# Another Backflush Question



## MooMaa (Jul 29, 2013)

If I regularly soak the dispersion plate (brass) and screen do I also need to backflush?

and if I do what else does backflushing clean?

Cheers


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Believe Gaggia don't recommend backflusing - why this is I don't understand. Perhaps it has more to do with avoiding warranty claims as, if you deliberately grind too fine and choke the machine, the effect produced is more or less the same as that produced by backflushing.

Backflushing cleans above the group head which can get gunged up with coffee oils residue. Maybe do it once to see if there is any gunge build up - if there isn't you probably don't need to repeat.


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## Beanosaurus (Jun 4, 2014)

MooMaa said:


> If I regularly soak the dispersion plate (brass) and screen do I also need to backflush?
> 
> and if I do what else does backflushing clean?
> 
> Cheers


Cafiza and other similar products are quite aggressive, and those of use who have used these to clean the original aluminium block using on our Classics have often found bits of black/grey crap flaking off of it.

It can also discolour the brass too so its good practice to remove the shower plate holder when backflushing with a detergent and ALWAYS if you have the original aluminium one.

I used to do a couple of backflushes without any detergent at the end of the day when I was running my Classic... I'm being a bit hamfisted and don't want to let it go just yet!


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## espressotechno (Apr 11, 2011)

Backflushing with Pulycaff (or equivalent) removes the coffee oils & ginge from the waterways inside the group head and the group exhaust valve.

It's important to keep backflushing until the water in the blank disc is clear.


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## MooMaa (Jul 29, 2013)

Thanks, I will backflush with some Pulycaff.

Do I do this when the machine has heated up the water to brew temperature?


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## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

Mark, who posts on here, from gaggiamanualservice, doesn't recommend backflushing if my memory serves me, and - again, from memory although it will be on a thread somewhere, it has something to do with the solenoid. I might have made all of this up, though.


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## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

Found the thread - Mark suggests it's a bad idea for the newer Classics with their smaller solenoids:

http://coffeeforums.co.uk/showthread.php?17867-Gaggia-back-flush-step-by-step&highlight=solenoid


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## Beanosaurus (Jun 4, 2014)

MooMaa said:


> Thanks, I will backflush with some Pulycaff.
> 
> Do I do this when the machine has heated up the water to brew temperature?


Yep.

Someone at where I work has a really dirty and abused Classic that is never cleaned or serviced (until I pleaded to do it!) and last year the solenoid got stuck, he eventually took the thing out and soaked it in warm water and Puly Decaf for a while.

Popped it back in and it hasn't missed a beat since.


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