If you notice the Calc/Clean light starts blinking slowly or the machine display prompt for descaling, this indicates the time to descale your Philips Espresso Machine has arrived. It is important to descale your espresso machine regularly to obtain optimal coffee temperature and taste. Follow the steps or watch the videos on how to do this at home.
Please note that when descaling your Philips Espresso Machine, you should use Philips descaler only (Descaling solution CA6700).
It is also important not to interrupt the descaling process once it has started. Please, keep in mind that in some cases this process can take up to 30 minutes.
The instructions on how to descale your espresso machine may be different for each machine model. To find accurate instructions for your specific machine, please check the user manual or the videos on our [Coffee Care] page.
How to descale my Philips Espresso Machine
Published on 31 July 2024
Descaling Philips Espresso 2300 & 3300 Series
Descaling procedure:
1. Empty the drip tray and place it back
2. If present, remove the classic milk frother or LatteGo from the machine
3. If AquaClean filter is present, remove it from the water tank
4. Empty the water tank and pour the entire bottle of Philips descaler solution in it. Add water to the descaling solution in the water tank up to the to the Calc / Clean indication and place it back.
5. Place a large container bowl (1.5L) under the coffee and water spout
6. Switch ON the machine
7. Press and hold the Calc / Clean icon for 3 seconds, and then press the start/stop button to start the descaling procedure
8. During the descaling cycle, the Calc / Clean light will flash to show that descaling is in progress
9. The machine will start dispensing small amounts of water through the coffee and hot water spout 10. Let the machine dispense the descaling solution until the water tank is empty. The empty water tank light icon will light up
11. Remove the bowl
12. Remove the water tank and give it a rinse with fresh water
13. Fill up the water tank with fresh water up to the Calc / Clean indicator and place it back into the machine
14. Place back the emptied bowl under the coffee and water spout and continue with the rinsing procedure below.
Rinsing procedure:
1. Press the start/stop button to start the rinsing cycle. This process will take about 3 minutes
2. During this process, the lights on the control panel will go on and off to indicate that the rinsing cycle is in progress
3. Once the machine stops dispensing water, the descaling process is complete
4. The machine will heat up automatically
5. When the lights in the drink icons light up continuously, the machine is ready for use again
6. The AquaClean light will flash for a while to remind you to install a new AquaClean water filter
7. Install and activate a new AquaClean water filter in the water tank
1. Empty the drip tray and place it back
2. If present, remove the classic milk frother or LatteGo from the machine
3. If AquaClean filter is present, remove it from the water tank
4. Empty the water tank and pour the entire bottle of Philips descaler solution in it. Add water to the descaling solution in the water tank up to the to the Calc / Clean indication and place it back.
5. Place a large container bowl (1.5L) under the coffee and water spout
6. Switch ON the machine
7. Press and hold the Calc / Clean icon for 3 seconds, and then press the start/stop button to start the descaling procedure
8. During the descaling cycle, the Calc / Clean light will flash to show that descaling is in progress
9. The machine will start dispensing small amounts of water through the coffee and hot water spout 10. Let the machine dispense the descaling solution until the water tank is empty. The empty water tank light icon will light up
11. Remove the bowl
12. Remove the water tank and give it a rinse with fresh water
13. Fill up the water tank with fresh water up to the Calc / Clean indicator and place it back into the machine
14. Place back the emptied bowl under the coffee and water spout and continue with the rinsing procedure below.
Rinsing procedure:
1. Press the start/stop button to start the rinsing cycle. This process will take about 3 minutes
2. During this process, the lights on the control panel will go on and off to indicate that the rinsing cycle is in progress
3. Once the machine stops dispensing water, the descaling process is complete
4. The machine will heat up automatically
5. When the lights in the drink icons light up continuously, the machine is ready for use again
6. The AquaClean light will flash for a while to remind you to install a new AquaClean water filter
7. Install and activate a new AquaClean water filter in the water tank
Play Pause
Descaling Philips Espresso 4300, 4400, 5400 and 5500 Series
- Touch the "clean" icon on the user interface and select 'Descaling' in the menu.
- Follow the instructions on the screen.
- If attached, remove LatteGo or the milk frother.
- Remove the drip tray and the coffee grounds container, empty them and put them back into place.
- Remove the water tank and empty it. Then remove the AquaClean water filter.
- Pour the whole bottle of Philips descaler in the water tank and then fill it with water up to the Calc / Clean indication. Then place it back into the machine.
- Place a large container (1.5 l) under the coffee dispensing spout and the water spout.
- Press the start/stop button to start the descaling procedure. The descaling procedure lasts approximately 30 minutes and consists of a descaling cycle and a rinsing cycle.
- Wait until the machine stops dispensing water. Refill the water tank when the message appears on the display. The descaling procedure is finished when the machine stops dispensing water.
- Install and activate a new AquaClean water filter in the water tank.
Play Pause
Descaling Philips 0800/1200/2200/3200 series
Descaling procedure:
1. Empty the drip tray and place it back
2. If present, remove the classic milk frother or LatteGo from the machine
3. If AquaClean filter is present, remove it from the water tank
4. Empty the water tank and pour the entire bottle of Philips descaler solution in it. Add water to the descaling solution in the water tank up to the to the Calc / Clean indication and place it back.
