How to descale my Delonghi La Specialista coffee maker

It is no secret that the good use we make of our coffee maker will depend to a great extent on how long it will last. Periodic maintenance is essential for the machine to remain in good condition, and this is where the descaling of our Delonghi La Specialista plays a very important role.

Many of the breakdowns in the coffee maker can become obstructions in some parts of the machine caused by the accumulation of residues, and avoiding them can be simpler. All you have to do is pay attention to the descaling warning of the machine and perform this process at the right time and in the right way.

If you do not know how to descale your Delonghi La Specialista coffee machine, here are the steps you should follow to carry out this process:

Recommendations before starting the descaling process:

  • Using only Delonghi brand descaling liquid is advisable, as using other descalers may cause damage not covered by the machine’s warranty.
  • Do not use the descaler without reading the instructions and labels on the back of the package.
  • Perform descaling regularly, whenever the machine requires it. If the machine is damaged due to not descaling in time, the warranty will not cover it either.
  • Download the user manual for the Delonghi La Specialista

Descale process of the Delonghi La Specialista coffee maker:

  1. Pour the descaling liquid into the water tank until it reaches level A and then finish filling with water up to level B.
  2. Place a container under the coffee, water, and frother spouts without the filter holder attached to the machine.
  3. Turn the function selector to the descaling position and press OK to start.
  4. Descaling will start, and liquid will flow out of the jets and frother. This process automatically performs a series of rinses at intervals to remove any limescale residue inside the machine; this will be repeated until the water tank is empty.
  5. When the tank has been completely emptied, the liquid output is interrupted and the indicators corresponding to the rinse button and empty tank light up.
  6. Empty the container with the collected liquid and place it under the jets again.
  7. Remove the water tank and rinse it under running water. Refill it with fresh water up to its MAX level and place it in its holder.
  8. Now press the rinse button to clean the internal circuits.
  9. Once the rinse is finished and the tank is empty again, the machine automatically stops the output, and the descaling signal will be turned off.
  10. Empty the container again with the water collected from the rinse.
  11. Remove the drip tray, empty it and return it to its place.
  12. The coffee maker is ready to be used again.

Suppose you still have any doubts about this. In that case, we leave you with the following video provided by Delonghi itself, which shows in a very simple way the process of descaling the La Specialista coffee maker:

La Specialist’s descaling indicator light does not turn off

Do not panic if it still has the descaling indicator light after performing the complete descaling of your Delonghi La Specialista coffee maker. You should know that this problem is much more common than you think and fortunately it can be easily solved.

The problem: After correctly descaling the coffee maker, the descaling light is still on.

The cause: This problem involves damage to the water flow meter; when this happens, the control board of the coffee maker receives an incorrect signal.

The solution:

  1. Disassemble the coffee maker.
  2. Locate the flowmeters inside the brewer, remove them and clean the inside very carefully.
  3. Put the flowmeters back in place.
  4. If this cleaning was insufficient and the problem persists, replace the flowmeters with new ones.
Steam flow meter and water flow meter
Steam flow meter and water flow meter

Related: My Delonghi La Specialista won’t turn on.