How to clean my Coffee Machine
Backflush is the process used to clear out the coffee group-head, shower screen and drain valve of your coffee machines from nasty coffee deposits and oils.
Coffee oils and residuals tend to deposit in the internal circuit of your machines, and especially with E61 coffee machines like Rocket, ECM or Lelit it is vital for maintaining the machines in great working condition.
The espresso cleaner (generally called Cafetto) will remove the old coffee oils and deposits that can cause your coffee to taste bitter and rancid. It will also prevent coffee from building up on the shower screen that eventually plugs it up. If you ever see small high-pressure streams of water coming from the shower screen you know it is blocked and is channeling through the water. A that point it will be too late and a new shower screen will be required.
The bottles of Espresso Cleaner come with handy instructions but we will go over the best method in our opinion with the following paragraph.
How do I Backflush my Espresso Machine?
- Remove your filter basket from the portafilter and put in a blind filter or backflush disc
- A scoop or half a tea spoon of Cafetto or any Espresso Cleaner into the blind filter.
- Lock in the portafilter back onto the group-head and turn on the pump (pull the lever or press the brew button)
- Run the pump for about 10-15 seconds. No water will come out of the group This is a result of the pressure now being built up internally only. When reached 10-15 seconds pull the lever down gently and stop the pump.
- You will then hear a splashing sound as the cleaner gets sucked up into the brew group, through the three-way valve or E61 spring system and goes straight into the drip tray. Repeat this process until the foam coming out into the drip tray is clean (5x to 8x times)
- Remove the handle and rinse the cleaner out of the handle. Put the handle back into the machines again and do a couple more backflushes without cleaner…using just water.
- Lastly, wipe the shower screen with a cloth or a group brush, rinse the handle and run the water for a few seconds with no handle in place in order to rinse the cleaner out of the group completely.
- Your choice: we recommend throwing away the first coffee you make after backflushing
If you have any questions about these steps you can contact us: Eastlink Espresso.
How often should I Backflush my coffee machine?
There’s no magic number, it all depends on how often you use the espresso machines.
Domestic Espresso Machines should be backflushed daily or once a week day without chemical. Every second week with Cafetto.
Commercial Espresso Machines should be backflushed daily with Cafetto.
Coffee is leaking from the edge of the porta-filter even after the Backflush
If coffee is leaking around the edge of your portafilter the problem is most likely your coffee machines technique over an issue with the machines itself!
Possible reasons for coffee leaking from the portafilter include; your portafilter isn’t rotated fully into the lock position or you’ve put too much coffee in the filter. Possibly your group seal is worn out
Where can I buy the Espresso Cleaner?
We supply and stock both types of Cafetto Cleaner Powder or Tablets.
Powder generally dissolves better with water but tablets are easier to use.
Cafetto Espresso Cleaning Tablets
Give us a call today on 03 9738 2516 and let us know how we can help you make your machines working like a dream!
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