FOOD NEWS
The Way To Deep-Clean An Espresso Machine For Fresh-Tasting Coffee
By C.A. Pinkham
While regularly wiping down your espresso machine and running water through it is necessary, a deep cleaning will help avoid mold and bacteria growth and make smoother coffee.
If you're using your espresso machine at least every day, you should be doing this once a week. You can purchase espresso machine cleaner for this explicit purpose.
Scrub the portafilter, basket, and group gasket with espresso machine cleaner, then thoroughly rinse them with warm water.
Remove and scrub the screen, place the blind basket in the portafilter, and secure it into the group. Run the cleaning solution through the machine, and rinse the basket.
From there, deep-clean the steam wand with hot water and a good scrubbing. Wash the drip tray with dish soap in the sink, then wipe down the outside of the machine.
Tap water has a high mineral content, so limescale is going to build up in the machine that will need to be cleaned and descaled once a year.