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OT: Espresso machine cleaning tip ![]() Posted by MI-Roger [Email] ![]() ![]() |
We periodically use either distilled white vinegar or perculator cleaner to keep the insides of our Breville espresso machine heating properly. This week I had a problem wherein the hot coffee would not discharge from the grinds cup. The pump was feverishly cycling and obviously dead-heading based on the noise it was making.
Mechanical cleaning of the coffee basket/filter/screen with the provided pin-ended cleaning tool did not help. Use of the single cup sized coffee basket/filter presented no problem, so obviously the two cup basket/filter that I routinely use was seriously plugged. Since this is a double shell stainless steel basket with no way to access the sealed chamber between the shells I started looking for a repalcement basket.
What I discovered instead was the recommendation to use a Caustic Soda solution to clean the basket. Replacement baskets are ~$20 and a jar of powdered Drain Cleaner (Caustic Soda) was only $3.50 at the local Hardware Store. Wow did this work great! Following the instructions on the jar for a blocked drain, we placed one tablespoon of the powdered Sodium Hydroxide in a glass jar, inserted the dirty coffee basket, added enough water to cover the basket, sat the jar on a hot pad or heat resistant surface (it gets HOT), and waited a few hours for the reaction to cease. Then rinse and clean everything thoroughly!
It was astounding how much coffee was trapped between the shells of this coffee filter that gets rinsed and washed within an hour of each daily use.
Caution! Use this only to clean the removable Stainless Steel coffee basket. DO NOT use this solution to clean the machine internals which likely contain materials that will be destroyed by the corrosive liquid. Wash and rinse the coffee basket multiple times after cleaning to remove all traces of the solution. Use of a mild vinegar solution to clean your entire machine and neutralize any remaining caustic in the coffee basket would not be unreasonable.
Saved me from spending $20 plus shipping for a new coffee basket.
->Posting last edited on Sun, 17 Jan 2016 05:38:36.
_______________________________________ Saabs owned: 2008 9-5 Aero Sedan, sold at 227K miles 2006 9-3SC 2.0T - Wife's daily driver 2000 Viggen Convertible - Sold May, 2022 1964 Quantum IV Formula Car - Retirement project 2000 9-5lpt Sedan, sold at 318K miles
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