• Formulating

  Coffee machine descaler

  Posted by fareloz on March 5, 2023 at 6:50 am

  Not a cosmetics question, but I have recently noticed that all coffee machine desclasers are basically a buffer solution of some organic acid (citric, lactic or a mix). While these “branded” solutions are quite expensive, Citric or Lactic acids are relatively cheap. So I’m thinking on DIY here 😅

  For example Delonghi branded solution for their coffee makers has Lactic acid and Sodium Lactate in ingredients list. The safety sheet of the product states pH around 2.6, so it is mostly Lactic Acid. The question is: how much acid do you think they use? Does anyone have experience in this area?

  fareloz replied 1 year, 2 months ago 4 Members · 7 Replies
• 7 Replies

• 

  KMRCSMiami

  Member

  March 5, 2023 at 12:25 pm

  You will notice this with other solutions around the home. Simple mixtures to fix common household problems that you can DIY because you’re a chemist.

  The speed of the descaling depends on the concentration, acidity or pH of the solution. I have not descaled with my own solution, but if you end up running some tests let us know 😅

• 

  Graillotion

  Member

  March 5, 2023 at 7:35 pm

  Is my brain not working? Wouldn’t you just add the acid until q.s? Till you reached the target pH?

  • 

    fareloz

    Member

    March 6, 2023 at 2:29 am

    Under pH 2.5 Lactic acid is about 96% acid and 4% Sodium Lactate (if neutralize with NaOH). It can be in different amount:

    1. 20% water, 76.8% Lactic acid, 3.2% Sodium Lactate

    2. 40% water, 57.6% Lactic acid and 2.4% Sodium Lactate.

    Both formulas have pH around 2.5.

    What I am wondering is how much acid is usually used in descaler solutions.

• 

  ketchito

  Member

  March 6, 2023 at 5:47 am

  @fareloz You can check some SDS to have a reference, like this one: https://images.homedepot-static.com/catalog/pdfImages/bc/bc7d74af-215b-440b-8a2b-2a17f43d1793.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwj9zLvenMf9AhVxIbkGHdNuA4UQFnoECAsQAQ&usg=AOvVaw2NPAzu42HlLVwDLPSl3hZd

  • 

    ketchito

    Member

    March 6, 2023 at 5:49 am

    Sorry, this is the right link: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://images.homedepot-static.com/catalog/pdfImages/bc/bc7d74af-215b-440b-8a2b-2a17f43d1793.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwj9zLvenMf9AhVxIbkGHdNuA4UQFnoECAsQAQ&usg=AOvVaw2NPAzu42HlLVwDLPSl3hZd

    • 

      fareloz

      Member

      March 6, 2023 at 5:55 am

      This is very helpful, thank you! I checked SDS on DeLonghi one and found only the pH, not concentration. Maybe I overlooked it:

      https://www.delonghi.com/medias/AU-NZ-SDS-GHS-EcoDecalk-rev02-date-04112021.pdf?context=bWFzdGVyfHJvb3R8Nzg2NjgyfGFwcGxpY2F0aW9uL3BkZnxoZDAvaDNkLzE0MDg0MTgyNjcxMzkwL0FVX05aX1NEU19HSFNfRWNvRGVjYWxrLXJldjAyX2RhdGVfMDQxMTIwMjEucGRmfGQ0NDg3MjM4NzZmZTczMWU5ZTAxZTBiNjhjNjc3NmE5YzFmYjFjZWVlMjZkZWMyNGUzNzVhNTNjNDNiNDc3Nzg&attachment=true

      But they also provide density, maybe I can calculate how much acid based on density.

      • This reply was modified 1 year, 2 months ago by  fareloz.
• 

  fareloz

  Member

  March 6, 2023 at 7:32 am

  I found the exact INCI:

  • Water 50-75%
  • Lactic acid 30-50%
  • Sodium Lactate 5-10%
  • Magnesium Lactate 0.1-1.0%
  • Calcium Lactate 0.1-1%

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