You should Keeping your coffee maker clean is important in
preventing clogs, bad-tasting coffee, and or breakage of the machine.
To keep your coffee maker running well and your coffee
tasting great, here are some top tips on how to clean your coffee and espresso
machines.
1. Daily Cleaning
Keeping up with a brief cleaning routine daily can help
extend the life of your coffee machine.
Espresso Machine:
* After you're finished with it, dump the coffee grounds
(they are great for compost, sources say).
* Rinse the portafilter.
* Scrub the portafilter with a dish brush.
* If you use soap, make sure it's an unscented variety that won't
impart flavors to your coffee.
* Allow all parts to air dry before reassembling.
* Wipe the exterior of the machine.
Drip Coffee Maker:
* Remove the filter and grounds.
* Rinse the basket of the coffee maker.
* Scrub the basket with a dish brush (again, use unscented
soap).
* Wash the drip coffee maker's carafe with hot water and
unscented soap.
* Allow basket and carafe to air-dry before reassembling.
2. Weekly Cleaning
Espresso Machine:
* Perform a "backflush" if your espresso machine
has a three-way valve. If it does not have a three-way valve, do not attempt a
weekly backflush. Simply put half a teaspoon of white vinegar or cleaner into a
"blind" filter (no holes) and put it in the portafilter. Turn on the
pump and let it go until it quietens down. Turn off the pump and wait for the
cleaner to be forced through the machine and into the drip tray. Repeat this
process several times with plain water to wash out the cleaner.
* For regular espresso makers without a three-way valve,
simple soak your portafilter, basket, and steam wand in a mix of white vinegar
and water.
Drip Coffee Maker:
* For drip coffee makers, a weekly cleaning is not usually
necessary if you're keeping up with the daily regimen. However, if you're using
the coffee maker more than usual - such as several times a day with no chance
to clean it properly - then you may want to perform the monthly cleaning (as
outlined below) on a weekly basis.
3. Monthly Cleaning
Espresso Machine:
* Decalcify your machine once a month or every other month.
This removes calcium and hard water deposits that build up in the espresso
machine. You can use a decalcifying agent specifically made for espresso
machines. It comes in packets, and you put a packet of the solution into the
reservoir, stir, and turn on your machine.
* Sources say that decalcification is not necessary if you
have a charcoal filter in your espresso machine that you change every other
month.
Drip Coffee Maker:
* Each month, send a mixture of white vinegar and water
through your drip coffee maker. How much vinegar and how much water and how
many times to send the mix through varies with each model. So check your coffee
maker's instruction booklet for details. The following tips are general:
* Pour a mix of 1 part vinegar to 2 parts water into the
reservoir.
* Run your drip coffee maker as usual with the basket in
place (no filter).
* Pour out the vinegar solution once it's cooled.
* Run 2 pots of clear water through the machine to remove
the vinegar.
Now that you know how to keep your espresso and coffee maker
clean, you can enjoy top-quality, good-tasting coffee every day.
