This is another post tagged “sad”.
Does your circa 2009 Bosch Tassimo coffee machine have the red descaling light on? And the red light won’t turn off, even tho you followed the descaling instructions in the manual? (It should look like this:)
The problem is the manual is wrong. I don’t know how they managed it, but it’s plain wrong.
Here’s what to do:
- Take out the water filter from the water tank (if you have one). Descaling won’t work with the filter in there.
- Mix up 500 mL of descaling solution in the water supply bucket. You must have at least 500 mL of solution in there or it will run out and you’ll have to start over.
- Put the cleaning disc into the machine and close the little disc door.
- Put a cup that will hold at least 500 mL into the machine (you will probably want to take out the cup stand to make room for it). If the cup won’t hold 500 mL, it’ll overflow and you’ll have a mess.
- This is the key: press and hold the brew button for at least 3 seconds. Now wait 20 minutes.
After 3 seconds the green and red lights will start flashing simultaneously – that indicates you’ve started the descaling cycle, which will run 500 mL of the solution thru the machine and into the cup. It goes slowly, in small bursts over about 20 minutes. When it’s done, the red light will go out. Then flush out the machine by running lots of clean water thru it (per the manual), and put back the water filter (if you want, and if your model has one).
If you stop the machine before it’s done with the full cycle, you’ll have to start over.
This procedure is hinted at in icon-speak (no words) on the little booklet that the cleaning disc comes in. It’s totally different from what the manual says, with the key difference that this procedure works.
Enjoy your coffee.
Thank you for these instructions!! Actually working like it should!! I found my descaling solution at Canadian Tire in the section where they sell the coffee machines. They are small boxes. Not easy to find 🙂 thank you again!
I found this, maybe help who need them…
http://www.reliableparts.ca/catalog/Tassimo-Coffee-Maker-Parts
excellent instructions no need to try and find manufacturers handbook
do you have to use the required descaler……can you use vineger or some other product??
Thanks I was getting very frustrated with the descaling not working. I bought the descaling power packages at London Drugs (cheaper than Canadian Tire) in the section where you buy coffee makers.
Mine has been running for longer then 20 minutes now and I’ve had to keep water in it… Did I do something wrong? Followed all instructions…….
Where do i get the cleaning disc?
It’s in the back of the machine, in a little compartment behind the water tank.
Nothing is happening. I put the descaler in the water, after I took ot the purifier. Red light is on. The green light does not come on. Very furstrating. Help
Did you put in the cleaning disc?
Hi,
I just bought my Tassimo and haven’t even made a drink yet, and it’s making a loud noise and the green light goes on for a bit then the descaling light and the other light beside it goes on !? No water drips out. What is wrong… I’m gonna take it back.
Thanks for your help. Misplaced the guide, so it wouldn’t have been much help in this case. 🙂
will CLR work??
Jeannette: Don’t use CLR, but plain vinegar will do the trick and is much, much cheaper and safer than the descaling solution provided by Tassimo. I just pull out the filter, empty the reservoir, and fill the reservoir with vinegar, run the descaling cycle as instructed above, dump whatever is left in the tank, and run an entire tank of clean water through the coffeemaker using the clean cycle. I’ll run another if the taste is still there.
NOTE: If you do not pull the filter out, the descaling process will not work and will ruin the filter. Do NOT forget to pull the filter.
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I have been trying to descale my Tassimo for weeks, but all I got was hot water and the light stayed on. It finally went off! Woohoo!
Hi I have the Bosch tassimo and during moving have lost my yello disc I’m gutted as I really enjoy coffee and u just can’t get a decent coffee for home any more, please can someone let me know where I can get the yellow disc from or another way around it please thank you fello tassimo lovers
You can order one from Bosch. If you know someone else who has one, you can make a copy of the bar code on the yellow disc and stick it on a used coffee pod (where the original bar code was). That’ll work too.
I rescaled my tassamo and red light still stays on. Now what?
Omg thank you sooooooo sooooo much you are a genieus don’t know how u managed to know this but it has worked on my tassimo and because I don’t have the manual u have helped me so much was really frustrated with my tassimo and have been trying to get the red light t go away and now thannks to you I have a tassimo with no annoying red light thank you and keep doing what ur doin 🙂 x
Thanks for the advice! Living in Greece I cannot find the descaling tablets anywhere, used vinegar with procedure described above and worked perfectly!
Thank u so much!!!!
Nice posting, thanks! Couldn’t find my manual!
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It is very specific that you NOT use vinegar. I suspect the bosch tablets are made from citric acid though – which is very cheap (£6 for a kg) and according to one sight, use one tablespoon crystals. It works a treat on the kettle, iron and sink too.
vinegar! thank goodness. i live in the arctic and shopping is limited … but wanted to hear from someone before trying it. thanks!!
