Cleaning a fully automatic coffee machine
In order to experience the best possible coffee enjoyment at all times, there are certain issues you should pay attention to in the daily handling of your fully automatic coffee machine. Because unfortunately, a poorly maintained coffee machine offers perfect breeding grounds for scale, mould and bacteria. You can keep your fully-automatic machine clean and hygienic with little effort and the right means. We would like to give you an overview of what is particularly important, how you should proceed and how cleaning is performed as easily as possible.
Please move the mouse over the coffee machine and select an area:
Milk container & milk frother nozzle
Today there are more and more different coffee specialities. The machine manufacturers are now beginning to catch up with the trend and are equipping their devices with milk containers and milk frother nozzles. At last you can enjoy a delicious cappuccino or latte macchiato at the press of a button. Afterwards you need to immediately clean the milk frother, nozzles, tubes and container. Milk residues are the perfect breeding grounds for bacteria. In order to optimally remove these fat and protein deposits without leaving any residues, we recommend using Milk system cleaner.
Water tank
The same applies to the water tank as to the brewing unit and all water-carrying tubes. During the course of time, more and more scale deposits are formed, which should be removed from time to time with the Premium descaler. The normal descaling process is usually sufficient for this purpose. However, if the machine is not in use for a longer period of time, unsightly scale marks are formed, which can be easily removed with a little diluted Premium descaler. If it is known that the machine is not going to be in use, then it is recommended to empty the water, as it could otherwise become toxic.
Inside area
The inside area includes the coffee tray, water collection tank and also the brewing unit, whereby the latter has its own area due to its importance.
Warm and moist coffee residues are collected in the coffee tray, which is therefore easily subject to mould formation. Therefore, the tray should be emptied, rinsed and then left to dry well, if possible every day. Stubborn coffee grease gradually deposits, which cannot be loosened with water. Coffee Clean helps to dissolve these greases. In future, cleaning is much easier.
Similar applies to the water collection tank, since the annoying coffee residues are deposited here, too. In general one can say that the entire inside can be cleaned with our Coffee Clean. Simply spray on, allow to take effect for a moment and then wipe off with a damp cloth.
Brewing unit
Contamination in the brewing unit can often not be seen from the outside. It can also not be removed in all devices. However, if you do have the possibility, please remove it every 1 – 2 weeks and clean it thoroughly. Unhygienic residues that encourage the growth of mould are deposited here, too. Furthermore, the brewing unit should not be cleaned with washing-up liquid, since it also removes the silicone grease required for proper functioning. Suitable cleaning agents such as Coffee Clean only remove the coffee grease but leave the silicone grease of the brewing unit untouched.
The descaling of your device is at least equally important. Modern machines automatically remind you that it is time to remove scale deposits again. Unfortunately, these “reminders” are frequently only based on the number of cups dispensed. If you drink relatively little coffee, you may possibly be prompted to descale the machine only after quite a long time, which could be too late. As a general rule we recommend descaling the machine every 1-2 months at the latest.
But what is actually so bad about limescale? First of all it can be said that small quantities of scale even have a positive effect, as it settles on tubes and seals and protects them. Acids are necessary for each descaling or cleaning process, which may in time attack the components. It is exactly this film that then protects them. This is the reason why we advise against the use of granulate filters, as they filter off almost all of the limescale and the natural minerals. This also has a negative effect on the flavour of the coffee. In time, depending on the level of hardness, this film becomes increasingly thicker and leads to undesired effects. Due to the layer of limescale, the water is not longer as efficiently heated, which in turn results in longer heating times and hence to higher energy costs. In some machines, the brewing temperature even becomes too low. The limescale causes clogging in the tubes, which leads to excess pressure and at worst to damage to the machine. Our Premium descaler or our Premium descaler tablets, based on tasteless amidosulfonic acid, not only descale very efficiently, but also contain several additives to optimally condition and protect your machine.
Clogging is a permanent risk at other points, too. Coffee grease is released when grinding and compressing the coffee beans, which settles as a soft film on the small strainers in the machine, gradually clogging them up. Oils and greases are not water-soluble, therefore rinsing hardly has any cleaning effect. Here you need to use special cleaning agents. The Premium cleaning tablets dissolves these contaminants and restore the cleanliness and permeability of the strainers.
Housing
The housing not only becomes soiled by dirt and dust in everyday use; coffee grease also gradually settles and can only be removed with great effort. New top-grade machines have touch screens, chrome-plated fittings and stainless steel applications. These parts are particularly susceptible to finger marks, which can spoil the elegant impression.
Our solution for all of these problems is Cover Clean, as it not only gets rid of contamination, but also easily dissolves the coffee grease. Finger marks are removed and the cleaned surfaces subsequently have a lotus effect, which considerably and efficiently reduces new finger marks. And the coffee grease mentioned above is no problem, as Cover Clean can handle it all, needs no added alcohol and is absolutely odourless.
