Cleaning & Care: Machine, Grinder & Milk System

With every shot, tiny amounts of coffee oil stay behind in the brew group and valves. Over days and weeks, these oils turn rancid and give every following espresso a musty aftertaste — even if the beans themselves are perfectly fresh.

1. Backflushing only works if your machine is built for it, i.e. it has a three-way valve that releases the pressure from the brew group into the drip tray after brewing. Your manual tells you whether this is the case. Some lever machines, such as the Profitec Pro 800, must not be backflushed with a blind basket at all. Without a three-way valve, you soak the baskets and portafilter instead (soak method).
2. Blind basket into the portafilter, add up to ½ teaspoon (3 g) of Cafiza.
3. Lock in the portafilter, 10 sec. extraction / 10 sec. pause, repeat five times.
4. Remove the portafilter, rinse it clean under the brew group, then flush again 5× 10/10 seconds without powder.
5. Remove the blind basket, insert the standard basket, pull a test espresso and discard it.

How often to use cleaner is stated in your machine's manual, and the figures differ: for group cleaning, ECM and Profitec state 90–140 cups (instruction manuals) or 150 cups (FAQ), with an occasional water-only clean in between. According to ECM, using cleaner more often degreases the brew group's lever axle, which can then squeak and wear faster. Rocket states daily with water and weekly with cleaner. For La Marzocco, backflushing with cleaner is listed under "daily" in the Linea Micra cleaning schedule, which is designed for 5–20 cups a day; with less use, correspondingly less often. Details, the soak variant, and stop lines: First Aid: Espresso machines — «Espresso tastes musty».

Sources: Urnex — Cafiza (instructions) · ECM — FAQ · ECM — Synchronika II instruction manual (PDF) · Profitec — Service & FAQ · La Marzocco — Linea Micra Manual (PDF) · Rocket: Appartamento TCA instruction manual

Manufacturer videos on YouTube. They only load when you tap them.

Materials: Urnex Cafiza (NSF-certified cleaner for backflushing) or Urnex Biocaf cleaning powder (according to Urnex biodegradable, phosphate-free and made from natural raw materials). According to Urnex, both are intended for espresso machines and their accessories. According to Bialetti, you clean your moka pot with warm water.

Coffee oils also build up over time on the burrs and the inner wall of the grinding chamber — the result is a musty aftertaste regardless of bean freshness, plus increasingly inconsistent dosing.

1. Empty the hopper, use the brush to get the last beans out of the chamber.
2. For espresso grinders, 1 cap (35–40 g) of Grindz into the hopper; for large grinders, 2 caps (70–80 g).
3. Set the grind size to «medium», let it run through completely.
4. Wipe down the hopper, spout, and doser with a brush/cloth.
5. Then repeat the same steps with coffee beans instead of Grindz to flush out the residue, and set the grind size back to espresso.

How often? Urnex states weekly for espresso grinders, intended for the hospitality trade; in the Profitec blog, a Profitec service technician states once a month for home use. In our experience, with one to two shots a day, three to four weeks is usually enough. Details and stop lines: First Aid: Grinders — «Grinder clogged».

Sources: Urnex — Grindz (instructions) · Urnex — FAQ · Profitec blog — Cleaning and care of your espresso machine

Manufacturer videos on YouTube. They only load when you tap them.

Stop line: Not for grinders integrated into automatic machines with a brewing chamber — there, Grindz swells with water and can clog it. SuperGrindz exists for that, which we don't carry.

Materials: Urnex Grindz grinder cleaner.

Milk proteins and fats dry onto the steam wand, pitcher, and frother quickly — this doesn't just smell rancid, it also noticeably worsens foam quality. Urnex developed the alkaline Biocaf Milk Cleaner specifically for residues of cow's milk and plant-based milk (oat, almond, soy).

1. Steam wand/pitcher: mix 30 ml of cleaner with 500 ml of warm water in the pitcher, submerge the wand, let it sit for 15–30 minutes.
2. Automatic frothers: mix 30 ml of cleaner with 500 ml of water, run it completely through the system, then repeat the same with clear, cold water.
3. Rinse the steam wand and pitcher thoroughly with clear water, then a short burst of steam at the machine without cleaner.

Recommendation: wipe the steam wand with a damp cloth and purge it briefly right after each frothing (La Marzocco), rinse the NanoFoamer after every use (Subminimal). In our experience, a deep clean with cleaner about once a week. Accessory troubleshooting (NanoFoamer, Rhino thermometer) and detailed steps: First Aid: Milk & foam — «Smells rancid or feels sticky».

Sources: Urnex — Biocaf Milk Frother Cleaning Liquid (Alkaline) · La Marzocco — Linea Micra Manual (PDF) · Subminimal — Guide to Cleaning NanoScreens

Manufacturer videos on YouTube. They only load when you tap them.

Materials: Urnex Biocaf Alkaline Milk Cleaner — one formula for cow's milk and plant-based milk, biodegradable and phosphate-free.

Water is one of the most important factors for the taste and lifespan of your machine — La Marzocco stresses this too. Here, prevention matters more than cleaning. Descaling is also brand-dependent: for its home machines, La Marzocco doesn't describe any descaling by you; the technician does this if needed. Rocket and Lelit advise against descaling yourself, and with ECM and Profitec you only descale preventively as per the manual or after consulting us.

Look up your water hardness, install a filter, descale according to your brand's guidelines (or not) — the full, manufacturer-specific guide: First Aid: Water & descaling.

Guideline values for home use, based on information from ECM, Profitec, Rocket, La Marzocco, BRITA and Urnex (the Urnex intervals apply to the hospitality trade) and on our own experience. Your device's manual is what counts. For intensive or commercial use, clean correspondingly more often.