6 Common SodaStream Issues and How to Fix & Repair (Troubleshooting Problems)

If you have a SodaStream machine, you may have encountered some problems throughout its lifetime, many of which are common SodaStream issues affecting various models.

Some of these problems are fairly common due to wear and tear, and I have several possible solutions to fix them and allow you to continue carbonating your drinks.

Furthermore, these tips also work with many other Sparkling Water Makers.

This post is going to cover those 6 common SodaStream problems and how to fix them,i.e. my Sodastream not carbonating

Let’s get into it.

What is a SodaStream Machine?

SodaStream machines are appliances that combine carbon dioxide (CO2 Gas Cylinders) with chilled, purified water to carbonate water.

You can add flavors to these combinations with flavored syrup or syrup concentrate to create soft drinks.

Aside from creating delicious custom sparkling drinks, these machines serve three main purposes.

Soda Makers Save You Money

Have you ever considered how much the average household spends on soft drinks each year?

All of the money spent on individual bottles of soda, cans of sparkling water, and more could be saved by investing in a SodaStream machine.

Purchasing cartridges, SodaStream carbonator exchanges or manual refills are much cheaper than repeatedly buying soft drinks from the store.

The syrups and flavors can be mixed and matched to suit your palette preferences or budget, so you won’t have to worry about high prices on good taste.

The SodaStream machines and other soda makers are typically costly upfront, but they easily pay for themselves within a few months to a few years, depending on the frequency of use.

If you want more information on how and where to refill sodastream soda machines – including doing this at home with your own cylinder refill adapter.

Beverage Machines: They Save Space, Time, and Effort

You can order cartridges, flavors, and bottles all from the convenience of your home, so you won’t have to make a run to the store to buy soft drinks constantly.

You can also order the cartridges in bulk to be shipped to your door, and they will last several weeks or months depending on your consumption rate.

You also won’t have to worry about 12-packs, 2-liters, and others taking up a lot of space within your home.

The SodaStream carbonators can add carbonation to up to 60 liters of water but take up less space than a 2-liter bottle of seltzer.

That’s thirty times the carbonation level for the same amount of space.

SodaStream Help to Preserve and Save the Environment

While plastic bottles and metal cans can be recycled, it may not always be convenient to do so.

This is particularly true of areas where you have to pay separately to have your recycling taken away or processed.

Additionally, buying them in the first place increases the overall demand for them, and producing those plastic bottles and cans can cause harm to the environment.

By using the SodaStream machine and its reusable bottles and canisters, you can significantly reduce the amount of created waste that needs to be processed after disposal.

This, in turn, helps to save the environment.

Your SodaStream is Overflowing or Leaking (Sodastream Troubleshooting)

This is one of the most common issues seen among SodaStream machines, and it can be incredibly frustrating to deal with.

Thankfully, leaks and overflows are usually caused by problems in the carbonation process that are simple to fix.

The first thing you want to do is locate the point of overflow or leakage.

Leaks at the Nozzle

CO2 leaks usually begin at the valve where the CO2 canister and dispenser nozzle connect.

Most CO2 leaks can be fixed, in most cases, by simply twisting the valve back into place from where it became loose.

You may have other leakage issues with the nozzle at the front, though.

Others may be from an issue involving water leaking from the bottle itself.

These problems usually involve issues with the shape of the bottle’s top, as SodaStream machines are built and designed to only accept certain bottle types.

The bottles that do not fit the exact measurements of the SodaStream machine will not form a proper seal, which prevents carbonation and may result in leaks and overflow.

Carbonating Air Hose Leaks

If the leak isn’t as obvious and your drinks aren’t being carbonated as they should, try carefully opening the back of your machine.

If you hear a loud hissing sound, there may be an issue with the air hose rather than the value of your machine.

The air hose may not be immediately visible to you when you open the back of your machine.

This is because the air hose is located inside of the canister and connects the bottle to the CO2 nozzle of the machine.

This hose is used to deliver the CO2, and if it’s damaged or broken, you won’t be able to properly use the canister.

The hose is simple to reattach or replace.

If it’s become loose or detached itself, you can usually pop it back into place without much hassle.

If it’s broken, cracked, or otherwise damaged, most home improvement stores will have an appropriate replacement.

Alternatively, you can purchase your sparkling water makers online through sites like Amazon.

Plus, more and more retail locations are offering bundles in their fizzy drinks sections.

