Blog
Cleaning your machine properly
Coffee leaves oils behind every time you brew, and those oils turn rancid fast. A dirty machine is one of the main reasons good beans taste flat or bitter. A few minutes of cleaning after each use keeps every cup tasting like the beans, not yesterday's grounds.
Habitant leo
Rinse the steam wand straight after you use it. Milk left on the tip dries hard and blocks the holes within a day.
Wipe down the drip tray and group head with a damp cloth every evening. It only takes a minute and stops old coffee grounds from building up and tainting your next pour.
Once a week, pop the portafilter and basket into a bowl of hot water with a proper machine cleaner. Let it soak for fifteen minutes to lift the oily residue that a quick rinse never reaches.
Give the shower screen a scrub with a soft brush while the basket soaks. A build up here is the most common reason an espresso starts tasting sour or dull.
Cape Town water is fairly soft, but scale still builds up slowly inside the boiler. Descale your machine every two to three months to keep the heating element working properly.
Never use vinegar. It can damage the seals. Stick to a descaler made for coffee machines.
Run the descaling solution through, then flush with at least two full tanks of clean water before you make coffee again.
Pull the drip tray out and wash it properly at least twice a week, not just a rinse under the tap. Coffee grounds settle in the corners and start to smell if you leave them.
Check the group head gasket every month or so. If it looks worn or cracked, water will leak past it and your shots will run uneven. We can order a replacement for most machines.
Deep Cleaning
Once a month, take the grinder apart and brush out the burrs. Old coffee dust sitting in there goes stale and will flavour every bean that passes through after it.
Use a dry brush, not water, on the burrs and chute. A little grinder cleaning powder run through every so often helps lift oily residue from darker roasts.
Wipe the outside of the machine down too. It is a small habit, but it keeps everything running well and makes the whole setup a pleasure to use every morning.
Good cleaning habits protect your machine and your coffee at the same time. It does not need to be complicated, just consistent, a quick wipe each day and a proper soak each week.
If you are not sure where to start, bring your machine into our Cape Town roastery and we will show you the routine that suits it best.
