Maintain your coffee machine well

Tips for maintaining your machine

Better too much than not enough

The worst thing you could do for your machine's longevity is to never maintain it and wait until it starts to show the first signs of wear. By then, it would likely be too late to prevent a breakdown.

We know you want a machine that doesn't require too much maintenance or daily effort. But you still need to perform a few small daily tasks if you want to enjoy your machine for years to come. Nothing complicated, don't worry, but it could make all the difference!

Here are 4 tips for maintaining your coffee machine:

Regarding water, if your machine is not equipped with a filter, we recommend using filtered water from a carafe or your refrigerator.

How often?

Consistency is key!

The first thing to consider is that you should not wait until your machine starts to show signs of weakness before starting to maintain it. Regular maintenance will not only ensure you get good coffee in your cup, but will also help extend the life of your machine. Consistency is the key.

The frequency of maintenance of your coffee machine, filter, manual or automatic, depends above all on three important factors:

• the hardness of your water
• your use (residential or commercial in particular)
• the model of your machine

For example, some automatic machines like the Jura tell you when to change your filter or descale.

If you have a family coffee machine that you use once or twice a day, a quarterly interview is to be considered.On the other hand, if it is a business machine preparing more than 10 coffees per day, it is recommended tomaintain monthly.

In any case, this does not prevent you from thinking about cleaning the external parts of your machine, but also the water tank or the grain compartment in a daily, as seen previously.

In more detail, here are the maintenance frequencies that we recommend:

For rinsing

Certain machines, such as automatic machines Jura, Saeco Or Philips, perform automatic rinsing at startup and shutdownThe goal is to keep the coffee from drying out at the outlet nozzle so it doesn't get clogged. You can also do this yourself. For manual machines For example, just run hot water without adding coffee. Do this as for automatic machines, at startup and shutdown. For steam nozzles, always rinse. after each use to limit milk deposits.

For the cleaning

Right after your coffee, for manual machines, you must remove the filter holder, empty the coffee grounds, rinse the filter holder and clean the extraction area. Indeed, if you do not do this and let the coffee dry in the filter holder, the fats and sugars from the coffee will accumulate and go rancid on the components and this will give a bitter taste to the following coffees. It is also possible that this produces a suction effect and that you will not be able to remove your filter holder afterwards (especially if your grind was too fine).

For the steam nozzle, in order to guarantee perfect hygiene and proper functioning, it is recommended to “flush” the nozzle with steam. This means that it is recommended to circulate steam through it to clean it. Also, equip yourself with a damp cloth to clean the outside of your nozzle. It will then be perfectly clean and ready for the next use.

If certain parts of your milk system are too clogged with dried milk, do not hesitate to soak them in a solution of water and milk cleaner.

Your coffee group also needs to be pampered. Remove the once a week, run it under warm water and let it air dry. Once you've finished cleaning, remember to put some cooking grease in the friction corners. If your group is not removable, such as for Jura coffee machines, use the recommended cleaning tablets to put directly into the ground coffee chute following the instructions for your machine.

In summary, a 15-second routine will allow your manual coffee machine to work perfectly:

- Wipe your steam nozzle with a damp cloth immediately after use

- Discard the coffee grounds and rinse the filter holder with hot water

- Wipe the filter holder and coffee outlet with a clean cloth.

For automatic machines, empty your grounds container as soon as every other day or as soon as it is full (coffee grounds go moldy quickly), and rinse it.Do the same with the water collection tray. Don't let the water stagnate, as this could breed bacteria.

Also remember to clean milk systems, whether it is a steam nozzle or a hose for automatic machines. It must be cleaned after each useDried milk is your enemy. Not only can it clog your machine, but it can also make you sick if bacteria grows in it. Use special milk cleaning products.

However, always favor products from the same brand as your machine during the warranty period.

For the degreasing

Coffee naturally produces fat or oil once roasted. The buildup of fat can damage your machine. This is why we particularly advise against using overly oily coffees in your automatic machines. And generally speaking, you should degrease your machine as best you can.

Start by cleaning once a week Wipe your grain container with a dry cloth to remove excess grease from your grains. This will also help them flow more easily into the compartment without being trapped by the grease.

To clean the inside of your machine, and especially the grinder, there are cleaning and degreasing tablets that will help eliminate as much residue as possible to prevent your grinder from blocking. We recommend that you do this once a quarter, or even once a month if you tend to use black coffees which are therefore more oily.

For the descaling

Limescale forms more or less quickly depending on the hardness of your water. The harder your water, the faster your coffee machine will scale up. Your consumption also plays a role. How does it work? As the water heats up, it deposits mineral particles on the walls of your coffee machine. It is recognizable by its white deposit that you can see with the naked eye. This is a natural phenomenon that you can limit by maintaining your machine, and in particular by descaler regularly.

If you use a filter or filtered water, we recommend descaling once or twice a year, depending on the hardness of your water.

If you use unfiltered tap water, monthly descaling would be ideal.

You can also, if your machine offers it, rely on its recommendations and carry out descaling when your machine indicates it.

There are liquid and tablet/powder descalers. Both are equally effective. The tablets are perfectly calibrated and allow you to control the dosage of your product. Liquids dissolve quickly in the water in the circuits. It really depends on what you prefer.

Always make sure to remove the water filter from your tank before descaling.

In summary, we therefore advise you to:

Cleaning products to use

You will always be advised to use the products recommended by your machine brand during the warranty period. Once the warranty expires, you are free to use the products of your choice, ensuring that they are suitable for your needs and your machine.

Products not recommended for your coffee machines

Vinegar : it's a natural product that our grandmothers used, which has proven itself, but it is no longer suitable for modern machines. Indeed, the acetic acid that white vinegar contains is not compatible with the seals, parts and pipes that make up your coffee machine. Over time, you will simply create leaks because the acetic acid will "eat away" at the seals. Your warranty would also be voided if your machine were to break because of this. Therefore, you should not use vinegar to clean your modern appliances, especially your coffee machine.

Distilled water : As mentioned above, it is best to use filtered water for your coffee machine. You can therefore use tap water and filter it using a carafe or by putting a filter in your coffee machine. Why not distilled water? Well, simply because when you use distilled water to make coffee, since there are no minerals in the water, the acidity of the coffee is intensified. Filters or carafes help remedy this by filtering the minerals present in the water, while maintaining an adequate level of minerals for a balanced tasting coffee.

Abrasive tools : whether for your steam nozzle or for your exterior elements such as your drip trays, do not use abrasive tools such as the green side of a sponge or even steel pads. S.O.S, you risk damaging the steel coating of the rod and exposing the copper underneath for example, which is a health risk. You could also scratch all your elements.

Dish soap : Dish soap is designed to coat surfaces with a grease-fighting substance that will also combat the natural oils that flavor your coffee. Therefore, it is not recommended to use it to clean your coffee machine.