Additionally, you can buy a new canister if you don’t feel comfortable getting into the inner workings of your machine and canister.

Sodastream NOT Carbonating: Canister Leaks & Repair Tips

Suppose the canister is broken from damage or manufacturer error, or the SodaStream was assembled poorly or incorrectly, and you’re having issues with your carbonated water.

In that case, your leak may be coming from an improper valve seal that connects your canister to the SodaStream machine.

This is a simple problem to identify.

Open your machine’s back, press a carbonation button, and listen for a hiss from the valve.

There are three possible solutions if this is your problem.

Check the washers, as your problem may be as simple as needing to realign or re-attach the sealing washer.

If you have extra washers available of the same size, you might be able to use one of them to re-seal the canister.

The SodaStream valve may also be a culprit. If you have more than one canister available, the easiest way to test for issues with the valve is to swap canisters.

If the leak remains, you’ll know the issue is with your machine rather than your canister.

Double-check that you’ve properly twisted the valve.

This may seem silly, but sometimes it is that simple.

Try twisting the valve to reseal it, because it may not be fully tightened.

Soda Machine: Nozzle Leaks

If your carbonation nozzle is leaking CO2, it will be immediately noticeable.

This is because this leak happens at the front of your machine and will have an audible, higher hiss than when you usually use the machine.

These leaks can happen during carbonation or after you remove the bottle from the machine.

If this leak happens during carbonation, it could result in your bottle being more carbonated than you may have wanted or intended.

As a result, you could run out of CO2 from your gas cylinder much more quickly than anticipated.

If when you remove the bottle, you still hear hissing, place your finger near the carbonator nozzle.

If you feel a slight breeze, it’s a sign that your nozzle is leaking CO2 constantly.

Fixing these problems can be a little trickier than the others we’ve covered so far.

First, ensure that the nozzle is securely and tightly in place. You can take the front of the machine apart to find where the leak is coming from.

If the valve connecting the nozzle to the canister is weak, try twisting it and ensuring it is properly sealed.

If these solutions do not work, check your SodaStream warranty.

It may cover this problem.

Water Leaks

CO2 isn’t the only kind of leak you may encounter with your SodaStream machine.

Cold Water leaks will come from the water bottle that you place under the carbonation nozzle and may happen for a few reasons.

The first possibility is that the bottle may not fit your machine well.

This happens when you don’t use the intended SodaStream bottles and instead use another alternative that may not fit properly.

The SodaStream bottles have specially designed tops that are designed to fit around the carbonating nozzle.

Using the proper bottle ensures proper carbonation, so using a different bottle type won’t work as well unless it matches the measurements specifically.

Trying to force it to work for other bottle types will result in gaps in the seal between the bottle and the nozzle, and will result in water leaks, overflow, and splashing.

Additionally, if you’re using plastic SodaStream bottles, they may warp over time or if they’ve been exposed to heat.

If the tops of these bottles warp, they may no longer fit your machine properly, leaving a gap for leaks and overflow.

You can test other bottles to see if it is an issue with the bottle you were initially trying to use.

Keep in mind that it may also be a deeper issue and that you may need to contact the manufacturer.

Sodastream Troubleshooting: CO2 is Being Released, But the Water Won’t Carbonate

Along with the leaks mentioned above, sometimes it may seem like the water just won’t carbonate.

If your problem isn’t a leak, don’t despair.

There may be simple solutions to help you get the perfect carbonated water or homemade fizzy drinks.

Let Your Water Rest Following Carbonation

Allowing your water to rest after carbonation allows the CO2 (Carbon Dioxide) to fully dissolve in the water.

Opening your bottle too soon after it has been carbonated will allow a lot of the CO2 to escape and be wasted. For this reason, we recommend letting your water rest for 45 seconds.

Make Sure Your Water is Cold

CO2 gas dissolves the best in cold water, and won’t dissolve in room temperature or warm water.

Before carbonating your water bottle, put it in the refrigerator until it’s as old as possible.

You should not freeze or ice your water, however.

If Your CO2 Isn’t Leaking, Make Sure It’s Not Empty

If you’ve eliminated the possibility of a leak with our suggestions earlier on, and the carbonating button is fully engaged, then it’s still possible that there’s something wrong with the CO2 canister.

The problem may be that your CO2 canister is empty or is almost empty and needs to be refilled or replaced.

Press the Carbonation Button Again

Sometimes the recommended carbonating button presses aren’t enough to carbonate your drink how you would like.

