How often do you clean your machine?

admin

Hi there, have just finished one of my most tedious [& avoided] tasks - i.e. cleaning the group head and insides of my machine [using chemical + blind filter] and it just made me wonder how many of you guys do this regularly [depending on usage] every week or two, and how many are like me and leave it a good couple of months?

I suspect there might be two different types - i.e. those with a bit of a 'compulsive' streak who do it religiously and those like me who are complete slobs, but anyway, would be interested to know...

A  :stir

Brett H

Being a school teacher every set of hols I do a chemical clean of the group head and the dishwasher coincidently.  After that I back flush every two or so weeks.  I make 2-3 coffees daily so not high usage really.  I'm a bit on the lazy side with polish and drip-trays etc. 

Koffee_Kosmo

When I had machines that needed a chemical flush - that was done after 1 / 1.2 kg of beans has gone through it Now with the Bezzera Strega Lever - thankfully it does not need a chemical back flush KK 

mycuppa

Unfortunately, there are no basic parameters you can apply to cleaning intervals as it is a factor of machine, volume and operator technique dependent. A very simple test is to run some water through the group into a cup without the portafilter in the group. Smell the water. There will be 2 different aromas present - one from your boiler/thermoblock that resembles the innards of a lightly used kettle and the other will have a stale coffee smell that is not pleasant. In fact, both aromas are not exactly pleasant. The more pronounced stale coffee smell in the "clean water", then it's time to do the dirty business. Of course, older machines will have a natural odour that is not so pleasant even after rigorous chemical cleaning, e.g. it''s difficult to get it to smell like tap water, but this concept gives you an understanding of how taints are introduced into your cup and to some extent the level of rancid coffee oil buildup. For those of us with a more developed sense of smell, this is a very quick and easy test. Colour of the "clean" group water can also be a basic guide (specifically the amount of coffee particles), but more difficult to determine - needs excellent eyesight.......or a magnifying glass Enjoy !

shape_shifter

I do a quick backflush with a blind almost day, I do a full clean every month or so at the most. My normal clean after each shot includes wiping up in the group head where the pf sits.

Brett H

Great advice Jeff!  I did a similar test for a friend on his saeco via ventzia some years back.  The water from the group was so brown and gritty I had thought he was adding his grinds directly to the tank to make a coffee.  :rofl:

RichardM

I do a thorough chemical backflush around every two weeks, but that's it. I probably should do it more often. I generally do a cooling flush into a spare jug before each shot, and when I notice that water has any grinds in it, it's cleaning time.

Brett H

So this thread was well timed... I was thinking last night instead of sleeping: "did I clean that group last hols"?  A quick pull of some water into a clear cup this morning yielded an emphatic no!  All clean now  :thumb: Coffee still tastes horrible: Honduran beans but tastes a bit grassy and blurgh... Only 3 days post roast but not great frankly. An un-drinkable 8.5.... Don't tell Moon!

Moon

on 1407628496:

An un-drinkable 8.5.... Don't tell Moon!

Lol .. too late  :angel: An 8.5 .. undrinkable .. crickey Apparently no back flushing on the Lusso. Bit slack on the drip tray and stainless steel metal polish .. only the run-off doesn't smell as off as when using the previous Gaggia Baby. I brush the shower screen and group head seal prior to each coffee .. as taking the seal out is a major operation that will only be done when due for replacement. Odour from the boiler is still like it is new.

derrilex

Back flush with blind every day, seal out and chemical back flush once a month. Which is about 4 kg of beans I guess

Jonty

on 1407656578:

Back flush with blind every day, seal out and chemical back flush once a month. Which is about 4 kg of beans I guess

+ 1 but only do the seal out every 2nd month.

Ryadan

Heh, I thought you guys would be more anal than me. I back flush after EVERY coffee. I mean, I season the basket first so I don't backflush after that (that would defeat the purpose). Chemical backflush prob 1 a week. And soak the PF and screens overnight everynight and then chem soak 1 a week. When I had my cafes I couldn't possibly backflush after each coffee, but if someone ordered a black coffee I'd do it then. I just hated having any old coffee grains stuck up there. Chemical would happen at least 2-3 a week but that was just due to volume. The way I see it, If you've smelled how bad rancid coffee can get. Is it really something you want getting into your coffee? Coffee just gets everywhere and if you don't keep it extremely clean, you end up tainting your flavours. At the very least, backflush one or two times quickly after you have finished your session before you turn the machine off.

Brett H

on 1410863556:

Heh, I thought you guys would be more anal than me. I back flush after EVERY coffee. I mean, I season the basket first so I don't backflush after that (that would defeat the purpose). Chemical backflush prob 1 a week. And soak the PF and screens overnight everynight and then chem soak 1 a week. When I had my cafes I couldn't possibly backflush after each coffee, but if someone ordered a black coffee I'd do it then. I just hated having any old coffee grains stuck up there. Chemical would happen at least 2-3 a week but that was just due to volume. The way I see it, If you've smelled how bad rancid coffee can get. Is it really something you want getting into your coffee? Coffee just gets everywhere and if you don't keep it extremely clean, you end up tainting your flavours. At the very least, backflush one or two times quickly after you have finished your session before you turn the machine off.

Good advice mate!  I have noticed a big difference since ramping up my cleaning regime. 

