Looking after your coffee machine at home is SO important- for many reasons! Firstly, they don’t come cheap, and keeping your coffee machine properly maintained will ensure that it lasts for as long as possible and will save you the expense of buying a new one as cleaning it properly removes potential blockages of yeast and mold, plus the dreaded limescale.
Coffee machines are simply hotbeds for bacteria- damp and warm environments are their favourite- hence why a thorough deep clean is essential from time to time.
Secondly, a well-maintained machine will deliver better tasting and better quality coffee as there are no lingering germs that may potentially find its way into your drink! So, if you’re sitting here thinking ‘when was the last time I cleaned my coffee machine?’ and breaking out into a sweat at the thought, then read our top tips below:
Caring for and cleaning your coffee machine
- Try and get into the habit of washing every removable part of the coffee machine after each use, including the coffee pot, drip tray, waste containers, filters and filter baskets. This is really important as this will remove the build up of coffee and oil after making your drink.
- When you’re not using your coffee machine, simply turn it off! Not only is this obviously eco-friendly, which we are very passionate about at Iron & Fire, but it also prolongs the life of the device by consuming less energy and essentially staying newer for longer.
- Limescale isn’t something that just affects dishwashers and washing machines… unfortunately it is a common problem with coffee machines too, especially if you live in an area with hard water. Simply flushing the machine with tap water is not going to fix the issue. We recommend using a good descaler, like Puly Caff Machine Cleaner which we sell here, to ‘backflush’ your machine, removing residual build-up from your machine’s brewing valves and tubes. We recommend doing this once a week for best results. Also, if you do find that you are having problems with calcium deposits, then consider using filter water instead of water straight from the tap.
- Don’t leave old coffee grounds in the machine! It might be an easy thing to forget, especially if you’re rushing for work in the morning, but this is simply asking for bacteria to start growing and thriving in your machine. If you have a garden, then coffee grounds is excellent for both the compost heap and also for tomato growing!
- If there are any parts of your machine that are a little bit awkward to get to and you can see needs a good scrub, there’s no need to go out and purchase a fancy brushing tool. Simply find an old disused toothbrush and mixing some bicarb of soda with a little water to make a paste, you can reach every nook and cranny that needs attending to! Just make sure to turn the machine on for a full cycle to ensure the system has been flushed out properly.
We hope these tips help you to carry on making great quality coffee. Happy brewing folks 🙂