It’s okay to press the carbonating button until you’re satisfied, just make sure you allow your water to rest in between presses giving a little light fizz at a time.

This will help to ensure that you don’t over-carbonate your fizzy drink.

Your SodaStream Jet or Fizzi Carbonation Button Isn’t Working

The button on your SodaStream is made of plastic, which tends to weaken with age and constant use.

As a result, your SodaStream Jet Carbonation Button may stop working sooner than anticipated, depending on how often you use the machine.

When the button wears out, you’ll notice that you’ll have to press it with more force to have the machine react at all.

The amount of force will increase until, eventually, the button stops working altogether.

There are several video tutorials on how to fix this problem available online, most of which involve a little craftwork to be successful.

If you want to avoid troubleshooting this way, you can contact the customer service team at SodaStream.

The SodaStream Nozzle is Clogged, or the Bottle is Dirty

A dirty bottle can make your drink taste musty or generally awful, so you must be sure to properly clean your bottles.

Additionally, if the nozzle of your machine becomes clogged, a quick, thorough, proper cleaning can fix the problem in no time.

Before we begin with this section, it should be noted that the SodaStream bottles are not dishwasher-friendly unless otherwise stated.

This is because most of these bottles are made of polyethylene terephthalate, known as PET.

PET is easily broken down when introduced to heat, and many dishwashers use hot water to wash dishes and heat or steam to help dry them.

This intense heat in such an enclosed space will damage the bottles.

There are dishwasher-safe SodaStream bottles made of glass that can be used in the dishwasher.

Cleaning Your SodaStream Bottle

To clean out your SodaStream bottle, you’ll want to be sure you’re using lukewarm water at most – do not use hot water on your SodaStream bottle.

Rinse out your bottle and add some dish soap to it.

With the dish soap in your bottle, add some lukewarm water and shake the bottle vigorously.

This will agitate the soap and cause suds. Once the bottle has been shaken thoroughly, let it sit with the suds for 15 minutes.

When the 15 minutes are up, thoroughly rinse the bottle out three or four times, until all traces of soap are gone.

Keep in mind to use lukewarm water throughout this process. Once all of the soap has been rinsed from the bottle, you can leave it to dry in a warm, not hot, area.

Properly Cleaning Your SodaStream Machine / Sparkling Water Makers

Proper Maintenance is key to keeping your machine running properly and avoiding clogging issues.

First, you’ll want to unplug your SodaStream machine if it’s an electric model.

Wipe down your machine with a soft cloth soaked with mild detergent.

Dish detergent works well for this and is safe to use.

Make sure you wipe between every crevice and mechanism to get all the dirt and dust that may have built up.

Once the machine is thoroughly wiped down, use a different cloth with no detergent and wipe it down again.

This cloth should be damp with warm or lukewarm water.

Make sure it is only damp, not dripping or overly-saturated.

When all of the soap has been cleaned from your machine, allow it to dry in a warm area.

Before using the machine again, you will want to confirm that it is completely free of soap and is dry.

The Cleaning Method is Different for Musty Bottles

You may have to clean the bottle differently if you’re experiencing musty odors or tastes when using your bottle.

This smell and taste come from a bacterial build-up within the bottle and can be fixed easily by proper cleaning.

Fill the bottle with lukewarm tap water and squeeze an entire lemon.

Alternatively, you can use concentrated lemon juice found in most grocery stores.

Shake the bottle to ensure thorough agitation of the lemon juice and water, and allow the bottle to sit for 15 minutes.

Once the 15 minutes have passed, rinse the bottle three or four times with tap water.

Allow it to dry in a dark, warm area afterward.

The lemon juice will not only remove the musty smell and taste from your bottle but also remove stains.

Lemon juice is used instead of detergent for this method because lemon juice kills bacteria without damaging the bottle, and allowing the bottle to dry in a warm, dark area removes the moisture from the bottle and inhibits bacterial growth.

Additional Cleaning Tips (Applicable to other makes of Sparkling Water Makers)

1. Do not use bleach or other harsh chemicals to clean your bottles, as bleach will react to the plastic. This will cause bad odors and will also weaken the bottle’s strength.
2. Never use hot water to wash your plastic SodaStream bottles, or heat them to dry. The heat will compromise the structural integrity of your bottle and may weaken it to the point of being unable to handle the pressure of the CO2 gas.
3. Avoid scratching the inside of your bottle while cleaning. Bacteria will lodge in the scratches and begin to grow, causing the musty smell and taste and increasing your potential for illness.
4. If you have to scrub the bottle, use a specialized bottle scrubber to minimize the risk of scratching or otherwise damaging your bottle.
5. Cleaning your SodaStream bottle after each use will minimize the risks of bacterial growth or multiplication.