5. Place a large container bowl (1.5L) under the coffee and water spout
6. Switch ON the machine
7. Press and hold the Calc / Clean icon for 3 seconds, and then press the start/stop button to start the descaling procedure
8. During the descaling cycle, the Calc / Clean light will flash to show that descaling is in progress
9. The machine will start dispensing small amounts of water through the coffee and hot water spout 10. Let the machine dispense the descaling solution until the water tank is empty. The empty water tank light icon will light up
11. Remove the bowl
12. Remove the water tank and give it a rinse with fresh water
13. Fill up the water tank with fresh water up to the Calc / Clean indicator and place it back into the machine
14. Place back the emptied bowl under the coffee and water spout and continue with the rinsing procedure below.
Rinsing procedure:
1. Press the start/stop button to start the rinsing cycle. This process will take about 3 minutes
2. During this process, the lights on the control panel will go on and off to indicate that the rinsing cycle is in progress
3. Once the machine stops dispensing water, the descaling process is complete
4. The machine will heat up automatically
5. When the lights in the drink icons light up continuously, the machine is ready for use again
6. The AquaClean light will flash for a while to remind you to install a new AquaClean water filter
7. Install and activate a new AquaClean water filter in the water tank
1. Empty the drip tray and place it back
2. If present, remove the classic milk frother or LatteGo from the machine
3. If AquaClean filter is present, remove it from the water tank
4. Empty the water tank and pour the entire bottle of Philips descaler solution in it. Add water to the descaling solution in the water tank up to the to the Calc / Clean indication and place it back.
5. Place a large container bowl (1.5L) under the coffee and water spout
6. Switch ON the machine
7. Press and hold the Calc / Clean icon for 3 seconds, and then press the start/stop button to start the descaling procedure
8. During the descaling cycle, the Calc / Clean light will flash to show that descaling is in progress
9. The machine will start dispensing small amounts of water through the coffee and hot water spout 10. Let the machine dispense the descaling solution until the water tank is empty. The empty water tank light icon will light up
11. Remove the bowl
12. Remove the water tank and give it a rinse with fresh water
13. Fill up the water tank with fresh water up to the Calc / Clean indicator and place it back into the machine
14. Place back the emptied bowl under the coffee and water spout and continue with the rinsing procedure below.
Rinsing procedure:
1. Press the start/stop button to start the rinsing cycle. This process will take about 3 minutes
2. During this process, the lights on the control panel will go on and off to indicate that the rinsing cycle is in progress
3. Once the machine stops dispensing water, the descaling process is complete
4. The machine will heat up automatically
5. When the lights in the drink icons light up continuously, the machine is ready for use again
6. The AquaClean light will flash for a while to remind you to install a new AquaClean water filter
7. Install and activate a new AquaClean water filter in the water tank
Descaling Philips 5000 series
This video will help you to descale your Philips 5000 espresso machine. For a detailed step by step instructions, check the user manual.
Descaling Philips 4000 and 3100 series
Descaling procedure:
1. Select 'Start Calc Clean' from the menu
2. Press the Cappuccino button to select the descaling procedure
3. The machine reminds you to insert the with water filled milk carafe and pull out the milk carafe dispenser to the right.
4. The descaler symbol appears on the display.
5. Pour the entire bottle of Philips descaling solution in the water tank.
6. Fill the water tank up to the calc clean level.
7. Place the water tank back into the machine.
8. Place a bowl underneath the milk frother and coffee spout
9. Press the cappuccino button to start the descaling cycle.
The display will show the descaling progress. You can pause the descaling cycle by pressing the espresso button. Press the cappuccino button to resume the descaling procedure.
Rinsing procedure:
1. After finishing, rinse the water tank and fill it with fresh water to the maximum level and place back
2. The start rinsing symbol appears on the display.
3. Fill the milk carafe with water up to the minimum level and place back
4. Pull out the milk carafe dispenser to the right.
5. Place back the bowl.
6. Press the cappuccino button to start the rinsing cycle.
The rinsing cycle is finished when the 'Calc Clean OK' symbol appears on the display. Press the cappuccino button to exit the descaling procedure.
Note: If the water tank symbol appears on the display instead of the 'Calc Clean OK' symbol, refill the water tank up to maximum level and perform another rinsing cycle.
1. Select 'Start Calc Clean' from the menu
2. Press the Cappuccino button to select the descaling procedure
3. The machine reminds you to insert the with water filled milk carafe and pull out the milk carafe dispenser to the right.
4. The descaler symbol appears on the display.
5. Pour the entire bottle of Philips descaling solution in the water tank.
6. Fill the water tank up to the calc clean level.
7. Place the water tank back into the machine.
8. Place a bowl underneath the milk frother and coffee spout
9. Press the cappuccino button to start the descaling cycle.
The display will show the descaling progress. You can pause the descaling cycle by pressing the espresso button. Press the cappuccino button to resume the descaling procedure.
Rinsing procedure:
1. After finishing, rinse the water tank and fill it with fresh water to the maximum level and place back
2. The start rinsing symbol appears on the display.
3. Fill the milk carafe with water up to the minimum level and place back
4. Pull out the milk carafe dispenser to the right.
5. Place back the bowl.
6. Press the cappuccino button to start the rinsing cycle.
The rinsing cycle is finished when the 'Calc Clean OK' symbol appears on the display. Press the cappuccino button to exit the descaling procedure.
Note: If the water tank symbol appears on the display instead of the 'Calc Clean OK' symbol, refill the water tank up to maximum level and perform another rinsing cycle.
Descaling Philips 3000 series
This video will help you to descale your Philips 3000 espresso machine. For a detailed step by step instructions, check the user manual.
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Descaling Philips 2100 series
This video will help you to descale your Philips 2100 espresso machine. For a detailed step by step instructions, check the user manual.
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Other Philips Espresso Machine models
If you have an other Philips Espresso Machine model, find detailed descaling instruction in the user manual or visit our [Coffee Care] .