Thank you, Dave! You saved my 5 month old Tassimo!
I didn’t want to buy Bosch descaling product (too expansive and need to wait delivery) so I bought an ordinary descaler bag for kettles and coffee machines for 2 pounds in a supermarket.
Stupidly, instead of using only 500ml of water I filled up the water container to max.
It took 50 minutes but it worked!
Now My Tassimo is ready to rumble 😀
Thank you so much for your post about descaling the Tassimo. We had been trying to get rid of the red light since this morning. The only way we were able to get rid of it was by following your instructions.
First off I love my Tassimo but the cleaning instructions were laughable to say the least!!! Thank You very much for this site and great instructions!! Bosch should have you write their intructions….just a thought LOL! Oh yeah my sweet Tassimo is all better now red light is HISTORY!!!! Till the next cleaning time!!
bought the Dezcal stuff from Walmart $10.27 CAD red light is still on!! really annoying. any ideas??
I used regular vinegar and followed the directions and red light went off!! Thanks!
I am so happy I read this… it worked perfect with vinegar!!! Thanks
Where do I find the water filter to replace ?
This guide is great. It worked to the letter. Finally, I have descaled my Bosch Tassimo coffee machine. Thanks!
NEVER USE VINEGAR!!! It’s the one thing the manufacturer specifically says not to use. There are so many cheap non-Bosch de scaling options out there so why risk it. Crazy. It might seem like it’s done the job but it’s a quick way to end your love affair with your Tassimo machine.
Here’s the process that I followed:
– remove the filter (very important because of the next step)
– leave both containers together and add a cup of CLR
– fill the remaining space to the top with water (to the line)
– put the cleaning disk in and close it
– place a large cup to catch the water/CLR
– hold down the brew button until it starts cleaning mode
– let it fully empty the reservoir (make sure that you frequently empty the cup in between flushes – do it fast)
Once the reservoir is empty, turn off the unit and back on. The red light will probably still be on. Next (do this at least twice, probably three times):
– fully wash the reservoir with dish soap and completely rinse it to get rid of the CLR residue.
– without the filter, fill the reservoir with hot tap water
– put your cup in place
– using the cleaning disc, press brew (don’t hold it)
– frequently empty the cup after each brew cycle until the reservoir is empty.
That should have flushed out all of the CLR.
Finally, to clear the red light:
– without the filter, fill the reservoir with EXACTLY 500mL of hot tap water
– put your cup in place
– using the cleaning disc, press and hold brew until it started the cleaning cycle
– it will run for 20 minutes (I timed it)
– the red light should now be gone
Enjoy!
In a previous post on another site it said not use straight vinegar as it will wreck the working parts inside. However it says you can use 1 part vinegar and two parts water and it will descale perfectly with out ruining your Tassimo! I’m going to try it. Also not sure about using CLR in a coffee maker!?
So great ! After two wks the light is finally away , so happy that I found your
Page !
Thanks for the clearer instructions.
I’ve had my Tassimo for 3 years. I always descale with 2 talespoons of Citric acid in 2 cups of HOT water. Works great, cheap, no after taste.
Citric acid is availabe at your local health food store or bulk store.
Doing mine now!
Thanks for your help it saved me from breaking the bloody thing
I was so frustrated trying to descale my Tassimo I was about to throw it out. Thank you soooooo much for saving me!!!!!
Where is the filter?
Where is the filter on my tassimo coffee machine.
Descaling for the 1st time – do all tassimos have a filter as I cant find 1 on my T20. Also I have been sent liquid and tablets when ive ordered original Bosch descaler from Ebay, do I use both?
Thank you so much for this! FYI for others in my situation, these instructions also work perfectly for the newer model Bosch Tassimo machines.
How do you initiate the “clean cycle”?
Thanks for the help to descale my Bosch Tassimo brewer; very helpful!
Now I have a new problem – I had to stop the brew in the middle of a cycle since the cartridge was not inserted properly and was spitting coffee everywhere. After cleaning up the mess, I tried to start over (with a new cartridge) but I have all the lights flashing; can’t get the machine to out of this mode. Any suggestions?
THANK YOU!!! Nothing has worked until I found this!!!! 🙂
Freaked when the red light came on as I love my caramel Corner Coffeehouse every morning and was afraid my machine was broken. Did as described above using vinegar and it worked like a charm. May try and get some citric acid for next time. Thanks everyone for all your help.
hey all,
i found these bosch tassimo instructions too, hope they help (although this is perfect!)
you mustnt use vinegar it says..
http://demandware.edgesuite.net/aagr_prd/on/demandware.static/Sites-Tassimo-Site/Sites-Tassimo-Library/default/v1381503650393/images/T45.pdf