The Loader Tab of the SodaStream is Immobile

Starting Angle and Position

You may have started with an incorrect angle. Be sure that the nozzle and tab are both angled away from the SodaStream machine before the bottle is inserted.

The tab may have gotten caught if you did not follow this initial step.

Per the SodaStream manual, if you cannot pull the loader tab, you should ensure that the carbonating block is in a fully upright and upward position.

Once that’s confirmed, you should pull the bottle loader tab firmly towards you.

Be gentle so that the tab doesn’t suffer any undue damage, which may further complicate your dilemma.

Inserting and Removing the Bottle

You may also be having trouble inserting or removing the bottle from its place if you’ve only recently obtained a SodaStream.

To insert the bottle, follow these instructions:

1. Make sure that the carbonating block is in its fully upright position
2. Gently pull the loader tab toward you until it clicks
3. Insert the bottle into the snap-lock at the correct angle
4. Firmly push the bottle up and back until it locks into place

To remove your bottle, make sure that your carbonating block is still in its correct position, and pull the bottle toward you.

Make sure not to do this roughly, as you may damage the bottle and your machine if you’re too aggressive.

The SodaStream is Being Unresponsive

Your Machine May Have Too Many Sealer Washers

If your machine has too many sealer washers in place for some reason, then your SodaStream will not be able to respond or perform its purpose.

The carbonation bottle won’t be able to be held in place.

Make sure that you check the carbonation attachment and that when you do, you use tweezers to do so.

If you pull one rubber sealer washer and there’s another present beneath it, leave the second washer.

You shouldn’t dispose of the one you pulled out, though; you can use it for future use if any other washers become damaged or need replacing.

Alternatively, Your Machine’s Washer May Need to be Replaced

The sealer washer of your machine can become more malleable and less efficient over time, especially in the carbonation attachment area. This can cause a few problems, which include causing the carbonation nozzle and bottle to shift or causing a less secure or firm hold once attached.

Thankfully, changing the washer is easy as long as you have a pair of tweezers.

Just pull the small, black rubber ring out of the area where the carbonation bottle attaches to the SodaStream.

Once removed, you can replace it with a new washer.

With your new washer in place, try to reattach the carbonation bottle. The bottle should hold firmly, and if it does, your machine should be able to respond again.

The SodaStream Won’t Turn On at All

Does your SodaStream not turn on at all?

If even the indicator lights don’t come on when prompted, it may indicate a serious problem that isn’t easily fixed If your unit uses batteries rather than electricity, you should first try replacing the batteries of your machine.

Additionally, you may need to replace the interface chip located within the carbonation button at the front of the machine.

If you’ve exhausted the User Manual Guides, you may want to contact the manufacturer before trying this, especially if you still have an effective warranty.

How to Fix a Broken SodaStream? (Troubleshooting Videos)

(applicable to many other similar brands of Sparkling Water Makers and fizzy drink machines)

In wrapping up, I wanted to finish with 6 Frequently Asked Questions I get on the blog that support my 6 common issues.

These FAQs that keep coming up are;

1. How do you clean a SodaStream nozzle
2. Why is my SodaStream not fizzy
3. Why does my SodaStream leak
4. Sodastream leaking water when carbonating
5. how to stop SodaStream from leaking
6. Why is my SodaStream not carbonating

I’ve hopefully answered the above in my article, but these guys on youtube also do a great job of troubleshooting SodaStream machines, with visual tips in these videos. Always worth doing this before contacting Sodastream Customer Services.

If your SodaStream has problems not highlighted here, you should contact the manufacturer (Sodastream Customer Service Helpline) and ask how to address the problem or concern.

The SodaStream customer service team will best be able to help you figure out and repair the problem.

If it happens to be a serious problem beyond economical repair, they can help you ship the machine for repair or replacement.

And go here to check out the latest pricing and availability on new products and developments.

I’m the owner and blogger here at SodaPopCraft.Com. I’m a soft drinks enthusiast and I’m bringing you all I know and research from the world of Soda Pop & Kombucha soft drinks.

I hope it inspires you to make your own healthier fizzy drinks at home.

Read more About Me here