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Guide · Espresso machines

How to descale a De'Longhi La Specialista (Arte, Opera, Touch)

How to descale De'Longhi La Specialista machines from the official manuals: the Arte's dial, the Opera's hot water button and the Touch's guided screen, plus the descaler and rinse.

By Hoppin Hopper editorial teamUpdated Prices checked 5 min read

A De’Longhi La Specialista descale follows the same basic pattern on every model: descaler to level A, water to level B, run the cycle, then rinse with a full tank. What changes is how you start it. The Arte uses the mode dial, the Opera uses the hot water button and the Touch guides you on screen. We haven’t tested this in person. This guide is based on De’Longhi’s instructions for the La Specialista Arte (EC9155), Opera (EC9555) and Touch (EC9455), which we read on 3 Oct 2026. Always check the manual for your exact model. Read how we compare.

Short answer: how to descale a De’Longhi La Specialista

Remove any water softener, pour one 100 ml pack of De’Longhi descaler into the tank up to level A, and add water to level B. Take the portafilter off and put containers under the coffee spout, hot water spout and steam wand. Start the cycle (dial on the Arte, hot water button on the Opera, screen on the Touch), then rinse with a full tank of fresh water when prompted.

Who it isn’t for: owners of the Dedica or a bean-to-cup machine. Their descale steps are different.

When the La Specialista needs descaling

  • Arte: the descale light comes on.
  • Opera: the Descale indicator lights up. If it stays red, descaling is required.
  • Touch: an alarm appears on the display. If you skip it, a reminder icon stays on the homepage.

When the alert comes depends on the water hardness setting. Each machine comes with a test strip: dip it in water for one second, shake it, and after about a minute count the red squares. Then set the matching level in the machine’s settings. All three manuals say you can run a descale at any time, even before the light comes on.

What you need

  • De’Longhi descaler. All three manuals say to use De’Longhi descaler only, and warn that the wrong product or a badly done descale can cause faults not covered by the guarantee. The Opera manual names EcoDecalk. Each cycle uses one 100 ml pack. At Currys on 3 Oct 2026, the De’Longhi DLSC101 EcoDecalk Mini (100 ml) was £4.99, checked 3 Oct 2026. The DLSC200 EcoDecalk Mini (two 100 ml bottles) was £7.99, checked 3 Oct 2026. The DLSC500 (500 ml) was £9.49, checked 3 Oct 2026, prices can change.
  • About 1 litre of water to fill from level A to level B, plus a full tank for rinsing.
  • Containers. The Arte manual shows 2 litres, the Opera says 2 litres and the Touch says at least 1.5 litres. You need to cover the coffee spout, the hot water spout and the steam wand, so two containers may be easier.
  • Time. The Arte manual shows about 40 minutes. The Opera and Touch say about 20 minutes.

Descaler can damage delicate surfaces, so wipe up spills straight away.

How to descale a La Specialista Arte (EC9155)

  1. Remove the water softener if one is fitted. Pour the descaler into the tank up to level A (one 100 ml pack).
  2. Add 1 litre of water up to level B and put the tank back.
  3. Turn the mode dial to the descaling setting. The OK light turns orange and the descale light flashes.
  4. Make sure the portafilter isn’t attached. Put containers under the coffee outlet, hot water spout and steam wand.
  5. Hold the OK button for at least 3 seconds. The OK light flashes and descaling starts. The machine runs a series of rinses and pauses until the tank is empty, then the OK light turns white.
  6. Empty the container and put it back. Empty the tank, rinse it under running water, fill to MAX and refit it.
  7. Press OK to start the rinse. When it stops, empty the containers and the drip tray. Empty, rinse and refill the tank.

How to descale a La Specialista Opera (EC9555)

  1. Pull out and empty the drip tray, then put it back.
  2. Remove any water softener and Softballs. Pour the descaler up to level A, add water to level B and refit the tank.
  3. Take off the portafilter. Put one container under the coffee and hot water spouts and another under the steam wand.
  4. Hold the hot water button until the Descale indicator blinks, then press OK.
  5. When the OK indicator turns blue, empty the container and put it back. Rinse the tank, fill it to MAX and refit it.
  6. Press OK to start the rinse. When it finishes, empty the containers and drip tray, refill the tank with cold water and refit it. The OK indicator turns white when it’s ready.

How to descale a La Specialista Touch (EC9455)

  1. When the alarm appears, press “Yes”. You can also start it later from the settings menu.
  2. Follow the screen: empty the tank, add descaler to level A, then water to level B. Make sure the portafilter isn’t attached.
  3. Put a container of at least 1.5 litres under the brewing unit, hot water spout and steam wand, then press “Yes”. Descaling takes about 20 minutes.
  4. Press “Continue”, empty the container and put it back. Rinse the tank, fill to MAX and confirm to start rinsing.
  5. When rinsing is done, empty the drip tray, then empty, rinse and refill the tank. Press “Done”.

If it gets stuck mid-cycle

  • Started by mistake? On the Arte, hold OK for 10 seconds. On the Opera, hold the hot water button for 10 seconds. The rinse can’t be stopped once it starts.
  • Opera left idle? After 30 seconds without a button press, it leaves the descaling programme automatically.
  • Touch says “Descaling was not done correctly”? The cycle was interrupted or not completed. Press “Back to start” and repeat it.
  • Touch says to fill the tank? It isn’t full enough or isn’t seated properly. Check it, then press “Yes”.

Downsides

  • You’ll need two containers or one large one to cover three outlets.
  • Cycle times differ between models, so check your manual before you start.
  • The Currys DLSC500 price can change.

Where to go next

FAQ

How much descaler does a La Specialista need? One 100 ml pack, poured up to level A inside the tank.

Can you use vinegar on a La Specialista? De’Longhi says to use only its own descaler, so we wouldn’t.

Do you need to remove the water filter? Yes. Take out any water softener (and Softballs on the Opera) before descaling.

Why won’t the rinse stop? De’Longhi says the rinse cycle can’t be stopped once it has started.

Sources

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Topics

  • Espresso at home

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