# 1st time backflush, is this normal?



## le'deps (Jul 14, 2017)

Stupidly I don't have a picture, but I just did my first backflush on a gaggia classic, it seemed to be going ok, lots of soapy mucky water coming out of the solenoid pipe thingy. After the water seemed to be coming out clear I took the portafilter out, rinsed the basket from the group & I noticed a sticky black substance stuck to the inside edge of the basket. Is this normal? It's weird stuff, hard to wash off the basket & stained the sponge, like thick oil.

My first thought was I'd melted the gasket (I'm changing that later so I guess I'll see if I have, thought I'd have thought that impossible) could it just be standard gunk & presumably I need to backflush even more? I'm not sure if it was regularly backflushed before I had it, I've had it going on two months now, during which time I've taken apart the shower screen a few times & cleaned it that way, but only just got round to getting backflushing equipment


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## Jumbo Ratty (Jan 12, 2015)

Have you taken the shower screen and dispersion plate off?

I bet they're harbouring a heck of a lot of filth


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## le'deps (Jul 14, 2017)

I've taken off the bit with all the holes in (I always think of that as the shower screen) & the thicker bit behind that that's secured with two alan screws (dispersion plate?) 3 times since I got the machine, the first time they were pretty filthy & took a good scrubbing to clean, but every time since they've not been too bad.


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## El carajillo (Mar 16, 2013)

If it is just on the lip of the basket it could be the group seal deteriorating


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## le'deps (Jul 14, 2017)

El carajillo said:


> If it is just on the lip of the basket it could be the group seal deteriorating


As it turns out I haven't properly washed the basket yet, so here's a picture, there was quite a bit more, up to the rim and spread a bit further around. I'll be taking the seal out later tonight so if it is that hopefully I'll see it


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## El carajillo (Mar 16, 2013)

That looks more like coffee oil residue .Try another back flush with cleaner. I would also remove the seal ad check for oily buildup around it.

If it has been in a long time you may have to destroy it to get it out.


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## Mattius2 (Aug 28, 2016)

Agree more likely coffee oils. Keep scrubbing!


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## le'deps (Jul 14, 2017)

Mattius2 said:


> Agree more likely coffee oils. Keep scrubbing!


Ok, so I got the old gasket out, it doesn't look that bad to me, just dirty but I'm no expert. anyhoo I've put a new one in, an o.e Gaggia one apparently (it has three small cutouts on the outside edge, which seems odd) did more backflushing & I haven't had any more of the gunk in the basket.

When I wipe around the group with a bit of kitchen roll the muck I'm getting is very minimal, but is the same type from the basket, it's almost a bluey greyish black, no trace of brown, which I'd expect with coffee oils, but again, this is the first time I've done this properly so maybe it's normal. At this point I'm just slightly concerned I'll be getting some kind of rubber/ plastic contamination in any coffee I make, which is a bit worrying


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## MediumRoastSteam (Jul 7, 2015)

The gasket looks worn out too. Get 5 or 6 of them (they are very cheap), or a couple of the silicone cafelat ones (more expensive, but won't deteriorate).

Looks like you took the dispersion screen off. Make sure all is clean. Change the gasket and off you go again.

On another note, if you just flush water without the dispersion screen in place into a cutp, do you get clean water only?

Needless to say, change the gasket every 6 months or yearly, depending on usage.


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## le'deps (Jul 14, 2017)

Thanks for the advice folks.

The plan was always to change the gasket after the cleaning so that's done 

As I said I've cleaned the dispersion plate & shower screen a few times in the last couple of months so I don't think that's the issue, still I now have some puly caff so I soaked them in that last night & flushed some water into a cup as per mediumroaststeam's suggestion.

Alas the water still isn't clean, I get one or two tiny black specs in the cup which isn't too bad I suppose, but there's also a white residue mixed throughout the water, it looks like clouds or dust. My first thought was that I need to flush more cleaning powder out, but I've lost count of how much water I've put through since cleaning so it can't be that.

Maybe I need to descale again? I tried that before the backflushing but wasn't sure I'd achieved anything. Any tips on how best to use the puly cleaner sachets? I know they shouldn't stay in the boiler too long, but presume they need to sit for a while, last time I just flushed it straight through.

Eeeesh it's a faff


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