# Gene Cafe : To Clean or not to clean?



## Syenitic

I have been using a second hand GC roaster (the small one) for about 10 months, roasting at least one 200g batch per week, often more.

The internal metal has become (more) discoloured and whilst I accept it is partly the heating of the steel I think it is 'roasted on volatiles' from the beans, this idea is supported by the recent appearance of a brown patch on one area of the glass cylinder, and the smell of burnt coffee when starting the roaster up after a minute or two.

Tonight I tried to clean this off several areas with Cafiza, and although it appeared to lift a small amount of brown-ness onto the cloth I used, it go no where near clearing it at all.

So my question is do you GC owners clean, and if so how?

Don't really want to go to the length of a caustic soda steep (which I have used on group head screens in the past with great success), but will do if this is the only way.

Thanks


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## johnealey

Hi Synetic

Can't comment on the use of caustic soda on the glass element may cause some harm to the seal at the base of the borosilicate glass where it joins to the top and bottom. @DavecUK may be able to advise if this a smart move or not

I tend to clean the metal divider after every session with fairy power spray and a quick squirt of same in the chamber and leave for 30 seconds seems to keep the glass clean, using a green nylon scrubbing pad for anything needing a bit of effort.

Above has kept both clean and roast about 4 or 5 x 250g lots a session.

Hope of some help and if not the chamber / metal divider can be bought as a spare part from Bella Barista if really an issue.

John


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## Syenitic

Hey @johnealy,

Thanks for your reply...Your words somehow brought back the Chemistry lesson back in the 70's in which teacher I am sure said caustic solutions were kept in plastic bottles, because glass stoppers in the normal acid containers would corrode. I think the metal plate would be ok, but perhaps not the rest

I had no issue with the shower plate, it came up like new.

I think your solution of a deep clean after every roast is what I should have done. The only issue I really have is that the deposits on the glass are now interfering with observation...I was never one to trust to time, and always ended a roast manually.

thanks again,

Ian


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## johnealey

Should you need a new chamber to start afresh as it were, whilst out of stock at moment:

http://www.bellabarista.co.uk/genecafe-chamber-assembly-cra75-001a.html

Drop them an email / call them and they may be able to advise when next in stock or when they can add to their next shipment.

John


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## DavecUK

Gene is very easy to clean:

1. Split the chaff collector box and between the two metal filters you often find crud (yes there is 2 of them not 1).

2. I never bother to clean the metal parts inside the chamber

3. Remove metal bits in centre of chamber by sliding out.





 Then clean glass using Mr Muscle oven cleaner. Spray inside and use a toothbrush to coat evenly. Wait 5-10 minutes, then use toothbrush again to remove dirt, rinse well with cold water and dry so screws don't corrode. This should bring the glass up as new. Don't leave the oven cleaner on too long as it's caustic soda and Borosilicate glass is much more sensitive to clouding from caustic than ordinary glass. I used to take the glass out I think, but you don't need to.

4. Check and clean the gauze filter under the roaster, it's suprising how for some people this can become quite blocked.

5. On the outside of the roaster (plastic and metal parts etc.. use Spray class cleaner and a cloth....the autoglass one works really well but it expensive, so any cheaper (Tesco) one will do.

I don't advocate cleaning the gene too often and the metal parts in the chamber that slide out perhaps once every 3 years. It is however worth keeping the exit plate clean, the one where the chaff scraper scraps as the grill can become sticky and hold onto chaff more. I used to clean my Gene every year (but that exit chaff plate in the chamber every 3 months) and it's not a particularly needy roaster for cleaning. It also comes up like new, if well looked after. I found it to have surprising longevity considering it's construction.


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## whattodo

I had used GC for more than a year. Generally, I was cleaning it every after 10 roasting session. I was using soda to clean the chamber. In order to clean chaff collector, first I was disassembling then washing in dishwasher.


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## hartshay

I rarely can mine and then only a rinse. Roasting about 1 kg per week


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## mathof

DavecUK said:


> Gene is very easy to clean:
> 
> 1. Split the chaff collector box and between the two metal filters you often find crud (yes there is 2 of them not 1).


When you say "split the chaff collector box", do you mean vertically (i.e., to remove the four screws that seem to hold it together) or just to take off the top?

Matt


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## froggystyle

The top pops off (the exhuast part), its just clips that hold it in place, very poorly on mine, any little taps and it comes apart.


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