If you clean and maintain your espresso coffee machine properly, you will prevent the components from malfunctioning or breaking. This maximizes the lifespan of the machine and enhances the quality of the coffee.
Seven steps for cleaning and maintaining your espresso machine
- Filter the water, or use bottled water. If the machine features a water filter, descale it once a week.
- Remove the grounds and rinse the portafilter immediately after use.
- Clean the portafilter, basket and screen heads thoroughly once a day. Purro Caff is a highly recommended cleaning solution. If this is not available in your area, you can also use tri-sodium phosphate.
- Clean the group head using the backflush method. Replace the usual filter-basket with a blind filter (one without holes). Run the machine with plain water as when pulling a 15-20 seconds shot. Because the filter has no holes, when you stop running the machine, the pressurized water will flush back through the group screen and group solenoid. This operation helps you to remove the grounds and oil accumulations inside the group head. Use some Purro Caff inside the blind filter. Repeat the 'brewing' several times, with 20-second pauses, to rinse properly.
- To clean Portafilters and screens, soaking them in hot water with an ordinary detergent.
- In order to clean the steam wand, use warm water, detergent and a non-abrasive cloth.
- Replace the shower screen with a new one periodically to prevent the inevitable build-up of coffee oils.
As a general rule, do not use the backflush method on manual espresso machines.