Nobody likes old coffee, not even your espresso machine! So that you can continue to enjoy it for a long time, we will show you how you can remove deposits from your espresso machine in no time at all – and your espresso will taste the way it should taste.
To ensure that your espresso retains its versatile and varied aroma, you should regularly clean your espresso machine and remove oils and other soluble particles. Daily care only takes a few minutes. At least once every six months you should pay a little more attention to my (next) espresso machine and bring it back to a high gloss with suitable cleaning agents.
The Daily Care
Step 1:
One of the most important tools on the espresso machine is the steam wand for frothing the milk. This should be cleaned after each use. Fresh milk residues are the easiest to remove – so don’t let anything dry! Wipe the lance with a clean, damp cloth and then turn on briefly for a burst of steam. In this way, the last milk residues are blown out.
Step 2:
If you are preparing several espressos, you should rinse the filter from time to time, remove it from the filter holder and wipe it with a cloth. This is how you remove coffee oils that have settled. You should also “flush” before each new espresso. To do this, simply remove the port filter from the brew group and let some water run through – without the port filter inserted. This is how you remove espresso residues from the brew group and the water is brought to a constant temperature for the next espresso.
Step 3:
When you have prepared the last espresso of the day, you can use a group brush to remove the last espresso residues from the brew group.
Step 4:
In the last step you should clean the collecting sieve for the dirty water. If water and coffee residue accumulate here, even high-quality machines with a stainless steel housing can rust – and nobody really wants that!
Finished
Half Year Cleaning
Now the heavier guns come into play! The so-called blind sieve is inserted into the port filter like a normal sieve. Since it is impermeable to water, you can “backwash” with it. You should also have a group brush and coffee grease remover ready.
Step 1:
Take the brewing sieve out of the port filter and let it soak into the coffee fat remover.
Step 2:
The steam lance should also be cleaned weekly. To do this, first wipe it thoroughly and unscrew the lower part of the lance. Use a sponge to clean the thread where milk residue tends to collect. Then fill a glass with hot water and milk froth cleaner and soak the steam lance in it overnight.
Step 3:
Now fill the blind sieve with a teaspoon of coffee fat remover (can vary depending on the type of cleaner) and clamp the port filter together with the blind sieve. Slightly move the port filter back and forth so that the cleaner is better distributed in the port filter. Make sure that the powder has completely dissolved before you clamp the sieve in the machine. Care should be taken here, because the pressure can cause water to escape. Please do not burn! Feel free to repeat this process several times and rinse the brew group thoroughly to remove any residue of the cleaner.
Step 4:
You should also put the port filter, the shower and blind sieve in coffee fat remover. Make sure that the plastic handle of the port filter does not come into contact with the cleaner. Then rinse all parts under running water. While the parts are in the cleaner, you can clean the brew group with the group brush.
Step 5:
When you have rinsed everything thoroughly with clear water, you can assemble the port filter and hang it back into the brew group. Remember to rinse plenty of clear water out of the brew group as well. Your espresso machine is now ready for use again!
