How to Clean a Philips Espresso Machine: Barista Secrets Leaked

Do you know how to clean a Philips espresso machine?

Philips espresso machines are some of the best out there as they’re durable, with a long lifespan and, of course, they brew excellent espresso. Stick around, if you own one or if you’re planning to buy one soon you’ll need to know how to clean it the right way. 

Let’s chat about the steps needed and how to go about it. 

Key takeaways:

• The key components of a Philips espresso machine
• The step-by-step process for cleaning your Philips espresso brewer
• How to use Philips tablets the right way to clean your espresso maker thoroughly

How often should you descale your Philips espresso machine? 

The answer is: it depends.

If you use filtered or bottled water to pull your espresso shots, you won’t need to descale it too often. Instead, it tap water is your go-to for making espresso then you’ll descale it more frequently. 

As a general rule of thumb, you need to descale your espresso machine every 1.5 years if you maintain it in great condition. It’s not a good idea to use an extra water filter as the machine has its own filter attached (AquaClean filter) though cause you’ll end up descaling your machine more frequently. The AquaClean filter makes water clear and purified, so no need for extra filters.

Key components and accessories of a Philips espresso machine 

Let’s look at the key components and accessories of a Philips brewer.

Components

• Water tank 
• Hot water spout 
• Coffee grounds container
• Drip tray 
• Drip tray cover 

Control Panel

• Calc/Clean light
• Start/Stop button
• AquaClean icon
• Warning icons

Accessories

• LatteGo (milk container)
• Frother 
• Water hardness tester

The table summarises all the key components:

Components	Water tank Hot water spout Coffee grounds containerDrip tray Drip tray cover
Control Panel	LatteGo (milk container)Frother Water hardness tester
Accessories	LatteGo (milk container)Frother Water hardness tester

What is the process for descaling your Philips espresso machine? 

Here are the 4-step process for descaling your Philips machine: 

1. Preparing for descaling

Here’s how to prepare for descaling an espresso machine: 

• When the ‘Cac/Clean’ light illuminates it means you have to descale the machine
• Take off the metallic dripping tray, the container of coffee grounds and the LatteGo
• Throw the water in the tray away and give it a good wash with washing-up liquid along with the coffee-ground container. 
• Put all these components back in – Make sure you place them in the right order. 
• Remove the water tank and get rid of the water in it.
• Remove the AquaClean filter 
• Use a whole bottle of the Philips descaling solution in the water tank and give it some time
• Fill the tank with water up to the Calc/Clean mark
• Put the tank back in its place 

2. It’s time to descale your Philips espresso machine

Here’s how to actually descale your Philips: 

• Keep the Calc/Clean button pressed for about 3-4 seconds
• Press the Start/Stop button, to begin the descaling process
• When the water tank is completely empty the descaling process is completed (you’ll See the ‘Water Tank Empty’ button flashing.
• Take off your water tank and give it a wash or just rinse it
• Fill it with fresh water to put it back in 

Here’s a review of this Philips descaler: 

After the first flush I could see a difference. I am delighted because Senseo coffee machines are no longer made.

– Patricia Ward

3. How to rinse your Philips espresso machine

Let’s have a glance at how to rinse your Philips espresso machine:

• Press the Start/Stop button and the rinsing program of the machine will start
• Once the water stops dripping or even running through the machine it means the descaling process is completed
• You’ll see the icon lights will start illuminating which indicates your Philips machine is ready for use. 

4. How to change your AquaClean Filter

Here are the steps on how to replace your AquaClean Filter: 

• It’s a good idea to soak the filter, place it in a bowl with water and give it about 10 minutes. 
• Take off the water tank and throw away the water 
• Remove the old filter and place the new one carefully, ensuring it sits properly 
• Fill the water up with fresh water and put it back in 
• Keep the Aqua/Clean icon pressed for about 3-4 seconds
• Keep the Start/Stop button
• You’ll see the AquaClean light turns blue indicating that you’re good to go

It’s also vital to know how to plumb your own espresso machine in case you want to change the way of water supply.

How to use Philips coffee machine cleaning tablets

Philips has their own tablets specifically created for removing oil coffee.

It’s wise to use them every now and again especially if you often opt for coarse coffee grounds which contain more coffee oils and lipids than finer coffee grinds. 

Let’s go through the steps of how to use Philips tablets

• Turn the machine on
• Make sure that there’s enough water in the tank (more than half at least) 
• Place a tablet in the coffee grounds section 
• Start brewing and when about half a cup is brewed turn your Philips machine off and unplug it
• Give the tablet about 15 minutes to work its magic 
• Take off the Portafilter, give it a good wash, rinse it, let it dry out and put it back in
• Select the pre-ground function option and throw away the coffee that it made and you’re good to go
• It’s wise to throw away the first espresso you pull after using a tablet to ensure the taste of the tablet is gone. 

How to clean the LatteGo milk container

Luckily, it’s easy to clean the LatteGo milk container:

• Take it off the machine and throw away the milk in it
• Give it a good wash with washing-up liquid and keep it upside down to dry out
• Put it back in the machine and you’re good to go.

Let’s wrap it up 

You now have every good reason to give your Philips espresso machine a proper clean to keep it in top condition which is going to save you money in the long run; you won’t fork out cash on a new machine for years. What do you fancy? An espresso, latte or something stronger?  Do you know how to clean farberware coffee maker? You can also check our guide on how to clean a Krups espresso brewer.