Descaling Instant Hot Water Dispensers: Easy steps & solutions to maintain your appliance

Samuel J Tan Home Maintenance, Kitchen & Cooking 0

Being a fan of the instant hot cup water dispenser, here are the steps to ensure that your hot water dispenser continues to serve you year after year.

We all love the convenience, speed and efficiency of our instant hot water dispenser and would like to keep it working for life is possible. Like all appliances that comes in contact with water, if you live in a hard water area, you will need to descale your hot water dispenser regularly. This ensures that it continues to operate safely and efficiently as well as avoid any costly malfunction or damage.

There are hard water test kits that you can buy to test the water supply in your area. You can consult your water company but the quickest way to know the hardness of the water you are getting is to test it yourself with cost effective off the shelf test kit.

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How Often Should I Descale My Hot Water Dispenser

Depending on how often you use the hot water dispenser and the hardness of the water supply in your area, you have to descale your instant hot water dispenser regularly.

If you live in an area with hard water supply, we recommend descaling your hot water dispenser once a month. Keep a check list or a calendar so you can tick it off month by month. Print out a small calendar and stick this to the back of your cabinet door, one that is near the hot water dispenser and is at eye level to remind you that the next time you need to descale.

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Ways to Descale Your Instant Hot Water Dispenser

OPTION 1: Descaling with proprietary descaling product

Descaling products in the form of solution, tablets or powder sachets can be purchased from the supermarket or from online retailers. Chances are the manufacturer of your hot water dispenser may offer their version of descaler for your model.

Fill your water dispenser to the MAX fill level and place an empty cup on the drip tray. Press the start button and wait for the water to be dispensed into the cup.
Add a citric acid-based proprietary product to the hot water. Use the recommended amount and stir to dilute if in powder or tablet form.
Pour the solution back into the reservoir or water tank
Place the empty cup on the drip tray and press the start button again.
Wait for the water to be dispensed into the cup.
Discard the water, now mixed with the descaling product from the cup.
Repeat steps 4, 5 and 6 until the water level is at the MIN mark.
Open the lid and empty any remaining water in the reservoir or water tank into the sink.
Rinse the water dispenser by filling it with clean water and emptying it into the sink.
Fill your HotCup water dispenser with fresh water to the MAX fill level
Place an empty cup on the drip tray.
Press the start button and wait for the water to be dispensed into the cup.
Discard the water in the cup. Repeat steps 11 and 12 until the water level is at the MIN mark again.
Open the lid and empty any remaining water into the sink.
You can now use the hot water dispenser as normal.

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OPTION 2: Descaling using vinegar or citric acid

You can use ordinary vinegar (white or malt) or citric acid to descale your instant hot water dispenser. Inexpensive, ordinary vinegar can be purchased in large bottles from any supermarket. Citric acid can be bought from pharmacies, home brewing/wine making suppliers or online retailers.

If you are using vinegar, make up a solution of 1 cup vinegar to 1 cup of water. If you are using citric acid, mix 30g of the citric acid with 500ml of water.
Pour the solution into the water tank or reservoir, close the lid and allow it to stand for 1 hour.
Cycle your HotCup water dispenser with the intention of running the solution level through
Place an empty cup on the drip tray and press the start button
Wait for the water to be dispensed into the cup
Discard the water now mixed with vinegar or citric acid from the cup
Repeat step 4, 5 and 6 until the water level is at the MIN mark
Open the lid and empty any remaining solution into the sink. Rinse your HotCup water dispenser several times by filling it with clean water and emptying it into the sink.
Fill your HotCup water dispenser with fresh water to the MAX fill level and
Place an empty cup on the trip tray.
Press the start button and wait for the water to be dispensed into the cup.
Discard the water in the cup.
Repeat steps 10, 11 and 12 until the water level is at the MIN mark.
Open the lid and empty any remaining water into the sink.
Finally, rinse your HotCup water dispenser several times with clean water. You can now use the hot water dispenser as normal.

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Remember to run two full tanks, one with the solution and second one with fresh clean water as part of your descaling routine. Personally, I prefer option 2, descaling using vinegar or citric acid as I know what I am putting into the system.