# How to clean inside an Andreja boiler without dismantling it. Milk contaminated!



## qwertyuiop7 (Sep 21, 2015)

Hi,I have a very funny tasting water coming out of the hot water tap and the steam from the wand smells horrible, milk frothed with it tastes proper horrid. After many hours with google, I think I have a milk contaminated boiler. I think i know how it happened, but im not sure how to get rid of it.

I have removed just the wand and throughly cleaned that but its made no difference, also done a strong mixture de-scale which also did nothing.I don't really want to have to take the boiler out as it's a proper big job, so can i flush some sort of cleaning product through the boiler like I would do with a citric acid solution when i do a de-scale.

I was thinking about removing the actual level sensor itself, easy to get to and should undo fairly easily, then i can carefully pour the solution directly in to the boiler through a small funnel, let it do its work then with a small section pipe try to syphon out as much of the cleaning solution as i can so it flushes alot quicker.

Just not sure which product is going to be best ?

A post on Home-Barista forum suggests using either Joe glo or Cafiza

http://www.joeglo.com/Pages/JoeGlo%20Jar%20page.html

http://www.urnexbrand.com/products/Cafiza_Espresso_Machine_Cleaning_Powder.aspx

But neither of these appear to be available in the UK :-(

Maybe a weak bleach solution?

Baby bottle sterilizing solution - Milton ?

Puly caff plus ? - http://www.pulicaff.com/store/store/comersus_viewItem.asp?idProduct=90

Milk plus ? - http://www.pulicaff.com/store/store/comersus_viewItem.asp?idProduct=116

Any other suggestions, I realise i will have to do lots of flushing out to remove the cleaning poducts but this should be easier than stripping the machine

Thanks


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## El carajillo (Mar 16, 2013)

Even if you remove the safety plug or fill level probe it is extremely difficult to remove all residue from inside the boiler. I would suggest you bite the bullet and remove /clean the boiler.

You can then stand the boiler on end and thoroughly clean it and flush it out.

Where abouts are you ?


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## qwertyuiop7 (Sep 21, 2015)

If taking it to bits is the only real solution to ensure a "proper job" what product should i clean it with when its in bits?

(I in Crewe, Cheshire)


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## Glenn (Jun 14, 2008)

Joe Glo and Cafiza are both available in the UK

Cafiza easier to come by


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## urbanbumpkin (Jan 30, 2013)

El carajillo said:


> Even if you remove the safety plug or fill level probe it is extremely difficult to remove all residue from inside the boiler. I would suggest you bite the bullet and remove /clean the boiler.
> 
> You can then stand the boiler on end and thoroughly clean it and flush it out.
> 
> Where abouts are you ?


Hi Frank. Are suggesting removing the boiler completely or doing what we did I.e. take out the heating element, turning the machine upside down and filling the boiler up with descaler?


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## qwertyuiop7 (Sep 21, 2015)

Glenn said:


> Joe Glo and Cafiza are both available in the UK
> 
> Cafiza easier to come by


Any idea where from?

A search with google has only found places in the US and Australia !


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## El carajillo (Mar 16, 2013)

Hi Clive, either but just removing the heating element is simplest. but as you found out it is difficult / awkward to shake the whole machine also depending on how tight the element is it is difficult to hold tightly in the machine in order to unscrew.


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## urbanbumpkin (Jan 30, 2013)

When I stripped the boiler I removed the heating element, drained the boiler and refilled it upside down with citric acid over night.

Undoing the nut first time is really tough. You need a strap wrench wrapped round the top or bottom of the boiler (the thickest part. To apply force in the opposite direction that the spanner turns. This stops the boiler twisting. It's much easier as a 2 man job (especially if one of them is El Carajillo)


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