# Two espresso - do you clean the portafilter for each?



## gr4z (Jan 22, 2011)

Morning chaps

I usually make two espresso for myself and my wife at breakfast. Do people recommend completely cleaning, washing and drying the PF between each shot?

Just curious what everyone else's workflow is like for two drinks...Thanks!


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## jazzersi (Apr 17, 2020)

I knock the puck out, rinse it under the group for a few seconds then wipe it dry with a tea towel. Not sure what is optimal but this seems most efficient to me ☺


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

Check out my morning coffee series of vids on YouTube number 2 or 3 I think, where I use a paintbrush


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## cuprajake (Mar 30, 2020)

Dave was there a second part to your americano and latte vid?


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## BlackCatCoffee (Apr 11, 2017)

I just knock it out and if there is any residue either use a cloth or brush.

Washing it between shots could actually suck some of the heat out the portafilter unless you had super hot water or have hot water feed from the boiler to use.


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## gr4z (Jan 22, 2011)

When knocking out the first puck there is quite some residue, usually fairly wet.


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## Northern_Monkey (Sep 11, 2018)

@gr4z - The pucks on my Mara are a bit wet sometimes as well. I usually knock them out and give a rinse with a hot kettle since it's near the sink and dry with a tea towel. I typically have an Americano first thing so the kettle is hot anyway.


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## mctrials23 (May 8, 2017)

Do first shot, knock out puck, put back in machine, quick flush to knock the coffee off the screen into the pf, quickly toss that little bit of water with grounds in down the sink and then dry with a kitchen towel.


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## gr4z (Jan 22, 2011)

DavecUK said:


> Check out my morning coffee series of vids on YouTube number 2 or 3 I think, where I use a paintbrush


 Thanks @DaveC had a quick look could find your one on scratches (video 3) which touches on cleaning, but must be blind as can't spot the brush one  Will leave the first puck to contract a little more before knocking it out.

Thanks everyone else for your suggestions.


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

gr4z said:


> Thanks @DaveC had a quick look could find your one on scratches (video 3) which touches on cleaning, but must be blind as can't spot the brush one  Will leave the first puck to contract a little more before knocking it out.
> 
> Thanks everyone else for your suggestions.


 Knock out puck, wait 5 seconds or so, use dry paintbrush (1 or 1.5 inch) to get residue out, use portafilter again *(because it stays hot)*, keep doing this until the last shot in a series, then rinse with water etc..No drying, no mucking about. It's the best way. Paintbrush doesn't need to be cleaned very often.


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## catpuccino (Jan 5, 2019)

I'm guilty of a quick rinse now and then even though I know it cools the portafilter down. :classic_ninja:


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

catpuccino said:


> I'm guilty of a quick rinse now and then even though I know it cools the portafilter down. :classic_ninja:


 Worst thing you can do if you are making another shot. I only rinse when I'm done. I also know why he couldn't find the Video, it's actually this one.


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## catpuccino (Jan 5, 2019)

DavecUK said:


> Worst thing you can do if you are making another shot. I only rinse when I'm done. I also know why he couldn't find the Video, it's actually this one.


 It's a zombie morning symptom. She never tastes the difference 👼 MaraX such a good looking little machine.


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## GordonH (May 22, 2019)

So @DavecUK would you clean the shower screen between shots? By this I mean running water through the group and wiping s.screen & group gasket with the group brush - rather than dropping the shower screen? I think you recommended this in a previous video. 
Or would that be more of an "end of a day" process?


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

GordonH said:


> So @DavecUK would you clean the shower screen between shots? By this I mean running water through the group and wiping s.screen & group gasket with the group brush - rather than dropping the shower screen? I think you recommended this in a previous video.
> Or would that be more of an "end of a day" process?


 See the end part of this video, or watch the whole thing and you will see what I do at the end of a shot. Then every 2-3 days drop the E61 shower screen and get it nice n clean...I only backflush with cleaner every few months because you have to lube after. With a solenoid group, or solenoid E61, I will happily backflush with cleaner every week or two as no lubing required. With a screw on shower screen I might clean less often, perhaps every 3 or 4 days as normally they are on solenoid vented machines and can be backflushed with cleaner more often. It's just adjusting to the group type you have and the number of coffees you make really. The problem is 1 coffee per day, still needs the machine cleaning as often as 5 coffees per day.


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## ZwiGGy (Jun 21, 2020)

My issue with not rinsing the PF properly down a sink is I usually have quite a few of the holes clogged with small pieces of grinds otherwise - will this not affect the flow of the next shot?

I use hot water to try to maintain temperature and will then leave it in the group again for a minute or so while I weigh out my next dose of beans.


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

ZwiGGy said:


> My issue with not rinsing the PF properly down a sink is I usually have quite a few of the holes clogged with small pieces of grinds otherwise - will this not affect the flow of the next shot?
> 
> I use hot water to try to maintain temperature and will then leave it in the group again for a minute or so while I weigh out my next dose of beans.


 If you are making 2 shots in a row, simply knock out the previous shot and use a paintbrush to brush out the portafilter (it dries in seconds), then load up for the new shot. Unless the puck has stuck to the shower screen you don't need to rinse the group/portafilter or clean it between successive shots (unless your HX needs to flush), only after a group of shots. If you look carefully you will often see the paintbrush on the counter in my videos.

The clean up at the end of the vid is when I make the last coffee. I do intend to do a morning coffee video on this when I have time.


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## Jony (Sep 8, 2017)

After every shot, and I use the Hot Water tap then dry .


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## cuprajake (Mar 30, 2020)

I pre heat my cups with boiled water so rinse with boiled kettle water,

Thats if im making a second shot, most times im splitting a shot to make two milky drinks


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## Mistle (Apr 25, 2020)

Jony said:


> After every shot, and I use the Hot Water tap then dry .


 I like this idea. Do you find it interferes with the smart cycle of the machine and steam pressure?


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

@Mistle I use a 1.5 or 2 inch dry paintbrush on the portafilter to get any bits after knocking it out...I only clean it after I have finished all shots.


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## Mistle (Apr 25, 2020)

DavecUK said:


> @Mistle I use a 1.5 or 2 inch dry paintbrush on the portafilter to get any bits after knocking it out...I only clean it after I have finished all shots.


 Cheers, sounds like a good solution I'll try it out


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