Hi everyone,
Long time viewer first time poster. I'll give you a short run down about my situation, if you can't be bothered to read it all please look at the very bottom of the post.
VBM Domobar Super
purchased mid 2012
Descaled end of 2013 (maybe should have done it earlier)
Back flushed every week
Removed the "mushroom" bolt off the group head and saw excessive scale, decided to descale. Used an "Organic descaling solution" from a large name company. It removed all the scale and cleaned it up quiet well but ever since then, the machine still has the residue of the descaling solution in the smell of the steam, boiler and heat exchanger. Before descaling I had perfect microfoam milk and perfect tasting espresso, now I have large air bubbles and steam that smells off and espresso that tastes off with a very off putting after-taste. Also the hot water wand tastes off with a bad after taste.
I have flushed the system out for 2 hours while connected to the mains water, and have checked and cleaned the steam wand (I'm sure I have no pieces of scale in the lines).
Since then I have used another branding descaling solution (which didnt have such a harsh smell) and while it has improved, hasn't gotten the rid of the problem completely.
I have always been careful and don't believe my boiler is contaminated by milk, everything was fine before the descale.
What are my solutions to solving this problem? Short of removing the boiler and physically cleaning it and the rest of the system is there anything I can try? I am a Mechanical Engineer so I am very technically capable, I just don't want to attempt this job if there is another, less evasive, solution.
tl;dr
Descaling my machine has left a strong smell/taste of the descaling solution, what can I do to fix this?
Long time viewer first time poster. I'll give you a short run down about my situation, if you can't be bothered to read it all please look at the very bottom of the post.
VBM Domobar Super
purchased mid 2012
Descaled end of 2013 (maybe should have done it earlier)
Back flushed every week
Removed the "mushroom" bolt off the group head and saw excessive scale, decided to descale. Used an "Organic descaling solution" from a large name company. It removed all the scale and cleaned it up quiet well but ever since then, the machine still has the residue of the descaling solution in the smell of the steam, boiler and heat exchanger. Before descaling I had perfect microfoam milk and perfect tasting espresso, now I have large air bubbles and steam that smells off and espresso that tastes off with a very off putting after-taste. Also the hot water wand tastes off with a bad after taste.
I have flushed the system out for 2 hours while connected to the mains water, and have checked and cleaned the steam wand (I'm sure I have no pieces of scale in the lines).
Since then I have used another branding descaling solution (which didnt have such a harsh smell) and while it has improved, hasn't gotten the rid of the problem completely.
I have always been careful and don't believe my boiler is contaminated by milk, everything was fine before the descale.
What are my solutions to solving this problem? Short of removing the boiler and physically cleaning it and the rest of the system is there anything I can try? I am a Mechanical Engineer so I am very technically capable, I just don't want to attempt this job if there is another, less evasive, solution.
tl;dr
Descaling my machine has left a strong smell/taste of the descaling solution, what can I do to fix this?


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