Cleaning is not only beneficial for your health, but it also affects the longevity of your instruments. Same with the Coffee machine. Gaggia Classic espresso machine lets you taste Italian espresso at your home.
And with this great taste, there comes a responsibility for you. To keep clean and maintain your espresso machine regularly. However, most espresso machines at home aren’t as clean as coffee shops. And that’s why they have to face many issues.
In this quick article, I will teach you a few ways of cleaning different parts of your Gaggia Classic espresso machine. But sometimes it doesn’t matter how much you clean, some problems won’t be solved. In that case, the only is to look for a new one and my Gaggia espresso machine reviews can help you find a suitable machine for you.
Descaling
Descaling is a well-known process to clean important parts of your espresso machine and this is recommended by most of the experts to descale an espresso machine on a regular basis to keep it working properly. You need a descaling cleaner to clean your espresso. However, before choosing one, check the Gaggia Classic’s manual to see if there are any restrictions, as restrictions differ from model to model.
Follow the steps to descale your espresso machine:
- First, decide what you want to use to clean your espresso cleaner. You can choose Citric acid, vinegar and lemon, these all are natural, and you can also choose any commercial descaling product.
- Now mix it, whatever you have chosen with water.
- Fill the reservoir with the mixture. It runs through your espresso maker, cleaning jammed gunk from minerals and other elements. Thus, this process dissolves those things while passing. Run this process a few times if needed.
- To ensure all the descaling product has flushed out from your espresso machine, fill the resolver with water and do the previous process.
- Make sure the water coming out from the espresso is clean and there is no smell of citric acid or vinegar. If not, follow the process until you are not getting clean water.
Lastly, make yourself a cup of espresso as a reward for cleaning your machine.
Backflushing
Backflushing is quite a popular espresso cleaning method. It is the process used to clean out the shower screen, brew group and three-way valve. Normally, it is recommended to water backflush any day the machine is used. But if you can do it once a week, that will be alright.
Steps
- Remove the filter basket and put it inside a blind basket.
- Add half teaspoon of backflushing cleaner in that blind basket.
- Now, put the filter basket back into the portafilter and turn on the pump.
- Active the brew cycle for 20 seconds and let the machine release pressure. Repeat this process a few times until your pump is clean.
- Remove the portafilter. And then active brew cycle and rinse portafilter in a stream of water from the group head.
- Now do the same process with no cleaner so by only cleaning. Do this until there is no foam coming out.
This entire process will take only five minutes of your time. Add this to your weekly routine. But it doesn’t clean your whole machine. Some of the parts, you have to clean individually. Like the screen. You also have to clean it on a regular basis.
GroupHead Cleaning
Group head is an essential part of any espresso machine to make a great cup of coffee. It is the metal part which brings water out of the machine into the machine. Different parts stuck in it, you should clean it on a monthly basis.
Follow these steps to clean the group head
- First, you need to disassemble the parts of the espresso machine. To do that, take apart the lid, pull out the drip tray and also take out the water tank.
- The next thing you have to do is locate the shower screen screw to take it out. And pull out the screen.
- Then remove the two five millimetre allen bolts and the shower holding plate will come out on its own.
- Now, mix the ground head cleaner into the water. And drop those parts into the mixture and wait for five minutes.
- On that extra time, take a cleaning brush to clean the group head. Do it carefully, though.
- Before reassembling all the parts, make sure the shower screen and the holder are dry and there is no smaller or cleaner.
- Last, reassemble all the parts and your machine group is completely clean.
Final Verdict
Cleaning your coffee machine is a little hassle, I know. But it is necessary for your machine to work properly and for you to have a perfect cup of espresso. And, if you add this in your daily routine, it’s not a hard job.
Those cleaning I mentioned before, cover the most important parts of your coffee machine. But you also need to keep other parts clean. You don’t need to do daily but weekly or even monthly is enough.
