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Descale the machine: Smeg ECF02 Manual
Before you start
- Tools
- container under the coffee outlet, container under the steam wand
- Supplies
- descaler recommended by Smeg (dosed with water to MAX per the descaler maker)
Warnings
- Descaler is acidic and can irritate skin and eyes; follow the pack instructions exactly. Source: Smeg ECF02 manual espresso coffee machine user manual (EN), from smeg.com user-manuals search for ECF02CREU
- Use a descaler Smeg recommends to avoid damaging the machine. Source: Smeg ECF02 manual espresso coffee machine user manual (EN), from smeg.com user-manuals search for ECF02CREU
The machine tells you when
This machine keeps count itself and tells you when this job is due, so follow the machine rather than a calendar.
- What you see
- orange LED flashes on the steam key
- Shown as
- A light
- What it counts
- Water, against the hardness it is set to
- Depends on
- water hardness setting (soft / medium / hard; factory set to hard)
- How it clears
- shows each time the machine leaves stand-by until the descale is done
Steps
- Empty the water tank completely and take out the water softening filter if fitted.
From the manual: “Empty the water tank (11) completely and remove the water softening filter (if present).”
- Fill the tank to MAX with water and descaler, dosed as the maker of the descaler says.
From the manual: “Fill the water tank (11) up to MAX with a solution of water and descaler”
- Take off the portafilter and put a container under the coffee outlet and the steam wand.
From the manual: “Remove the filter holder (3) and position a container under the dispenser (2) and the steam wand (7).”
- Switch the machine on.
From the manual: “Turn the machine on by pressing the ON/ OFF button.”
- Once it is ready, hold the steam key for 10 seconds until its orange LED stays lit.
From the manual: “hold the key (22) down for 10 seconds until the orange LED has a fixed light.”
- Turn the steam knob anticlockwise.
From the manual: “Turn the steam knob (8) anti-clockwise.”
- Press the steam key to start; it begins to flash.
From the manual: “Press the key (22) to start descaling”
- Let the cycle run timed rinses until the tank is empty.
From the manual: “performs a series of rinse cycles at intervals to remove lime scale from the inside of the coffee machine”
- When it stops, the key shows white; take out the tank, empty it and rinse it.
From the manual: “The descaling cycle stops and the white LED (22) switches on.”
- Fill the tank to the maximum mark with water and refit it.
From the manual: “Fill the tank (11) with water to the maximum level mark and insert it into its housing.”
- Put empty containers under the steam wand and the coffee outlet, and check the steam knob is horizontal.
From the manual: “Position an empty container under the steam wand (7), an empty container under the dispensing unit (2)”
- Press the steam key again to start the rinse.
From the manual: “Press the steam key (22) again to start the rinse cycle.”
- The rinse is over when the tank is empty and the machine is back to ready.
From the manual: “the rinse cycle has ended and the machine goes back to ready status.”
- Turn the steam knob clockwise to close it.
From the manual: “Turn the steam knob (8) clockwise.”
Sources
Researched on .
Published: the sentence is on the maker’s own page or in the maker’s own document.