Cleaning Your Coffee Machine

Cleaning your coffee machine is a crucial part of maintaining your equipment and the taste of your coffee. Not cleaning your machine causes coffee oils and residue to stick to the equipment. This will negatively impact the taste of your coffee. These instructions are for machines with 3 way solenoid valves as they can be cleaned using the backflush powder.

We recommend that you clean your coffee machine and handle once a week. The process of cleaning your coffee machine can be daunting at first. That’s why the team at Complete Cafe Services are happy to provide you instructions below.

You will need

1. A Blind filter
2. Backflush powder

Instructions to Clean your machine

1. Have the machine on and heated for normal use
2. Remove the basket from the group handle and replace with the blind filter basket
3. Place approx. 1 teaspoon of back flush powder into the blind basket
4. Lock the group handle into place, same as when you make coffee
5. Start the process of making a coffee as normal
6. No water will come through the group spout, this is normal for back flush cleaning. The back flush is now being mixed under pressure with the hot water from the group head which removes old coffee oils and residue
7. After 10 seconds, stop the group extraction water
8. Repeat steps 5 to 7 without removing the handle from the machine for 5 cycles
9. Remove the group handle and inspect the basket, there should be some residuals from the powder and water mix with coffee granules
10. Rinse the handle and blind basket until clean
11. Repeat steps 5 to 7, two times without back flush power to rinse your machine
12. Once the machine has been cleaned, replace the blind basket with your usual basket and extract coffee as normal. The first coffee shot after cleaning is not for consumption, let this run through the drain
13. Your machine is now clean and ready for use

Instructions to clean your handle and basket

1. Dissolve half a teaspoon of the espresso back flush powder in hot water
2. Remove the basket from the handle
3. Place the handle and separated basket in the hot water solution
4. Ensure the water is not touching the rubber handle
5. Leave to soak for 30 minutes
6. Rinse the group handle and filter basket well and put back together

And that’s how to clean your coffee machine! You can purchase our premium espresso back flush powder HERE