How to Descale a De'Longhi Rivelia Start

Descaling your De'Longhi Rivelia Start removes limescale from the machine's internal water circuit. The machine has a dedicated Descale button and a guided sequence of indicator lights to take you through the process. The Rivelia Start monitors when descaling is required according to use and the programmed water-hardness setting. When the descale indicator (C9) illuminates, the machine is requesting a descale.

Allow approximately 30 minutes to complete the full procedure. You will need: coffee-machine descaler, fresh drinking water, a container with a capacity of more than 1.5 litres, and the Rivelia Start hot-water spout. Do not interrupt the procedure once it has started unless necessary. The liquid dispensed during descaling is hot and contains descaler, so avoid contact with the solution.

Make sure the machine is switched on and ready to use. Remove the drip tray and grounds container. Empty both completely and reinstall them correctly in the machine. Remove the water tank. If a water-softener filter is fitted inside the tank, remove it before starting the descaling procedure. Empty any remaining water from the tank.

Look inside the Rivelia Start water tank. The tank has A and B level markings used when preparing the descaling solution. Pour descaler into the empty tank up to level A. Then add fresh drinking water until the mixture reaches level B. Do not simply fill the tank to MAX for this part of the procedure — use the A and B markings intended for descaling. Refit the water tank to the machine.

Open the flap covering the milk-carafe/hot-water connection at the front of the machine. Remove the hot-water spout from the accessories compartment if it is not already fitted. Push the hot-water spout firmly into its connection. The Rivelia Start uses this outlet during the descaling process, so it needs to be installed before starting the cycle.

Place an empty container with a capacity of more than 1.5 litres beneath the machine. Position it so that it can safely collect the liquid discharged during the descaling cycle. Make sure the container is stable and has enough free capacity before starting.

Locate the dedicated Descale button (B2) on the Rivelia Start control panel. Follow the machine's descaling sequence to start the programme. Once started, the machine begins circulating the descaling solution through its internal water circuit. The main descaling stage takes approximately 20 minutes. You may notice dispensing start and stop during the process. This is part of the automatic programme and allows the solution to work through the internal hydraulic circuit. Do not remove the water tank or collection container while this stage is running.

Allow the Rivelia Start to continue until it indicates that the first part of the process has finished. The machine will eventually use the prepared descaling solution and request the next stage. At this point, carefully remove the collection container and empty it. Remember that the collected liquid may still be hot and contains descaler.

Remove the drip tray and grounds container again. Empty both. It is normal for some water to find its way into the grounds container during the Rivelia Start descaling procedure. Reinstall the drip tray and grounds container correctly before continuing.

Remove the water tank. Empty any remaining descaling solution and rinse the tank thoroughly using fresh drinking water. There should be no descaling solution left in the tank before the rinse cycle begins.

Fill the clean water tank with fresh drinking water all the way to the MAX mark. This is important. The Rivelia Start manual specifically warns that if the tank is not filled to MAX, the machine can request an additional rinse to make sure the descaling solution has been completely removed from the internal circuit. Refit the full water tank.

Empty the large collection container used during descaling. Place it back beneath the machine's outlets. Make sure it is correctly positioned before continuing. The Rivelia Start will now use clean water to flush the remaining descaler from its internal circuit.

Continue the programme when requested by the machine. Fresh water is now circulated through the system and discharged into the collection container. Allow this stage to finish automatically. Do not stop the rinse simply because the water initially appears clear. The machine determines how much rinsing is required.

When the rinse stage finishes, carefully remove and empty the collection container. Remove the drip tray and grounds container. Empty both and reinstall them in the machine. Again, don't be concerned if some water has entered the grounds container during the procedure — the Rivelia Start manual identifies this as normal during descaling.

Remove the water tank one final time. Fill it with fresh drinking water up to the MAX level. If the water filter was removed at the beginning of the procedure and the machine instructs you to refit it, reinstall it correctly. Return the water tank to the machine.

Once the required rinse stages have been successfully completed, the Rivelia Start finishes the descaling procedure. The machine then performs a short preheating cycle before returning to its normal ready-to-use state. Your Rivelia Start is now descaled.

Don't start randomly pressing controls or try to bypass the remaining rinse. If the Rivelia Start descaling cycle is interrupted — for example by a power cut — the machine is designed to request that the procedure is resumed from the point at which it was interrupted when it is powered on again. Follow the machine's indicators and allow the remaining procedure to complete.