How to Descale a Philips Senseo Coffee Maker

Modern coffee makers have become a big success, largely because they are so hassle free and easy to use. Let’s be honest, the coffee might not be quite as good as a traditional coffee machine but the big plus is that there’s no messy coffee grounds to deal with. Convenience is the name of the game here. Saying that, as clean and easy as they are to use, once in a while you need to descale them. Luckily that too is easy to do!

 Phillips recommends that you should descale your coffee maker at least once every three months.

To descale your Philips Senseo coffee maker you will need:

•  Enough “Citric Acid Based Descaling Mix” to make 2 litres of mild descaling solution. 
• A measuring jug 
• A bowl 
• A spoon to mix the solution 
• 2 used coffee capsules (no need to waste new ones these just serve as filters while descaling) 
• About half an hour or so to spare

First check the instructions on the packet of descaling mixture to see how much you need to mix to make a litre of descaling solution. You are going to need 2 litres.

Stage 1: Descaling

Mix a litre of descaling solution in a jug with cold water and stir with the spoon.

Fill the Coffee maker reservoir with the descaling solution and fit it to the coffee maker.

Place the bowl on the drip tray (see photo)

Insert a coffee capsule in the one cup holder and close the machine.

Switch on the Philips Senseo coffee maker, once the red light is steady press the 2 cup button.

You have now started the descaling process.

Once the coffee machine stops filling the bowl with descaling mix, wait until the red light stops flashing then press the 2 cup button again.

Keep doing this until you have used up the 2 litres of descaling solution. (Fill the reservoir and empty the bowl as necessary!)

Stage 2: Rinse Clean

Once you have used up all the descaling solution remove the water reservoir and rinse it under the tap.

Refill the reservoir with clean tap water and fit it to the machine. Place the bowl on the drip tray and put the other used coffee capsule in the one capsule holder.

Begin the rinsing process as before.

You must now rinse the machine with at least 2 reservoirs full of clean water to ensure that no citric acid solution remains in the machine.

Your Senseo coffee machine is now descaled and ready to use!