Green Coffee Buying Club
Coffee Discussion boards => Hardware & Equipment => Topic started by: Coffeefreak on March 18, 2011, 10:43:15 AM
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For the first time, I backflushed my Sylvia and was favorably impressed with the results. This was after checking with Chris Coffee and being told that it was not only a recommended procedure but new Sylvias are now shipping with a backflush rubber insert. So proud was I that I emailed a list of Cafiza's ingredients to my brother - the Biochemist. His response:
To clean your espresso machine, it would be just as efficient (maybe better) if you used a cup of vinegar to go through one cycle and then flush out the vinegar with two to three cycles of water.
Any comments?
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Vinegar will not remove coffee lacquers which builds up in the 3-way valve, passages, and grouphead. Use a strong detergent to backflush and clean the grouphead parts. For descaling I recommend a citric acid solution - 2 tablespoons to 1 quart water.
Backflush with plain water daily and with detergent weekly.
Descale at least every 3 months, or more depending on your water pH.
My mantra: "Keep 'em clean, keep 'em working!"