# How to make a big improvement in your espresso



## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

Every so often I make one of these posts, because it's amazing how we forget.

Let's just start with this to ensure we get the message across loud and clear. *Backflushing with cleaner, does very little to really clean the important pars of your machine with respect to making espresso*. What it does do is clean some gunk out of the group valves, cam chamber, preinfusion chamber and especially the lower group valve system. It does a terrible job of cleaning the shower screen, behind it and the dispersion disk. This applies both to E61 and non E61 groups.

Nowadays I backflush with cleaner rarely, with water at the end of each day, with cleaner every 3 months or so....but I drop the shower screen clean it all, every day or two and never more than 3.

http://coffeetime.wikidot.com/how-to-make-a-big-improvement-in-shot-quality

For me this is not optional and it shouldn't be for you either.


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## Dylan (Dec 5, 2011)

Mine is always ashamedly gunked up when I come to clean it...


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## Xpenno (Nov 12, 2012)

I cleaned mine yesterday, but I'm guilty as charged when it comes to cleaning it regularly and I'm certainly not cleaning every 3 days at the moment. I will however see if I can improve on this going forward, thanks for the info









Spence


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## ajh101 (Dec 21, 2013)

Surely the frequency would be a factor of usage?


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## Xpenno (Nov 12, 2012)

ajh101 said:


> Surely the frequency would be a factor of usage?


Not necessarily, if the first shot covers the screen with oils and then you don't have another cup for a week then the oils could still go off. I guess the more you use it the more build-up you get but you do get build-up from the first shot.


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## bignorry (Mar 19, 2013)

I pop off shower screen and throw it in dishwasher at least once a week along with the portafilter and basket for same reason.


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## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

Another perhaps forgotten essential is to disinfect your water-tank very often. Water sat at that temperature is breeding ground for bacteria.

Recommend Oxi clean then star san bi-monthly


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## ronsil (Mar 8, 2012)

DavecUK said:


> I backflush with cleaner rarely, with water at the end of each day, with cleaner every 3 months or so....but I drop the shower screen clean it all, every day or two and never more than 3.For me this is not optional and it shouldn't be for you either.


I learnt that from you many moons ago & have kept it up to the benefit of my various machines I've owned since then.

It's very worth while doing.


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## Charliej (Feb 25, 2012)

I also drop the screen every 2-3 days as I was totally surprised and ashamed by the filth the 1st time I ever did this. I also think it is even more important for Gaggia Classic user to do as the dispersion disc is aluminium.I would also advocate removing the screen and dispersion plate before chemical backflushing and cleaning with something like Fairy Powerspray, this advice is intended only for Gaggia domestic machines with the aluminium dispersion plate.


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## 14gg (Dec 24, 2012)

I follow this process - Pollards equipment cleaning guide is very thorough and has a lot of good advice, they recommend removing it and cleaning it weekly. This is the link: http://pollards.com/how-to-clean-coffee-machine/


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## kikapu (Nov 18, 2012)

garydyke1 said:


> Another perhaps forgotten essential is to disinfect your water-tank very often. Water sat at that temperature is breeding ground for bacteria.
> 
> Recommend Oxi clean then star san bi-monthly


oops 13ch


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## DavidBondy (Aug 17, 2010)

garydyke1 said:


> Recommend Oxi clean then star san bi-monthly


I'm not familiar with either of these Gary. Can you be more specific. Where do you buy them? Are they bleachy? I tend to use dilute Milton's (the stuff you use for babies bottles)!

Thanks,

David

PS I've never got a shower screen out without wrecking the gasket so I only take mine off every few months when the gasket needs changing!!


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

DavidBondy said:


> I'm not familiar with either of these Gary. Can you be more specific. Where do you buy them? Are they bleachy? I tend to use dilute Milton's (the stuff you use for babies bottles)!
> 
> David
> 
> PS I've never got a shower screen out without wrecking the gasket so I only take mine off every few months when the gasket needs changing!!


I bung a Miltons type tablet in the tank every now and then and let it sit, then empty rinse a lot and put it back in the machine.

I'll send the heavy boys round to make sure you clean behind there every few days....why can you not get the gasket out without damaging it on an ECM Mechanica?


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## Olliehulla (Feb 26, 2013)

My gear is always kept as clean as a nun's conscience. Given the amount of effort / money / time most people on CFUK expend on making the best tasting coffee they can, not keeping clean equipment sounds strange to me but hey ho....


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## Milanski (Oct 10, 2013)

I wash my tank with washing up liquid every re-fill.

Is this not efficient enough to kill bacteria??


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

garydyke1 said:


> Another perhaps forgotten essential is to disinfect your water-tank very often. Water sat at that temperature is breeding ground for bacteria.
> 
> Recommend Oxi clean then star san bi-monthly


Am I missing something here - doesn't the water get heated up in the boiler which will kill any bacteria?? Don't like the idea of putting anything into the reservoir that might taint.

I take out the reservoir once a month and wash with warm water - no detergent to ensure any slime build up is removed - that's all.


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## froggystyle (Oct 30, 2013)

I am thinking of knocking up some kind of water bottle holder on the side of my classic, i really dont like the idea of water sitting in the tank, and its a little fiddly to pull out everytime you have used it.

