Your maintenance schedule should include regular check-ups and the annual replacement of some parts. By replacing small parts on a scheduled basis, you may be able to avoid corrective maintenance – something that could lead to a closed café while the machine is being repaired.

To avoid getting to this point, make sure you have a cleaning and maintenance routine. Let’s look at what the experts recommend.

Daily Habits

Here are some tips and suggestions:

• Always wipe down the steam wand after using it. You should also purge the wand before and after use. This will prevent obstructions from dry milk and buildup of bacteria.
• Flush the group head before each round of espressos: oils from the coffee and old grounds can add undesirable flavors to your shots.
• Keep your cleaning cloths fresh. Replace them two to three times a day. Make sure they’re laundered at high temperatures and with detergent.

Get into the habit of cleaning your machine properly at the end of each day. The routine should include the following actions:

• Do a full backflush: scrub the group heads with a machine brush to loosen and remove coffee grounds, and then use the coffee machine detergent and blind filter. Repeat this until the water coming out is clear. David also recommends pulling several espresso shots afterwards, to eliminate any possible detergent flavors in future espressos.
• Clean the steam wand: remove the tip and sit it in a mixture of warm water and detergent. Daniel recommends allowing the wand to sit in this solution “for at least 20 minutes or, if possible, overnight”.
• Clean the draining hose: this will help you avoid any clogs or buildup of coffee grounds that could block drip-tray drain lines.
• Make sure to clean the portafilters, filter basket, and drip tray.