| Ignoring a descale message | Some machines lock out until the cycle is done, and scale keeps building meanwhile |

Vinegar is the one we are asked about most. The answer depends on your maker, but two of the biggest say no, and the smell lingers. Use a descaler instead.

## How often to descale: a schedule by household

| Machine and use | A reasonable starting point | What decides it |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Filter machine, used daily | Every one to two months | A published guide's suggestion. Follow your maker if it states more |
| Pod or capsule machine, two cups a day | Every three months or per the maker | Nespresso says every three to four months or 300 capsules |
| Espresso machine, used daily | Per the manual, often every few months | Water, volume and the design |
| Bean-to-cup machine | When the machine asks, or on the manual's schedule | The machine's counter |
| Any machine in an office | More often than at home | Volume of drinks |
| Any machine in a holiday home | Before first use of the season | Time since the last descale |

The maker's number always beats ours. If your machine counts its own cycles, trust the counter. If it does not, write the descale date on a label under the machine and set a reminder.

## Scale and your tap water

Scale comes from minerals in the water that passes through the machine. Every drop carries some, and the amount depends on the water you use. Filtering or bottling changes the mix, but it does not remove all minerals, and the machine still needs descaling.

- Use fresh water in the tank, and empty it if the machine will sit unused for days.
- A water-filter cartridge slows scale in machines that accept one. Replace it on schedule.
- Distilled water is not a cure. One guide says it can flatten the flavour of coffee, and some machines read water by its minerals. Follow your manual.
- Machines in busy kitchens and offices need descaling more often.
- If you see white flakes or a crust, descale now.

The cost of descaling is a pack of descaler and half an hour. The cost of skipping it is a slow machine, then a failed heater or pump.

## Troubleshooting: when descaling does not go to plan

### The machine will not start the descale programme

- A capsule, cartridge or pod is still in place. Remove it.
- The tank is not seated or filled. Check the level.
- The button combination is wrong for the model. Check the manual.
- The machine needs a restart. Switch off, wait a minute and try again.

### The machine stops partway

- The container is full. Empty it and restart as the manual says.
- The tank has run dry. Refill it.
- Heavy scale is slowing the flow. Repeat the descale after the first one finishes.

### No flow during descaling

Either scale is blocking the lines or the pump is failing. Check that the tank is seated and full. A pump that hums with no output may free up after a second descale. A silent pump means stop and book a visit.

### Coffee tastes sour or sharp afterwards

Solution remains. Run two or three more tanks of fresh water through the brew path, the steam wand and the hot water tap.

### The machine still shows the descale message

Some machines need the counter reset. Check the manual for how, because a cycle that did not complete will not clear it. If it still shows after a full cycle, the sensor may be at fault.

### The machine leaks afterwards

The descaler is not the cause. It has exposed a seal that was already failing. Switch off, unplug and book a visit.

### Coffee is still lukewarm

After a good descale, lukewarm coffee points to a heater or thermostat fault. See below.

## When descaling is not enough: call a technician

Scale is the cheap fault, so clear it first. Whatever problem survives a proper descale is a worn or broken part.

| After a good descale | What it means | What to do |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Flow back to normal | It was scale | Keep to the schedule |
| Still slow or no flow | Pump, a blocked valve or a scaled heater | Book a visit |
| Still lukewarm | Heater or thermostat fault | Book a visit |
| Pump loud or labouring | A tired pump | Book a visit |
| Leaks | Seal, tank seat or internal hose | Switch off and book a visit |
| Errors that return | A sensor or control fault | Send a photo of the display |
| Machine is under warranty | The maker may repair it | Contact the dealer or maker first |

We repair coffee machines at your home or office in Dubai: Nespresso, De'Longhi, Breville, Jura, Gaggia, Saeco, Lavazza, Miele, Rancilio and more. The visit is AED 100 plus VAT, the repair is AED 80 to AED 400 depending on the fault, and the price is agreed before work starts. Parts are genuine and a month of cover applies. See [coffee machine repair](https://oneclickdubai.com/services/coffee-machine-repair-dubai).

## Frequently asked questions

### How do I descale a coffee machine?

Use the descaler your maker names, dilute it as the pack says, run it through the machine, then rinse with fresh water until no smell or taste remains. The exact steps depend on the type of machine.

### How often should I descale my coffee machine?

Follow your maker's schedule. Nespresso says every three to four months or about 300 capsules. A published guide suggests every one to two months for a daily-use filter machine.

### Can I descale a coffee machine with vinegar?

Some makers say no. Nespresso says never, and Philips says not to use white vinegar on its Senseo machines. Vinegar also leaves a smell and taste. Use a descaler.

### Can I use citric acid?

Philips names citric-acid-based descalers for its Senseo machines, and guides mention plain citric acid as a home method. It is not a recommendation for every machine, so check with your maker.

### What is the difference between a descaling tablet and a cleaning tablet?

A descaling tablet removes limescale. A cleaning tablet removes coffee oil, mainly in bean-to-cup brew units. They are different products.

### Is a coffee machine decalcifier the same as a descaler?

Yes. Decalcifier, decalcifying agent and descaler all describe a product that removes limescale.

### Do I need to descale if I use filtered water?

Yes, though less often. Filtering reduces scale but does not remove all minerals.

### How long does descaling take?

About half an hour for a filter machine, and up to an hour for a bean-to-cup machine with a descale programme.

### Can I drink the water that runs through during descaling?

No. Discard it. Rinse until there is no smell or taste before you make a drink.

### Why does my coffee taste sour after descaling?

Some solution is left. Run more fresh water through, including the steam wand and hot water tap.

### Should I descale a second-hand machine?

Yes, before regular use, because you do not know its history.

### Can I descale a stovetop moka pot?

Rarely needed, since it has no heater. Rinse with water, dry it and follow the maker's cleaning advice.

### Can I descale a machine with a water filter fitted?

Remove the cartridge first if the manual says so, then refit it after the rinse.

### Does descaling fix a coffee machine that is not working?

It fixes problems caused by scale, such as slow flow. It does not fix a worn pump or a faulty heater.

### Who repairs coffee machines in Dubai?

One Click Dubai sends a technician the same day. Message us on WhatsApp at +971 55 209 9785. If your machine is under warranty, contact the dealer or maker first.