Just need to put something in place to catch the return water...


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## Spazbarista (Dec 6, 2011)

The Systemic Kid said:


> Am I missing something here - doesn't the water get heated up in the boiler which will kill any bacteria?? Don't like the idea of putting anything into the reservoir that might taint.
> 
> I take out the reservoir once a month and wash with warm water - no detergent to ensure any slime build up is removed - that's all.


No, I don't think you are missing anything. Bacteria which are harmful to humans will be killed off by the temps in your boiler.

Also, on back flushing with detergent, I am constantly surprised by the flakes of gunge that are ejected. I think it is worthwhile.

I also find that the shower screen is fairly well cleaned. It is the dispersion plate that doesn't seem to get touched. When I back flush, I always pop screen off, give the plate a wipe and then soak screen, basket and pf in detergent for a few hours.

I can taste the difference.


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## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

The Systemic Kid said:


> Am I missing something here - doesn't the water get heated up in the boiler which will kill any bacteria?? Don't like the idea of putting anything into the reservoir that might taint.
> 
> I take out the reservoir once a month and wash with warm water - no detergent to ensure any slime build up is removed - that's all.


You have to boil water for 10-15 mins to make it sanitary enough for beer making . I wouldn't want to risk the coffee machines intake tubing becoming a bacteria zone


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## Spazbarista (Dec 6, 2011)

I think you are worrying uneccesarily.

You will find bacteria in your reservoir. You won't find them coming out of your group. The kinds of bacteria harmful to humans are killed off at 65°.

Beer making is different. You are leaving hot liquid to cool down to room temperature and leaving it for a week or so with a plentiful supply of food.

However, when all is said and done cleaning the tank is a sensible idea.


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

I still got loads of explobeans for the grinder cleaning


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## mym (Sep 15, 2009)

A useful reminder (he wrote, having been prompted to pop the shower screen off).


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

I was hoping to see some pictures of what you guys found when those shower screens came off....you know the shower screen selfies.


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## coffeechap (Apr 5, 2012)

Think I might take the screen off my l1 too show you all one of the other pleasures of using a lever, as no solenoid means very little sucking up of coffee back through the shower screen, took my screen off after 6 months of use with only minimal crap behind the shower screen, sucks to be a pump head!


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## Daren (Jan 16, 2012)

coffeechap said:


> sucks to be a pump head!


Says the lever lout!


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## Wobin19 (Mar 19, 2013)

Great advise, thanks. I popped mine ofo and gave it all a good clean. It was gunked up a bit but looks like new again now. This is such a simple task, I will try and make a habit of it.


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

Wobin19 said:


> Great advise, thanks. I popped mine ofo and gave it all a good clean. It was gunked up a bit but looks like new again now. This is such a simple task, I will try and make a habit of it.


If neglected you end up having to place the shower screen on the gas ring and burn the varnish outta the holes....you only do that once because the screen is never quite the same again.


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## Dylan (Dec 5, 2011)

Cleaned mine out today... yuck.


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## Thecatlinux (Mar 10, 2014)

DavecUK said:


> I was hoping to see some pictures of what you guys found when those shower screens came off....you know the shower screen selfies.


 This is the classics screen after about 4 days and at least 15-20 shots


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## Spazbarista (Dec 6, 2011)

Be interesting to see a photo after back flushing with detergent, after all the main thrust of the OP seems to be that it doesn't clear the gunk from the screen.

It does on my E61 screen, but it may not on other models.


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

Expobarista said:


> Be interesting to see a photo after back flushing with detergent, after all the main thrust of the OP seems to be that it doesn't clear the gunk from the screen.
> 
> It does on my E61 screen, but it may not on other models.


It doesn't on my E61 screen, a little, but not very much. Also that regular old detergent backflush....not so good to do every few days. here are the photos below

http://coffeetime.wikidot.com/how-to-make-a-big-improvement-in-shot-quality


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## Spazbarista (Dec 6, 2011)

I probably do a detergent clean every fortnight (@ 2/3 coffees per day). Lube every 4 to 6 weeks. Always still plenty of lube left on the bits when I come to relube.

I do flush the head out using a blind filter at the end of every session, though. That perhaps prevents a bit of the crap from lingering.

If I remember I'll take some shots of the screen and dispersion plate in a fortnight and post them.


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

Expobarista said:


> I probably do a detergent clean every fortnight (@ 2/3 coffees per day). .


I make 10 to 20 per day.....so I do in 2 days what you do in 2 weeks.


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## Milanski (Oct 10, 2013)

DavecUK said:


> I make 10 to 20 per day.....so I do in 2 days what you do in 2 weeks.


Is that for other people or you drink that many a day??


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## Spazbarista (Dec 6, 2011)

DavecUK said:


> I make 10 to 20 per day.....so I do in 2 days what you do in 2 weeks.


In which case I'd be detergent back flushing every two day


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## Charliej (Feb 25, 2012)

One thing I have found is that the IMS screen really does help to keep the back of the screen and the dispersion plate a lot cleaner, I may treat myself to the woven mesh 35uM screen at some point as an experiment.


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