Seeya Latte

My routine Plain water back flush at end of the day or session In between shots rinse-brush-rinse. Chemical back flush once a fortnight. Lately however, after catching up with a mate who has a Rocket Evo, I have gotten in the habit of quickly getting the blind filter out and doing a quick back flush between shots. While good in theory if you're only doing one coffee, I can see myself tiring of this - too much farting around especially if you have a few coffees to pump out Soak portafilters in chemical once a month making sure the handles don't contact the chemical solution. Once very 3 months or so I get the shower screen off for a check / clean Clean the drip tray in chemical once a week too

Ryadan

on 1410872816:

My routine Plain water back flush at end of the day or session In between shots rinse-brush-rinse. Chemical back flush once a fortnight. Lately however, after catching up with a mate who has a Rocket Evo, I have gotten in the habit of quickly getting the blind filter out and doing a quick back flush between shots. While good in theory if you're only doing one coffee, I can see myself tiring of this - too much farting around especially if you have a few coffees to pump out Soak portafilters in chemical once a month making sure the handles don't contact the chemical solution. Once very 3 months or so I get the shower screen off for a check / clean Clean the drip tray in chemical once a week too

Yep it is painful to do it every shot. I think at the end of a session is fine to backflush. I would also recommend soaking the shower screens and the shower screen holder (if you have one) in the chemical too. This just gets rid of any nasty oils left behind.

cosmic_couple22

My routine is same as Seeya Latte + Dump a heap of steam at the end of the day (boy do I mean a heap Slayers are steam monsters) Run the group heads and hot water after back flush and scrub until the auto fill cycles some nice fresh water into the system, shut down. Windex to wipe the baby down nice and shinny. Everything gets a soak once a month

galumay

One of the joys of owning a big commercial lever! None of that back flushing and chemical cleaning required! Every few months I clean the shower screen. Once a week a bit of a wipe down. THats about it.

Seeya Latte

@G Rub it in why don't you!  :stir

galumay

Sorry.  :coffee2:

Koffee_Kosmo

on 1410945928:

One of the joys of owning a big commercial lever! None of that back flushing and chemical cleaning required! Every few months I clean the shower screen. Once a week a bit of a wipe down. THats about it.

I said almost the same on my reply earlier in the thread Lever machines don't need back flushing so that leaves me more time to polish the exterior to a mirror finish  :angel: KK

Ryadan

on 1410945928:

One of the joys of owning a big commercial lever! None of that back flushing and chemical cleaning required! Every few months I clean the shower screen. Once a week a bit of a wipe down. THats about it.

A Slayer 2 group?!! Holy moly, I'd love one of those. When I get a spare $20k I'll pick one up. Actually I'd prob spend the money on the Spirit by Kees Van Der Westen http://keesvanderwesten.com/spirit-pictures.html yum yum I'm assuming the Duetto is at home and the Slayer is in a cafe somewhere? a 2 group fro home is a bit of overkill (say he with a 2 group...;)) Anyway, I would absolutely be polishing my machine down each time after use if it was a slayer! Well done sire!

borat123

And don't forget to polish the boiler too..

admin

ha, ha absolutely! 8)

MikalHoward

I back flush my Silvia after every coffee I make before putting her to bed. That's usually once a day weekdays and can be several times on a weekend depending on the volume of coffees made. I do a quick scrub with the hot water and brush every other day and i'll strip down and scrub and soak all parts in cleaning solution every 250grams of beans used. It's a must given I have different beans from different regions all the time. I like to change it up often. In the nearly five years I have had her, I can still count on one hand how many times I have missed doing a full clean after 250g. Given the above comments, i'm thinking I am a bit anal. My wife says it all the time but not just about my coffee making either. Maybe it's true........

Brett H

Mate, that's completely anal and unnecessary... You fit in here just fine

cosmic_couple22

Every 250 grams, wow OCD can be a curse 22 grams in the basket 5 gram purge if a few minutes pass between shots, that means every 8 to 9 shots I would have to clean the Slayer 2 shots to season and neutralise  any residual chem that puts me back to 6 coffees.  I do 500 grams when the family comes for coffee on the weekend let alone if a few friends drop over. (self inflicted curse having built the ultimate coffee cave bloody people dropping in and drinking my coffee) As BrettH says, you will fit in Chester

MikalHoward

Maybe it is unnecessary but the shower screen is suitably dirty each time so I feel it is justified. Nothing worse than tasting rancid coffee so if I have to clean it often, so be it. It's really routine now. I don't even think about it. Thank you for making me feel welcome at ACLA...... *Anal Coffee Lovers Anonymous*

Lacehim

on 1420627876:

Maybe it is unnecessary but the shower screen is suitably dirty each time so I feel it is justified. Nothing worse than tasting rancid coffee so if I have to clean it often, so be it. It's really routine now. I don't even think about it. Thank you for making me feel welcome at ACLA...... *Anal Coffee Lovers Anonymous*

Ummm.  I don't do my shower screen once a month, but your right it does get dirty.  I do flush after I've dumped the puck though so that might help.

cosmic_couple22

Purge and brush the shower screens every session, rinse portafilter via brew head every shot keeps everything very clean. Chester

Dry_bean.

I back flush the Bezzera with water after every session, that's twice a day. Remove shower screen and seal weekly, clean, replace them and chemical back flush. Descale the boiler every 3 or 4 months. The process seems to work, have not had a problem in 5 years of ownership.

Moon

on 1420856651:

The process seems to work, have not had a problem in 5 years of ownership.

Love your work Db .. and it's nice having a spotless coffee machine .. however, let's get down to tin tacks here How is the coffee in the cup going? Any good?