How To Clean Your Coffee Machine at Home
Has your coffee been tasting bitter lately? This could be attributed to the buildup within the machine. Oily sludge and mineral buildup that forms on your coffee maker and pot can result in staining, gumming up the brewing process, and eventually producing bad-tasting coffee. As such, it is important to clean your coffee machine at home regularly.
While it may seem like a hassle, the good news is you don’t need to spend lots of money on tools, especially when your coffee machine is designed for easy cleaning – like the De’Longhi Dedica Style Manual Espresso Machine. Most coffee machines nowadays come with in-built settings that help regulate your machine’s internal components. But there are other things you can do to improve the longevity of your coffee machine at home.
1. Know the basics of your coffee machine
Don’t worry. You won’t need to break open your home coffee machine in order to clean it. But it pays to know the basics of how your machine works, especially when cleaning.
You’ve likely heard of the portafilter, group head, steam wand, and drip tray. These are the parts that baristas interact with the most, and it shouldn’t come as a surprise that these same parts require the most attention.
The portafilter holds your grounded coffee and is placed into the group head during extraction. The group head releases hot water into the portafilter resulting in espresso. Any excess water will fall into the drip tray which has to be drained occasionally. The last thing in the barista’s toolbox is the steam wand which is used to aerate milk.
2. Clean after every cuppa to make your job easier
Ideally, you’d want to clean up after every extraction. Not only is it a good practice, but it’ll also help spread the workload, making the machine easier to maintain over time.
You could try cleaning the portafilter after every shot by getting rid of any used espresso grounds (sometimes referred to as the puck). Rinsing and wiping also helps get rid of any debris that might have been left behind during the last extraction.
Make sure to purge your steam wand after aerating your milk. Wiping the steam wand will go a long way in preventing grime from building up. Just be careful not to make direct contact to prevent scalding yourself.
3. Get into a routine of pampering your espresso machine
Sometimes a quick wipe-over won’t do, and you’ll have to individually clean parts of your coffee machine. Generally, the more you care for your machine, the longer it lasts - so do take the time to go over the whole machine. Here are some steps that you can take to look maintain your coffee machine at home:
- Scrub the group head with a nylon brush or a specialised scrub.
- Use a blind basket with your portafilter to backflush your group head.
- Sanitise the steam arm by running it through hot or soapy water. Drain the drip tray as often as required.
It is recommended you go through this routine once a week.
4. Descale once a year to keep your espresso’s flavour pristine
Sometimes limescale can build up on the insides of your machine, especially if your tap water is high in minerals. While the taste of your espresso may be affected, the accumulated limescale may end up damaging your coffee machine at home.
Thankfully, you can combat limescale build-up with descaling, which involves circulating a specialised chemical through the machine.
The first you need of course is the descaler. Descalers are acidic and can irritate the skin and eyes so be careful when handling them. It’s also good to use a descaler made by your coffee machine’s manufacturer to minimise the risk of problems. As such, if you own a De’Longhi coffee machine at home, then it is best to use the De’Longhi EcoDecalk Coffee Machine Descaler.
Some coffee machines have in-built options for descaling. For instance, the De’Longhi Dedica will notify you when descaling is required. However, the same cannot be said for other models, as such you should always check with your coffee machine’s manual for the proper guidelines. But here’s a quick guide to what descaling is:
- Dilute your descaler according to the instructions on the pack.
- Place the solution in the water tank.
- Turn on the coffee machine and dispense 1/2 cup of descaling solution through the portafilter and 1/4 cup through the steam wand.
- Turn off the machine for 20 minutes.
- Flush the rest of the solution through the machine.
- Rinse out the descaler with fresh water from the water tank.
Great coffee starts with a great machine
Having a well-maintained machine is the key to having your machine last longer. It also means you get to keep making silky-smooth coffee everyday. But, if you’re ever in doubt, it’s always good to ask a professional. Simply reach out to our coffee-making experts for a free 1-on-1 consultation for all your coffee-related questions today. Making the perfect cup of coffee has never been easier, especially when you have a coffee machine and the support of people who love coffee as much as you do.
