Tassimo needs to be 'descaled'

Staleghoti

So my Tassimo is basically in RROD mode, meaning it won't work and a combination of red and yellow lights are perpetually illuminated.

According to the owners manual the machine is indicating it needs to be 'descaled' which apparently means there is a buildup of calcium within it somewhere, so it needs to be cleaned out and reset using the 'cleaning disc'

I know how to get my cleaning disc out of the back of the machine, my question is how do I descale it?

I know there is a product that I can order off Amazon, but I was wondering if there was a way to clean the machine at home without having to order any products online. (I live in Canada, so the descaler on the Tassimo website cannot be delivered here).

Checked the store that sells coffee machines like this, they don't sell it.

Can I just run CLR and Water through the thing? Or am I going to have to bite the bullet and buy the product, having it shipped over from the states.

Here is the product in question
http://www.amazon.com/Urnex-Dezcal-Activated-Remover-Retail/dp/B0028AQTN2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1300195645&sr=8-1

Anyone with one of these machines know? My particular Tassimo is a Bosch one... don't have the model number off hand.

mts

does it have a water reservoir?
to descale our Keurig we ran through a couple cycles of regular white vinegar, than flushed with water until it tasted normal (water)
obviously we did this with no coffee in the machine

Staleghoti

the system is similar to the Keurig, cept Tassimo uses these barcodes on their little pucks only one size on each puck, where I think the Keurig uses buttons to determine its cup size, a little more analog. I'll have to check the owner's manual to determine if vinegar is acceptable.

It has a water reservoir, and the descaler I posted is supposed to be dissolved in that water, then run through the machine...

BEAST!

I have never used a Tassimo but as mts said, white vinegar usually does the descaling trick in most coffee machines.

mts

well if it needs the barcode thing to run then that cup you mentioned is likely just an empty cup with the large barcode

just put a couple cycles worth of white vinegar in straight in the reservoir and run them through. then wash out the reservoir and replace with water and repeat.

likely the manual wil ltell you to use some specific descaler solution they sell, which is essentially just white vinegar

Ruckus

http://www.tassimo.ca/tassimo/page?siteid=tassimo-prd&locale=caen1&PagecRef=550

Middle of the page.