You spent a considerable amount of money on your coffee machine, which will only last for many years if you take the time to clean it properly. Don’t know how to clean the Breville coffee machine?
So here is our guide on how to clean the Breville coffee machine!
How to Clean Breville Coffee Machine #1: Prevent the drip tray from getting dirty
Keep a folded microfibre on top of your drip tray to prevent your drip tray from getting dirty real quick. This will prevent the coffee from splashing into the drip tray as you make it.
Under the coffee grinder is another notorious spot for getting dirty. After the coffee has been ground, it usually sits in the crevices at the top of the machine. It’s like crumbs from a toaster when you move the machine a bit.
You can easily clean these off by rubbing them with the microfibre.
How to Clean Breville Coffee Machine #2: Cleaning the Portafilter
Every few weeks, clean the portafilter properly. The metal part that splits the espresso (the pour-out) builds up grime and coffee residue.
To clean the surface behind it, you can simply unscrew it.
How to Clean Breville Coffee Machine #3: Getting rid of dried milk on the steam wand (milk frother)
People often forget to clean the wand after making their first few cappuccinos or lattes. Upon returning, they discover dried milk on the wand.
Clean as you go is the easiest way to keep this clean. Then, use the microfibre cloth on the drip tray to run the steam for about 5 seconds after steaming the milk. Be careful – the steam will be very hot when you fold the microfibre!
Whenever you find yourself in the above situation and wonder how you can easily remove the dried milk, house cleaning will be much easier because all you need to do is point the steam wand over the hole in the drip tray for about 30 seconds before turning it off.
Count the 30 seconds from when the steam starts coming out, not when you turn the wand on because the steam will take a while to build up. Using your microfibre cloth, you should be able to easily wipe away the dried milk once it has been softened.
Cleaning the knock-boxes (coffee grind bins)
Your coffee knock-box is another part of your coffee-making setup that will probably get dirty quickly. This is where you put your used coffee grounds.
I ensure I don’t leave it for more than 3 days before cleaning. As a result, even though it isn’t full/overflowing, it does tend to go moldy fairly quickly.
It’s easiest for me to keep it clean by emptying the grinds into the flower beds.
Following emptying the box, I simply run it under the tap (it should all come off without wiping/scrubbing) and then hang it upside down to dry.
Quick tips:
- On drip trays, use a microfiber
- Store spare filter baskets and coffee skimmer blades in the back tray (shown below)
- Clean behind the portafilter pourer by unscrewing it
- Steam for 30 seconds to remove the dried milk from the wand
Using the Barista Express to run a flush-back cycle (Clean Me)
During a flush-back cycle, the “clean me” light will appear. As opposed to the descaling cycle (which has no light to tell you when it’s time – read on to learn more about the descaling cycle).
You must also run the “clean me” cycle once a month if you turn the machine off at the wall plug. The light indicator will never illuminate if you always turn it off at the wall plug.
Pressurized water is built up during the flush-back cycle, which cleans the machine’s interior. Normally, this happens before 200 cups of coffee. Sage/Breville recommends this happens every 200 cups.
You can purchase 3rd party cleaning tablets for much less than Breville or Sage branded ones if you run out of the few cleaning tablets that come with your machine.
Conclusion
When you know how to clean the Breville coffee machine, you can expect it to last a long time. For something that you use more often, it’s important to add this to your regular house cleaning routine.
It doesn’t matter whether you use cleaning tablets or regular store-bought vinegar for the descaling process.
Proper cleaning procedures and timing will likely result in a great cup of espresso.
