Step-by-step guide for cleaning your espresso machine & grinder

It's not the most glamorous part of making good coffee, but the way you clean your equipment can have a serious effect on the taste and quality of the drinks you serve, as well as the life of your equipment.

Irregular or short-cut cleaning will result in unsanitary equipment or coffee that's tainted with the taste of mineral residue or coffee oils – and lost revenue due to equipment repairs.

Keep your espresso machine and grinder in tip-top shape with the following steps.

Clean Your Espresso Machine Group Heads

1. Using a cleaning blank in the portafilter, add Cafiza and insert into group head.
2. Activate brew cycle for 10 seconds and then stop for 10 seconds. Repeat 5 times. 
3. Remove and rinse portafilter.
4. Reload empty cleaning blank in the portafilter.
5. Repeat Step 2. 

Clean Your Steam Wands & Pitchers

Daily cleaning of the steam wand with Rinza or Biocaf (which is biodegradable and phosphate free) helps prevent build-up of milk residue by breaking down the milk protein and fat that collects in the machine’s milk lines.

1. Using your steaming pitcher, create a solution of 1oz/30ml Rinza per 16oz/500ml water, or 1oz/30ml of Biocaf for every 33.8 oz/1L of water.
2. Insert steam wand and froth as if frothing milk.
3. Allow wand and pitcher to soak in solution for 15-30 minutes.
4. Empty steaming pitcher and repeat with water to rinse.

Quick tips:

• Don't use lemon water or ice water to clean your steam wands or pitchers. It won't remove bacterial build up or cooked-on milk film.
• Many espresso machines have preprogrammed cleaning cycles. Check the owner’s manual.
• Remember to purge the steam wand after every use, so milk does not get sucked into the boiler (which can incur high service bills!).

Clean Your Coffee Grinder

Don't forget to clean your grinder, at least once per month. If you skip it, rancid coffee oils will build up into a dark, sticky substance that will get stuck in the grinder and negatively affect the taste of your beans. Grindz Grinder Cleaner cleans burrs and casings while removing stale coffee flavors. 

1. Empty the hopper and adjust the grind to a medium setting.
2. Add 1 or 2 capfuls Grindz and run through the machine.
3. To purge, repeat Step 2 with coffee.

If you've been cleaning your grinder regularly and it doesn't seem to be performing well, your burrs may need to be replaced. Contact us to schedule a service call. 

Learn More:

Daily, weekly and twice-yearly espresso equipment cleaning tips.

Step-by-step guide for cleaning tea & coffee brewers & urns

Step-by-step guide for cleaning cold brew equipment