A commercial espresso machine needs a few minutes of cleaning every day, a deeper clean every week, and a technician on a regular schedule. Daily cleaning protects the taste of every shot. Periodic service catches worn parts before they turn into a dead machine on a Saturday morning.
Here is the routine we recommend to cafes, diners, and restaurants across the Richmond area. Always check your machine's manual first, since some steps depend on the model.
Key takeaways
- Purge the wand and flush the group after every drink.
- Backflush and soak baskets every night, if your machine allows it.
- Clean shower screens and grinder burrs every week.
- Filter your water. Scale is a common cause of repairs.
- Call a technician before a small problem stops service.
Cleaning schedule at a glance
| When | What to do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| After every drink | Purge the wand, rinse the portafilter, flush the group | Keeps milk and old grounds out of the next drink |
| Every night | Backflush, soak baskets, brush gaskets, empty the drip tray | Removes coffee oils that turn bitter |
| Every week | Shower screens, grinder burrs, water filter check, leak check | Catches buildup and small problems early |
| On a schedule | Gaskets, screens, filters, technician visit | Replaces parts before they fail |
After every drink
- Purge and wipe the steam wand. Milk dries fast and clogs the tip.
- Knock out and rinse the portafilter. Old grounds turn bitter.
- Flush the group head for a second or two before the next shot.
Daily, at close
- Backflush each group with a blind basket and espresso machine cleaner, if your machine is built for it. Rinse with clean water afterward.
- Soak portafilters and baskets in a cleaning solution, then rinse.
- Brush the group gasket and shower screen to clear grounds.
- Soak the steam wand tip if milk has built up.
- Empty and rinse the drip tray and wipe down the machine.
- Brush out the grinder chute and empty any coffee left in the hopper overnight.
Weekly
- Remove and clean the shower screens and the area behind them.
- Clean the grinder burrs with a grinder cleaner or a brush, following the maker's directions.
- Check the water filter and note how much it has been used.
- Look for leaks under the machine and around the groups.
Periodic service
Some parts wear out no matter how well you clean. Group gaskets and shower screens harden and crack over time. Water filters reach their limit. Burrs dull. Your technician should set a schedule for these based on how busy you are and how your water tests.
Water matters more than most owners expect. Scale from untreated water is a common cause of espresso machine repairs. Filtration sized for your machine, changed on time, protects the boiler and the taste.
Signs it is time to call a technician
- Shots run too fast or too slow and grinder changes do not fix it
- Brew temperature or steam pressure swings during service
- Water leaks from the groups, the boiler, or under the machine
- The machine trips a breaker or shows an error
- Steam is weak or the boiler takes longer to recover
Do not wait for the machine to stop. A small leak or a tired gasket is a short visit. A burned-out element in the middle of rush is a lost day.
Who keeps your machine running
When we install a machine, we calibrate it at your shop and train your baristas on it. We handle repairs, calibration, and water filtration ourselves, with a service tech team across Richmond and Portsmouth and parts in stock for every machine we sell. See how it works on our espresso machines and equipment page.
Training a new team on the routine? Our post on barista training for Richmond cafes covers what to teach first.
Print this for the back of the bar
- After every drink: purge the wand, knock out and rinse the portafilter, flush the group.
- Every night: backflush, soak baskets and portafilters, brush gaskets, empty the drip tray.
- Every week: clean shower screens and burrs, check the water filter, look for leaks.
- On schedule: gaskets, screens, filters, and a technician visit.
Looking at a new machine for your shop, or replacing an old one? Start an espresso program and our team will reach out.