Follow These Cleaning Tips For Great Espresso
Reassess your cleaning and maintenance routine!
It’s a great time to revisit our cleaning tips, tricks, and recommended products
The sun is shining, flowers are blooming, we’re adding ice to our coffee…spring is officially here! People often take this time of year to re-organize and tidy up the house, but this also applies to your coffee/tea brewers, machines, grinders, and dispensers!
Check out our website for cleaning products like this espresso brush and grinder brush!
Whether you are working with commercial equipment or brewing from your own home, your cleaning routine is crucial in maintaining the quality of both your coffee and your equipment.
Keep reading for our best tips!
“A routine cleaning is absolutely necessary if you want consistently good coffee and equipment that works like new!”
-Passport Coffee & Tea
Espresso Machines
Why do you need to keep your espresso machine clean?
All our espresso blends fall in the full-body category, meaning that the beans are either medium or dark roast. This level of roast pulls the oils from the bean, contributing to the rich profile of the coffee. These oils also build up in your machine.
Coffee grinds may clump together and cause issues, and built-up oils can dramatically affect the taste of the espresso if they aren’t cleaned from the machine. Additionally, other problems related to buildup will arise, requiring maintenance or replacements- and that can get expensive.
A routine cleaning is absolutely necessary if you want consistently good coffee and equipment that works like new!
We recommend checking out our espresso machine cleaning guide here.If you are interested in our training programs, click here.
How to clean your espresso machine:
Tools Needed:
Caffetto brand EVO Espresso Machine CleanerEspresso brushBlind Cup or Back flushing disc (optional)Clean cloth
Don’t be afraid to use lots of images to break up long walls of text
This is the best way to keep your machine in tip-top shape! EVO is our top recommendation for cleaning and improving the taste of your espresso. This cleaner removes buildup (oils and grounds), with ingredients that both protect the machine and are free from GMOs, phosphates, or chlorine.
To read our guide for using EVO Clean with your espresso machine, click here.
We recommend cleaning your commercial espresso machine at the end of each day.
For home espresso machines, clean every other week depending on usage.
Espresso brushes are a must-have for any espresso machine owner. The stiff bristles are perfect for clearing our any gunk and buildup from around the gasket and other surfaces, which is an important part of a successful cleaning routine.
Use this to clean excess grinds and gunk from your portafilter, basket, and group gasket. You should also use it when backflushing with EVO or separately for quick cleanups.
To avoid heavy buildup in a fully-automatic espresso machine, we recommend using the following blends:
Purchase our recommended espresso machine cleaner!
Brewers & Dispensers
Do you even need to clean your coffee or tea brewer if you are running it daily?
YES!!!
When brewing on a consistent basis, buildup happens naturally. Not only does residue build up in your brewer or dispenser, the environment is perfect for breeding bacteria.
Many people do not think of tea and coffee as “food”, but doing so may help you understand the risks of using a dirty brewer or dispenser.
How to Clean your Coffee or Tea Brewer
Tools Needed:
JavaClean 2 coffee and tea dispenser cleaning pouchesPipe BrushDeliming KeySoft Cleaning Cloth
JavaClean 2
We recommend JavaClean2 packets to clean your servers. They are pouches that you pop in your brew funnel and brew like you’re brewing a regular pot of coffee or tea. Like EVO, this is also non-corrosive, phosphate-free, and makes your tea or coffee taste so fresh!
Great TIP : Perfect product for soaking dirty mugs too!
JavaClean2 Filter Pouch Cleaner
Purchase our recommended tea and coffee brewer cleaner!
Commercial SERVER CLEANING and De-liming brew tube
Wipe down your machine with a damp towel. This keeps up the outward appearance of your machine. Place a packet of JavaClean2 (one per gallon capacity container) into the brew basket. Insert the basket into the brewer and place a tea urn or coffee pot under the brew basket. Brew a full container, as if you were brewing tea or coffee.After brewing, toss the used JavaClean 2 packets and rinse the funnel.Run 2 seconds of cleaner through the dispenser faucetLet dispenser soak overnightEmpty product (save for re-use later) IMPORTANT: Remove and disassemble faucet – thoroughly clean all parts with the pipe brush and set parts aside to dryThoroughly rinse and wash with soap the urn or coffee pot before using.Remove the brewer spray head, and CAREFULLY wipe away any excess residue blocking the holes. Use the de-liming key to clear mineral buildup inside of the opening where the spray head attachesRinse and CAREFULLY replace the spray head – do not crossthread !
We recommend de-liming your commercial brewer spray tube every two weeks, or as needed. If short-potting continues, call for service.
Coffee pots and tea urns should be cleaned daily after use with dish soap and scrub pad. Perform cleaning with JavaClean2 whenever stains persist and tea tastes “off”
Coffee Grinders
Like any brewing equipment, grinders also have buildup that required regular cleaning. Your grinder is in constant contact with beans, oils, and residue. To keep it functioning well, and to avoid any bad flavors in your coffee, follow these steps!
How to Clean Your Coffee Grinder
Tools Needed:
microfiber clothshop vacgrinder brushCafetto EVO cleaning powder
Purchase grinder brushes on our site!
Dosing chamber
Remove the top of the dosing chamber. (skip this section of you have an on-demand grinder)Empty the dosing chamber of any ground coffee.Use a small vacuum to clean any grinds inside. Use a clean dry soft cloth to clean the surfaces. If oils persist on the clear plastic cylinder, remove it and soak in hot EVO water for a few minutes. Then wipe off oils easily with a soft towel.Replace all parts when dry.
bean HOpper
Unplug the grinder, and clear any beans and remove the empty hopper from the grinder.Us the grinder brush to help clear any hard to reach spots.Soak the hopper in a hot water and Caffeto EVO cleaner bath for a couple minutes. Use a soft microfiber cloth to wipe off the hopper after soaking and rinsing. This will help keep your hopper looking new. DO NOT SCRUB! Scrubbing causes scratches and damage. Replace bean hopper after rinsing and drying completely.Plug in the grinder and replace the coffee beans.
grinding blades
All manufacturers have specific instructions on checking and cleaning their grinding disks. Please be sure to follow their instructions carefully, or call for professional servicing of your equipment.
We recommend cleaning your coffee grinder regularly with grinder cleaning products such as Urnex Grindz, or those sold directly from the grinder manufacturer. These cleaners run through the grinder just like coffee beans.
Part of working with restaurants and cafes is training baristas on how to clean equipment regularly. A clean machine makes consistently good drinks, and requires less maintenance and repairs. If you own brewing equipment or a home espresso machine, we also recommend following a routine cleaning schedule!
Check Out Our Recent Posts: