How to Clean Your Coffee Machine: Complete Espresso Machine Cleaning Guide

Your morning espresso tastes slightly bitter, and there's a weird film on top. Sound familiar? Most coffee lovers don't realize that even premium machines need regular cleaning to deliver café-quality drinks. Whether you own a high-end semi-automatic machine with dual boilers or a simpler model, the culprit is the same: coffee oils, mineral deposits, and milk residue that build up invisibly over time. The good news is that proper maintenance takes just minutes a day and can extend your machine's lifespan by years while keeping every shot tasting fresh.

 

Daily Cleaning for Your Espresso Machine: Essential Parts

Starting a daily cleaning routine might sound tedious, but it's actually the easiest way to prevent major problems down the road. These quick tasks take less than five minutes after brewing and make a huge difference in your coffee's flavor.

 

Portafilter and Filter Basket

The portafilter is the handled device that holds your coffee grounds during brewing. After each use, knock out the used grounds and rinse both the portafilter and filter basket under hot water. Use a small brush to remove any stuck grounds from the basket's holes. Once a week, soak these parts in hot water mixed with a teaspoon of espresso machine cleaner for 15 minutes to dissolve built-up oils.

 

Drip Tray and Exterior

Empty your drip tray (the shallow pan under the group head that catches excess liquid) daily. Old coffee and water create bacterial growth and unpleasant odors. Wash it with dish soap and dry thoroughly. Wipe down your machine's exterior with a damp cloth to prevent sticky residue from hardening.

 

Steam Wand Care

The steam wand is the metal tube that froths milk for lattes and cappuccinos. This requires attention immediately after every use.

 

Purge the wand by opening the steam valve for 2-3 seconds to clear any milk from inside the tube. For machines with adjustable steam settings, run a purge at your typical frothing strength to ensure complete clearing. Then wipe the exterior with a damp cloth while it's still warm, since dried milk becomes cement-hard and clogs the tiny steam holes.

 

For deeper cleaning, remove the steam wand tip if it's detachable. Soak it in warm water for 10 minutes, then use a pin or paperclip to clear each steam hole. Reattach and purge again.

 

If your steam wand tip doesn't come off, purge steam for 2-3 seconds first, wipe with a damp cloth, then submerge the tip in a pitcher of cold water and activate steam to froth the water.

 

How to Backflush Your Coffee Machine Group Head

The group head is where your portafilter locks in and hot water flows through your coffee. Over time, coffee oils coat the group head's internal screen and valve, creating rancid flavors in your espresso.

Backflushing reverses water flow to clean these internal parts. You'll need a blind basket (a filter basket without holes) for this process.

 

Monthly Backflushing Steps:

 

1. Replace the filter basket with a blind basket.

2. Attach the portafilter and select Cleaning Mode on the touch screen. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the backflushing process.

3. Remove and clean the portafilter. After the automatic backflush cycle is complete, remove the portafilter and rinse it thoroughly.

4. Scrub the group head with the cleaning brush. Use a cleaning brush to scrub the shower screen on the group head to remove any remaining coffee residue.

 

This process forces water and cleaning solution through the group head's internal components, dissolving trapped coffee oils and residue that regular rinsing can't reach.

 

After backflushing, your espresso shots should taste noticeably cleaner and brighter. Perform this cleaning once a month to maintain optimal machine performance.

 

Cleaning the Built-in Grinder of Your Espresso Machine

Espresso machines with built-in grinders need monthly deep cleaning to remove rancid coffee oils from the burrs. For machines equipped with precision weighing scales (like the dual-scale system in Meraki Espresso Machines that control grind amounts within ±0.2g accuracy), keeping the grinder clean is essential to maintain this precision, as even small amounts of old coffee residue can throw off these measurements.

1. Start by removing the hopper (the bean container) and upper burrs according to your manual. Most twist out easily. Use a stiff brush to sweep away coffee particles from both burrs. You'll notice a dark, oily coating, which is ruining your fresh beans' flavor.

2. Wipe the burrs with a dry cloth. Never use water as it causes rust and clumping. Vacuum the grinding chamber to remove fine dust that brushes miss.

3. For stubborn oil buildup, run specialized grinder cleaning tablets through your machine. These rice-based pellets absorb oils without leaving residue. Follow package directions and discard the resulting powder.

4. Reassemble everything and grind a small batch of beans to purge remaining particles before brewing your next shot.

 

Descal Your Coffee Machine with Descaling Solution

Descaling is the most important piece of maintenance you can do for your espresso machine. As your water evaporates in your machine's boiling vessel, calcium and magnesium buildup into limescale deposits throughout your machine, preventing the flow of water and creating an unpleasant flavor in your coffee.

 

A descaling solution for a coffee machine is comprised of citric acid or other non-toxic acids, which dissolve these mineral deposits without damaging your machine's parts.

 

How Often Should You Descale

Every 2-3 months if you use filtered water, or monthly with hard tap water. Check your water hardness by noticing if soap doesn't lather easily or your kettle shows white mineral deposits.

 

Step-By-Step Descaling Process

 

1. First, you need to empty your water reservoir and any water filter you may have. Combine your descaling solution with water according to the manufacturer’s instructions (generally one packet with a full reservoir of water). Start your machine and wait for it to heat up.

2. Place a large container under the group head and brew head. Run half the solution through the brew head as if making coffee, but without a portafilter attached. Then activate your steam wand and let the remaining solution run through until the tank is empty. This ensures both the brewing system and steam system get descaled. For dual-boiler machines such as Meraki Espresso Machines with separate 350ml brewing and 550ml steam boilers, this step is crucial as it ensures both boilers get descaled simultaneously.

3. Allow the machine to sit for 15-20 minutes with the descaling solution inside. This waiting period is crucial as rushing through descaling leaves minerals behind. Do not rinse immediately.

4. Refill the tank with fresh water and run at least two full tanks through both the group head and steam wand to rinse away all descaling solution. Any remaining acid will corrode your machine and make your coffee taste sour.

 

Your machine is now descaled and ready for perfect espresso.

 

Professional Coffee Machine Maintenance and Usage Tips

How you use your espresso coffee machine daily affects how much cleaning it needs. Professional baristas follow these habits to keep your machines running flawlessly through hundreds of daily shots.

 

Smart daily practices keep your machine running smoothly:

 

Use filtered water always: Tap water minerals accelerate limescale buildup and dull your coffee's flavor. A simple carbon filter removes chlorine and reduces hardness.

Clean the grinder regularly: Remove the bean hopper and burrs every 1-3 weeks (after approximately 500g-1500g of coffee beans) to maintain precision. For dark or very dark roasted beans, clean more frequently. Avoid using any liquids, damp cloths, or wet brushes for cleaning.

Perform monthly backflushing: Use a blind basket and cleaning mode to backflush the group head once a month. This removes coffee oils and grounds that accumulate and affect taste and quality.

Deep clean the steam wand regularly: For frequent use, deep clean the steam wand every 3-5 days. Fill a pitcher with 300ml of cold water, submerge the wand, activate steam for 10 seconds, turn off and wait 5 seconds, then repeat 5-6 times.

Watch for warning signs: Reduced water pressure, longer heat-up times, or inconsistent temperatures indicate scale buildup or clogged components needing immediate attention. Catching problems early prevents expensive repairs.

 

Conclusion

A clean espresso machine isn't just about better coffee, but it's about protecting your investment and enjoying consistent results every morning. Daily wiping and weekly backflushing take minimal effort but deliver maximum impact. Set monthly calendar reminders for descaling and grinder cleaning so these crucial tasks never slip through the cracks. Ready to taste the difference? Start with tomorrow's daily routine and notice how much brighter your next espresso tastes.

 

3 FAQs about Espresso Machine Maintenance

 

Q1. Can I Use Vinegar Instead Of Coffee Machine Descaling Solution?

No, do not use vinegar in your espresso machine. Vinegar may be used in a drip coffee machine, but its acidity will harm your espresso machine seals, gaskets, and metal parts. Vinegar will leave a strong residue odor, which is difficult to rinse out. Only descaling solutions meant for espresso machines must be used because they will be gentle enough for use with all machine parts.

 

Q2. How Often Should I Replace My Espresso Machine Water Filter?

Replace your machine's water filter every 2-3 months, or about 50 liters of water, whichever comes first. When you recognize a change in your coffee's flavor and heat times, your filter is probably full of minerals and ready for a change. Machines come with an indicator light reminder, but a phone reminder will do the same job.

 

Q3. Why Does My Steam Wand Keep Getting Clogged Despite Daily Cleaning?

Clogged steam wands will be a problem due to protein buildup within the steam wand itself, and always be sure to flush steam after frothing, even if you wait 30 seconds, so the milk can set within the wand. To fix a steam wand if it is already clogged, soak the removed tip of the wand in warm water with soap overnight and use a thin wire to pick out each hole with a clogged steam wand tip.