This guide covers the most important factors when it comes down to the cleaning and maintenance routines for the espresso machine in your coffee shop or cafe.
You've completed the first step: you have a coffee shop up and running, coffee machine set up and in place, and customers are regular. It's amazing the difference a properly cleaned coffee shop and coffee machine makes for both the taste of the coffee and the shop environment!
Cleaning Your Espresso Machine and Grinder
After Every Drink
- Knock the puck of coffee from the portafilter into the knock bock.
- Rinse and wipe out the portafilter.
- Purge the steam wand before and after each use and wipe it with a clean damp bar towel.
After A Rush Or A Line Of Drinks
- Scrub each grouphead with a brush and hot water.
End of the Day
- Backflush your machine using Cafiza. Do this by following these steps:
- Run your grouphead and scrub out all loose coffee with your machine brush.
- Place a blanking disc into a portafilter, and put a spoon of Cafiza / Espresso machine detergent into it - then insert this into the group.
- Run it for ten seconds on and ten seconds off - do this 6 times for each group head.
- Leave the blanking disc in the group for about five minutes. Use this time to clean the steam wands, portafilters, and shine your machine to get it gleaming!
- Please note that this step is vital for espresso machine cleaning, as these five minutes allow the detergent to loosen and eat away at the most stubborn oils and residue in a way that hot water just can’t match.
- Remove espresso machine detergent and flush your group (ten on, ten off) until the water clarity is perfect. It is important to backwash with water after detergent run. If not rinsed properly, Cafiza dries overnight and blocks the water pathways that lead to the group.
- Remove baskets from portafilters and soak both in Cafiza solution for at least an hour, then wash thoroughly.
- Leave portafilters in groupheads overnight - this prevents the gaskets from drying and cracking.
Always remember to pull a throwaway shot first thing in the morning to remove cleaning residue.
Weekly
- Remove portafilters to unscrew shower screens and wiggle screwdriver under dispersion block to remove (this is applicable only to machines that have screens with a screw in the middle).
- Soak both in Cafiza solution for at least an hour, and then wash thoroughly.
- Run Grindz through the grinder to remove oils that have built up throughout the week.
Monthly
- Remove hopper from the grinder and empty the beans.
- Wash thoroughly with warm soapy water and allow the hopper to dry completely before replacing on the grinder.
- Optional: Remove the upper burr, and vacuum out coffee particles.
Twice A Year
- Replace grouphead gaskets to avoid water leaking around the portafilter and to maintain necessary levels of pressure.
- Replace cartridges in your water filtration system. This is a small expense that saves a lot of money in the long run and provides better quality drinks. The better quality of water being run through your machine ensures that the machine is not damaged from bad quality water.
Every 2 Years
We recommend to have the machine examined by a certified technician every 2 years.
Top Tip
Make sure your team knows and understands the cleaning routine for your coffee machine and equipment. The better it's looked after, the longer it will last.
Ensure you initially provide thorough training for your team, then provide regular recaps every six months. Instilling the importance of cleanliness and equipment care into your team will lead to them absorbing these practises and overall lead to a better maintained and well-loved cafe.