Buying task · Cleaning and maintenance
Cleaning and maintenance
How often to backflush, what espresso machine cleaner does and does not do, and why your machine's manual decides which cleaning steps apply.
Short answer
Your machine's manual decides how you clean it. Breville tells Barista Express owners to run a clear-water backflush after each brewing session, and a cleaning cycle with a tablet when the CLEAN ME light comes on.[1][2] Profitec and ECM suggest a backflush with cleaner after about 90 to 140 cups, and warn that doing it too often strips grease from moving parts.[3][4] Descaling is a separate job.
Two jobs: cleaning and descaling
Coffee leaves oils and fine grounds in the group head, valves and portafilter. Espresso machine cleaner is made for those: Urnex says its Cafiza powder removes coffee residue and oils from group heads, valves and lines.[5] Descaling removes mineral scale from the water side of the machine.
Breville's guide treats its back-flushing cycle as separate from descaling,[2] and Urnex's Cafiza page does not mention descaling at all.[5] Use each product for its own job; Cafiza vs descaler explains the difference.
What the manuals say
| Machine | Routine | Deeper clean |
|---|---|---|
| Breville Barista Express | Clear-water backflush after each brewing session[1] | When CLEAN ME lights: the 1 CUP basket, the cleaning disc and one tablet, about 5 minutes[2] |
| Profitec PRO 400 and JUMP | Occasional rinses without cleaner | Blind filter and group cleaner after about 90 to 140 cups, repeated up to 10 times[3] |
| ECM Classika PID | Occasional rinses without cleaner | Blind filter with half a spoon of detergent after about 90 to 140 cups[4] |
Backflush only if your manual describes it, and use the blind basket or cleaning disc it specifies. If your manual is silent, ask the machine's maker before you try. How to backflush walks through the common procedures.
Using a detergent such as Cafiza
Urnex's backflush procedure for Cafiza is: up to half a teaspoon (3 g) in a blind filter; brew for 10 seconds and stop for 10 seconds, five times; rinse; repeat the five cycles without powder; then pull one espresso and throw it away to clear any traces of cleaner.[5]
For removable parts, Urnex suggests a soak of 6 g of powder per liter of hot water for 30 minutes, then a rinse, and says not to submerge a portafilter's handle.[5] If your manual gives a different dose or routine, follow the manual for the machine and the cleaner's label for the soak.
Caring for accessories
- Blind basket or cleaning disc: blocks the basket so water flows back through the group. Use the one your machine's maker specifies.
- Group brush: clears grounds from the gasket and shower screen between backflushes.
- Care labels differ. Breville says its BEA201 dosing funnel is dishwasher safe; De'Longhi says its black wood DLSC080 tamper is not.[6][7] Acaia says to clean its Lunar scale with a soft cloth and warm water only.[8]
- Puck screens and baskets: rinse them after each session so coffee oils do not dry on. See puck screens for screen care.
A simple schedule
- After each session: rinse the portafilter and basket, wipe the group, and do a clear-water backflush if your manual calls for one.
- When the manual says: a backflush with cleaner, by cup count or warning light.
- When the manual says: descale, using the method your manual describes.
Everything in this topic
Guides
- Cafiza vs descaler: which does what?Stops you using the wrong chemical by explaining what an espresso detergent and a descaler each remove, where each goes and how often.
- How to backflush an espresso machineGives you a safe backflush routine and shows how to confirm your machine is designed for it before you start.
Common questions
Can I descale with Cafiza?
No. Urnex describes Cafiza as removing coffee residue and oils, and its page does not present it as a descaler. Use the descaler your machine's manual names. More in Cafiza vs descaler: which does what?
Can I backflush with descaler?
Only if your manual says so. Breville, for example, describes its back-flushing cleaning cycle as separate from descaling, and the two use different products. More in Cafiza vs descaler: which does what?
Are Breville cleaning tablets a descaler?
No. Breville's Barista Express guide uses one cleaning tablet with the cleaning disc for its back-flushing cleaning cycle, which it says is separate from descaling. More in Cafiza vs descaler: which does what?
Is Cafiza safe to use on parts that touch coffee?
Urnex says Cafiza is NSF and Kosher (pareve) certified. Rinse thoroughly, and after a backflush pull and discard one espresso, as Urnex directs. More in Cafiza vs descaler: which does what?
Can I use vinegar to descale my espresso machine?
Use the descaler and procedure in your machine's manual. We have no verified source on vinegar for espresso machines, so we do not recommend improvising with it. More in Cafiza vs descaler: which does what?
Can every espresso machine be backflushed?
No. Only backflush if your manual describes it. Breville, Profitec and ECM document it for the machines we checked; a blind basket in the box is a good sign, but the manual is the authority. More in How to backflush an espresso machine
How often should I backflush with detergent?
Follow your manual. Profitec's PRO 400 & JUMP manual and ECM's Classika PID manual both say about every 90 to 140 cups, and both warn that cleaning with detergent too often degreases moving parts. More in How to backflush an espresso machine
How much Cafiza do I use for a backflush?
Urnex says up to 1/2 teaspoon (3 g) in a blind filter for a backflush, and 6 g per liter of hot water when soaking parts. More in How to backflush an espresso machine
Questions
How often should I backflush my espresso machine with cleaner?
Follow your manual. Profitec and ECM both suggest a backflush with cleaner after about 90 to 140 cups and warn that doing it too often strips grease from moving parts. Breville's Barista Express prompts you with a CLEAN ME light.[3][4][2]
Is Cafiza a descaler?
No. Urnex says Cafiza removes coffee residue and oils from group heads, valves and lines, and its page does not mention scale. Breville also treats backflushing as separate from descaling. See Cafiza vs descaler.[5][2]
How much Cafiza goes in the blind basket?
Urnex says up to half a teaspoon (3 g), then five cycles of 10 seconds on and 10 seconds off, a rinse, five more cycles without powder, and one espresso pulled and thrown away.[5]
Can I soak my portafilter in espresso cleaner?
Urnex's soak for parts is 6 g of Cafiza per liter of hot water for 30 minutes, then a rinse, and it says not to submerge the portafilter's handle.[5]