The One Step You Should Do Between Cleanings For Your Nespresso Machine

If you're a coffee fiend, having a Nespresso machine makes your life incredibly easy. You can have barista-level coffee any time you want, at just a click of a button. That is, as long as you keep your machine in tip-top shape. One easy way to do this is to make sure you give your Nespresso machine the care it deserves with a regular cleaning and descaling routine. On top of that, Nespresso recommends that you run a water cycle through it at least once a week in between deep cleanings.

It might not seem completely necessary, but this extra step ensures that there aren't any leftover coffee particles floating around inside your machine. It will also flush out any residue, and keep the internal components working smoothly. The process is incredibly simple –- all you need to do is run the machine through a brew cycle as normal, but without a pod inside. In the coffee world, this is known as pulling a blank shot, and professionals do it with every kind of machine to stabilize temperature and clean out any stale water. 

While this process is simple for those with Original Line Nespresso machines, Vertuo machine users may have trouble pulling blank shots. This is because Vertuo machines run on a unique technology called Centrifusion that relies on the special barcodes on each capsule to brew. However, these particular machines have an auto-clean function, which runs in the same way.

Before turning on the auto-clean function on your Vertuo machine, make sure it's full with fresh water  and that any used pods have been discarded. Then, close the head, lock it, and press the button three times. The water will start moving through the machine and complete three full cycles if you leave it run. It only takes about five minutes to complete, but you can stop it at any point by pressing the button again.

If you haven't used your machine in a while, you'll be better off letting it complete all three cycles. You'll know it's done when the button stops flashing and turns a solid again. Don't try running an empty pod in order to run a blank shot. These kinds of machines are very particular, and you don't want to cause any unnecessary issues — never mind what can happen if you don't clean your Nespresso machine.