How to Descale Your Coffee Machine (And Why It Matters)

1. What is scale, and why does it matter

Scale is the mineral deposit — mostly calcium and magnesium — left behind as water passes through your machine and heats up. Over time it builds up inside the boiler, pipes, and valves. It's not just cosmetic: scale restricts water flow, makes heating less efficient, and can eventually damage heating elements and valves outright. It also affects the coffee itself — buildup inside the system can flatten flavour and, in bad cases, add a metallic or chalky taste to your cup. Left unaddressed for long enough, it's one of the more common causes of an expensive repair or a machine failing well before it should.

2. Signs your machine needs descaling

Many machines with built-in descaling programs will also display a warning light or message once their internal counter suggests it's time — worth checking your machine's manual if you're not sure whether yours has this feature.

3. How often should you descale

There's no single number that applies to every machine — it depends mainly on how hard your water is and how often you use the machine. Hard-water areas and daily heavy use both mean scale builds up faster; filtered water and lighter use both slow it down. Rather than working from a fixed schedule, the most reliable approach is to follow your specific machine's manufacturer guidance (many machines display a reminder automatically) and combine that with the visible signs in the section above.

4. Step-by-step: how to descale your machine

The exact process varies by brand and model — always check your machine's manual first, since some require specific button sequences to enter descaling mode. In general, though, the process follows a similar pattern:

1. Dissolve the descaler

   Follow the product's instructions to dissolve the correct amount of descaling solution or tablets in water.

2. Run it through the system

   Pour the solution into the water tank and run your machine's descaling program (or, if it doesn't have one, run the solution through as you would a normal brew or hot water cycle, per the descaler's instructions).

3. Let it work

   Some products recommend letting the solution sit in the system briefly before flushing, to give it time to break down scale deposits.

4. Rinse thoroughly

   Run several full cycles of clean water through the machine afterwards to flush out all traces of the descaling solution before making coffee again.

5. Choosing a descaler

Brand-specific tablets

Formulated for a particular brand's descaling program — Jura's descale tablets are a good example. If your machine has a proprietary descaling cycle, using the matching branded product is generally the safest option.

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Universal liquid descalers

A liquid concentrate you dilute and run through the machine, often compatible across multiple brands. The Franke Descaler is one option in our range.

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Either format works well when used correctly — the main thing is checking your machine's manual for what it recommends, since some manufacturers advise against certain descaling agents for specific internal components.

6. Preventing scale buildup

The easiest way to deal with scale is to slow it down in the first place. Filtered water is the single biggest lever here — running your machine on filtered rather than straight tap water reduces the mineral content reaching your boiler, which means less frequent descaling and less strain on internal components over time. Browse our water filters if you're not already using one.

7. Frequently asked questions