Cleaning Espresso Machines/Grinders
Buy Cleaning Products for Espresso Machines and Coffee Grinders Switzerland
You have a precise espresso machine, a good grinder, fresh beans – and after a few weeks, you notice your espresso tastes unpleasant. Bitter notes, lingering longer, less clear. What happens: coffee oils accumulate in the brew group, residues become rancid, and every shot carries these flavors. Clean brew group = clean taste. Coffee Coaching Club carries the most important cleaning products for espresso machines and grinders – exclusive Swiss importer for Urnex.
Cleaning Workflow at a glance
| What | How often | With what |
|---|---|---|
| Brew group (backflush without cleaner) | daily | Water, blind filter |
| Brew group (backflush with cleaner) | every ~50 shots | Urnex Cafiza or BioCaf |
| Grinding chamber | every few weeks | Brush + HOTO Mini Vacuum |
| Grinder burrs | every 3–6 months | Urnex Grindz |
| Milk system | after each day | Urnex BioCaf Alkaline Milk |
| Descaling | every 3–12 months | Urnex Dezcal (pump machine, no boiler) |
| Machine overall maintenance | annually | Service with seal replacement |
The most important cleaning products
Urnex Cafiza – Coffee oil remover for brew group
Urnex Cafiza (developed since the early 1980s) is the café standard choice for brew group backflush. Thoroughly dissolves coffee oils, leaves no residue. Application: 1–2g in blind filter, several backflush cycles, then rinse with clean water.
Urnex BioCaf – the organic-certified alternative
Urnex BioCaf is the organic-certified Cafiza alternative – same cleaning power, with organic-certified ingredients. For cafés with organic aspirations or environmentally conscious home setups.
Urnex Grindz – Grinder cleaning tablets
Urnex Grindz (developed by Urnex with Mahlkönig Hamburg since 2005) are tablets made from organic ingredients that are ground through the grinder – they remove coffee oil residues from the burrs, cleaning the grinding chamber without disassembly. Recommended every 3–6 months.
Urnex BioCaf Alkaline Milk Cleaner – for milk systems
Urnex BioCaf Alkaline for steam wands, milk frothers, and milk pitchers – alkaline, dissolves milk proteins. Recommended daily after shift end, especially critical for hygiene in intensive cappuccino sales.
Water filtration and descaling
The best cleaning is useless if the water is too hard and introduces new scale into the boiler daily. For home setups: Brita home filter jug (MAXTRA PRO 3-pack) or fixed water filter head set (Purity C iQ). For cafés: Brita Purity C iQ with consumption detection. For maximum brewing water precision: Apax Labs mineral concentrates (exclusive Swiss importer).
What happens if you don't clean?
With neglected cleaning: Brew group resinifies (coffee oils become rancid, espresso tastes bitter), boiler scales up (heating performance decreases, risk of burnout), grinder burrs slow down (clogged by coffee oils), seals wear out faster, warranty may void (manufacturers often require regular cleaning as a warranty condition).
What goes with it
For water filtration: Brita. For grinding chamber cleaning: HOTO Mini Handheld Vacuum Cleaner. For daily wiping: Joe Frex Cloths or Flate Magnetic Towel. For group brush: Ilsa. For clean bean storage: Airscape. Fresh beans from our own roastery: CCC Own Roasts.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should I clean my espresso machine?
Daily backflush with water. Every 50 shots (or weekly for home use) backflush with Urnex Cafiza/BioCaf. Annual service with seal replacement by a specialist.
What is backflush?
Rinsing the brew group in reverse – insert blind filter into portafilter, briefly activate brewing function, water builds up, then releases when letting go. With cleaning agent: coffee oils are dissolved and flushed out. Only possible with E61 brew groups and saturated brew groups with a check valve mechanism.
Do I need to descale my machine?
With water filtration using Brita or equivalent system: rarely necessary (every 6–12 months visual inspection). With unfiltered Swiss tap water (especially in the Central Plateau with hard water): every 3–6 months, depending on water hardness. Caution: many machine manufacturers prohibit descalers for machines with copper boilers – it is better to filter water from the start.
Which cleaning product is safe for my machine?
Urnex products are approved by virtually all major espresso machine manufacturers – La Marzocco, Bezzera, Rocket, ECM, Profitec, Quick Mill. Check machine manual before first use. Never use household cleaners – they can damage seals or leave residues.
Organic-certified or classic?
Cleaning effectiveness is equivalent. Organic version (BioCaf) for cafés with organic aspirations and environmentally conscious home setups. Classic Cafiza if organic certification is not a concern. Both work.
Personal consultation: +41 76 789 15 79 · office@coffeecoachingclub.ch
Showrooms: Bern, Gerberngasse 44 | Zurich Oerlikon, Hagenholzstrasse 50b
Delivery: 2–4 business days · Click and Collect · Free shipping from CHF 60
43 products
