How to clean a Dolce Gusto coffee machine

We often leave our Dolce Gusto coffee machines unused for a long time, either because we were on holiday away from home, because we got tired of it for a while or any other reason. The fact is that our coffee machine has accumulated dirt everywhere, so a thorough cleaning is necessary.

Although users don’t always want to clean their Dolce Gusto coffee machines once they are dirty, many of us like to keep them clean so that the taste of the coffee doesn’t lose any flavour and extends the life of the machine.

Although cleaning the Dolce Gusto is not difficult, you need to know all the parts of the machine to clean it effectively. It will be necessary to clean each component separately and with the right products so as not to cause any problems that you may regret one day.

The nozzle of the Dolce Gusto coffee machines

Let’s start with the most important part: the coffee maker nozzle or injector. Dolce Gusto coffee machines have an excellent nozzle where the coffee flows into your cup once the water has been injected through the coffee capsule. All the coffee comes out of this injector every time you use the coffee maker, and it’s easy to imagine the huge amount of residue that remains on its walls over time.

Not many users know that Dolce Gusto coffee machines incorporate a small cleaning pin that serves exclusively to clean the nozzle. This pin is usually located and hidden in the back of the coffee machine, an area only accessible if you remove the water tank. If you cannot find it or have lost it, you can also use a conventional needle or pin. This needle looks like the one you see below:

A significant detail to keep the coffee nozzle in good condition is removing the old capsules after each coffee preparation. If you leave it in the porta capsule, the nozzle (shaped to penetrate the capsule) will remain inside the pod surrounded by the coffee remains. You will notice that you may find it difficult to lift the nozzle if you forget to put the capsule in after use.

• Please review our list of 10 things you should never do with a capsule coffee maker for more detailed information on this issue.

The Water Tank for Dolce Gusto

Another element of our Dolce Gusto coffee machine that should be kept clean is the water tank. It is convenient to empty the water every few days (for example, if we know that we will be several days without using the coffee maker). Avoid the formation of sediments and the depositing of residues on the walls and bottom.

This is the water that will later make your coffee, so you don’t want it to be in contact with a dirty surface, do you? Also, now and then, it’s good to give it a quick clean with water and soap in the sink, but be sure to rinse and dry it thoroughly when you’re done so that there are no traces of soap inside.

And if you have worn it out or it has broken, remember that you can get a new replacement: buy a spare water tank at Amazon.

Cleaning the internal components

Once we have cleaned the nozzle and the water tank, it is time to clean the inside of our Dolce Gusto coffee machine. Although cleaning the internal components sounds like disassembling the coffee machine, it is not necessary; we want to recommend that you make an extra preparation without a capsule before each coffee preparation.

This process will clean the water circuit and improve the taste of your coffee. It should be made clear that this method only removes some sediments and impurities from the water because to attack limescale, we will have to carry out a descaling process, but we will talk about this later.

External cleaning of the Dolce Gusto coffee machine

Perhaps the dirtiest part of your Dolce Gusto coffee maker is the drip tray (logical since it serves precisely that purpose). In this case, the dirt will not affect your coffee since it does not come into contact with the drink, but for a simple matter of hygiene, it is advisable to rinse it every few days to remove all the coffee waste deposited in it. If the coffee water has dried out too much, the best option is to put them directly in the dishwasher.

You may also find that the capsule holder is very dirty, which could cause the capsules to get stuck, so clean it with a little soap and water in the sink or put it straight into the dishwasher.

Similarly, if your Dolce Gusto coffee maker has a container for storing used capsules, don’t forget to empty it often to prevent the coffee residue from the coffee capsules from drying out in there and then being much more difficult to remove.

Finally, to keep your Dolce Gusto coffee machine clean and shiny, don’t forget to wipe the outside of the coffee machine with a clean, slightly damp cloth. You will be surprised how many small droplets stick to the walls on the underside of the head near the coffee spout. If you have any doubts about any of the steps, you can always look at this video to see what you need to do to correctly clean your Dolce Gusto coffee machine.

To keep your Dolce Gusto coffee machine in perfect condition, you should also remember to descale it from time to time (the frequency will vary depending on how often you use your coffee machine).

Descaling is the only method that fully cleans the inside of your Dolce Gusto because it removes the limescale residue that has adhered to the entire water circulation circuit, including the pump and the heating element.

For more information on the procedure for descaling Dolce Gusto coffee machines, we have prepared the following article: How to descale Dolce Gusto coffee machines.

• Dolce Gusto Durgol Water Descaler for Dolce Gusto Machines