Whether you own a restaurant, bakery, or cafe, you will have to invest in commercial coffee equipment. Acquiring top-notch equipment is step one to having great coffee, but it also requires regular maintenance and cleaning. Any kind of regular usage can lead to a build-up of product and other minerals that will affect the taste and quality of your coffee and could, eventually, cause your machines and equipment to break down. To protect your investment and the quality of your coffee, you will need to establish routine cleanings for every piece of equipment in your shop.
How to Clean Your Coffee Equipment
There are a variety of different types of coffee equipment, such as brewers, grinders, espresso machines, and commercial blenders. The amount of machines and the type of machines you need depends on how central coffee is to your business. If you own a coffee shop, you are going to need a variety of machines to make a variety of drinks. On the other hand, if coffee is just one item on your menu, a simple coffee brewer might be enough.
Coffee Brewers
Your regular coffee brewers should be wiped down every day, and any pots and filter baskets should be thoroughly hand-washed. To clean your coffee brewers, we recommend using cleaning solutions, like Urnex, that are specifically designed for cleaning coffee machines. Be sure to clean off the spray head for any buildup at least once a week and do a complete mineral clean at least once every three months, depending on how much you use it.
Coffee & Espresso Grinder Hoppers
Coffee grinders and hoppers need to be thoroughly cleaned at least once every two weeks; however, you should do a basic wipe down with a brush or dry cloth at least once at the end of every day. If you are grinding up espresso beans, you need to do a thorough cleaning more often, as they tend to be much more oily in comparison to regular coffee beans. Consider buying special wipes to clean the coffee oil from your grinders.
Espresso Machines
The espresso machine can be seen as the most difficult machine to clean because of its size and various parts. Just like the other types of equipment on this list, you need to wipe down your espresso machine every day. Additionally, espresso machines must be backflushed every day at the end of the day. This is the mandatory maintenance to keep the machine running. If you use any kind of chemical cleaner, be sure to rinse the machine off with water before using it again. Steam wands must be flushed and purged after each use to ensure safe food handling.
Commercial Blenders
Because commercial blenders are used to create a variety of drinks featuring an assortment of ingredients, it is best to wash and clean them before and after every use. At the end of every day, you should do a complete clean with soap and hot water.
Clean Your Equipment With 8 Simple Steps
As mentioned earlier, cleaning your commercial espresso machine may seem daunting and difficult at first, but it is actually quite simple. To clean your commercial espresso machine, you will need a chemical cleaner (backflush detergent) specifically designed to clean build-up, a blind filter for group handle, a microfiber cloth, a group head brush, and a steam wand brush. Follow these simple steps to learn how to properly clean your commercial espresso machine:
- Place a blind basket portafilter into your group handle and add ½ teaspoon of backflush detergent.
- Lock in your portafilter into your group head and activate your brew cycle for 10 seconds. Repeat the brew cycle up to eight times, to ensure maximum cleanliness.
- Remove the portafilter and rinse the portafilter by allowing a stream of water to run from the group head.
- Lock the portafilter back into the group head back on the machine. Repeat Step 2 without any detergent to rinse and make sure that no detergent residue remains.
- To clean your screen, use your group head brush to gently scrub the screen and all around the seal while running hot water on them. This helps remove any spent coffee grounds, resins, flavors, and odors.
- Wipe the group head with a microfiber cloth to fully cleanse and polish it.
- Pull out the steam wand tip from your machine. Clean the inside of the steam wand with a steam wand brush to get rid of any residue or debris. Use a milk cleaning agent such as Urnex Rinza to dissolve any milk residue.
- Before reassembling your commercial espresso machine, wipe down its exterior to ensure full cleanliness.
As long as you follow these simple steps, cleaning your commercial espresso machine will be a breeze! Not only will you be able to get a better understanding of each component of your machine, but you will also be able to create the highest quality coffee for your customers.
Key Takeaways
Your commercial coffee equipment is a crucial part of your restaurant, bakery, or cafe. An important part of having great-tasting coffee is keeping up with regular clean-up of your brewers, grinders, espresso machines, and blenders. Gaviña Coffee Solutions provides an assortment of equipment solutions and hands-on training that will help you deliver superb coffee — every single time. Contact us for more information on how to properly maintain the quality of all of your coffee equipment.