# Cleaning steam wand on Classic



## Phil66 (Jul 3, 2016)

Hello folks,

I just tried my first milk foam and immediately wiped the wand but the milk was already dried to it. It cleaned up ok when it had cooled. Am I doing something wrong or is that how it is. I've got a Silvia wand in place of the original plastic thing.

Cheers

Phil


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## MediumRoastSteam (Jul 7, 2015)

Phil66 said:


> Hello folks,
> 
> I just tried my first milk foam and immediately wiped the wand but the milk was already dried to it. It cleaned up ok when it had cooled. Am I doing something wrong or is that how it is. I've got a Silvia wand in place of the original plastic thing.
> 
> ...


Hi Phil,

That's just how it is: Milk will cake almost instantly on the steam wand. Make sure that, immediately after steaming, you wipe the steam wand clean with a wet cloth and that you purge a small amount of steam afterwards so no milk would even think about travelling upwards to find its way into the boiler, which will give you a very sour experience - literally 

That just becomes part of the routine. I always steam, wipe clean, purge and then pour. The clean and purge should take no more than 10 seconds, if that.

Also, on a Gaggia Classic, make sure that you always refil the boiler after steaming by allowing water out of the steam wand. Open the steam wand, turn the brew button on, see water coming out of the steam wand and brew head, turn the steam valve, switch the brew button off.

Hope that helps!


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## Phil66 (Jul 3, 2016)

Yes thanks. I was thinking how easy they clean the wand in coffee shops though, a quick wipe and it's done. I had to wait for it to cool to be able to get the film of milk off.

Cheers

Phil


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## Kman10 (Sep 3, 2014)

Make sure the cloth is damp and the milk will come off no problem


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## Missy (Mar 9, 2016)

Yep wet cloth. I use a microfibre one. Comes straight off. Needs to be wet though not just mildly damp, otherwise the heat dissipates the water.


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## Phil66 (Jul 3, 2016)

Ahhh, thanks. I was using dry paper kitchen towel


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