Essential Coffee Equipment Cleaning for Coffee Shops

Every coffee shop, café, and restaurant relies on well-maintained equipment to keep things running smoothly. With new staff, evolving procedures, seasonal recipes, and industry shifts, it's easy for coffee equipment cleaning to fall by the wayside. But proper care is essential. A coffee shop owner or operator must understand how to clean and maintain their equipment to ensure every item on the menu tastes its best, stays safe for customers, and doesn’t wear down prematurely. In this blog, Dilworth—your go-to wholesale coffee roaster in Raleigh—shares essential coffee equipment cleaning tips, including steam wand cleaning, to help you stay on top of your maintenance game.

Coffee Equipment Cleaning: Daily, Weekly, and Deep-Cleaning Essentials

It’s often said that an espresso machine is like a car—it needs regular care and maintenance to keep it running in top condition. While the analogy isn’t perfect, the principle holds: effective coffee equipment cleaning is crucial for performance. From backflushing the espresso machine to deep cleaning group heads and gaskets, consistent upkeep ensures your shots stay delicious and your equipment lasts. Different components require attention on a daily, weekly, monthly, or quarterly basis. Let’s break down the cleaning schedule together.

Daily Cleaning: Espresso Machine Backflushing, Portafilters and Steam Wands

Backflushing the Group Head

A crucial part of any coffee equipment cleaning routine, backflushing helps maintain the internal health of your espresso machine. To start, remove the brew basket from your portafilter and replace it with a blank basket. Dissolve a small amount of espresso machine cleaner like Cafiza with hot water in the filter. Insert the portafilter back into the group head. Some machines have an automatic cleaning cycle, but manually running the machine for 10 seconds at a time (and repeating this five times) accomplishes the same thing. Afterward, remove the portafilter—you’ll likely see old coffee grounds and built-up oils. Rinse the blank basket, add hot water, and run the cycle again. This backflushing espresso machine process clears internal lines, dissolves lingering oils and minerals, and flushes dirty water through the drain. It’s a quick and essential step that only takes about 5–10 minutes.

Portafilters & Baskets

These two essential components of your espresso setup should be part of your regular coffee equipment cleaning routine. Start by removing the portafilters from the grouphead and popping out the baskets. Place everything into a plastic container or bucket. Add about a teaspoon of Cafiza, then fill the container with hot water until all the metal parts are fully submerged. You’ll notice the water becomes soapy as it begins to break down old coffee residue. Let the pieces soak for around 30 minutes, then scrub them clean with a sponge. Rinse thoroughly, dry completely, and return the portafilters to the grouphead. This simple espresso machine maintenance step helps prevent buildup and ensures clean-tasting espresso—plan for about 30–40 minutes total.

Steam Wands

Even if wiped regularly during service, steam wands can accumulate stubborn milk residue. This buildup can not only affect flavor but also serve as a breeding ground for harmful bacteria—definitely not something you want near your latte art. That’s why thorough steam wand cleaning should be part of your daily espresso machine hygiene routine.

At the end of every shift, fill two 32oz steam pitchers with hot water and dissolve one tab of Rinza in each. Submerge the entire steam wand into the solution, purge the wand for one second, and let it soak for 30 minutes. After soaking, purge the wand again for 5 seconds to clear out any remaining cleaner or residue, then fully dry it with a clean rag. This milk residue removal process helps keep drinks tasting fresh and your equipment sanitary. Total time: about 30–40 minutes, with minimal hands-on effort.

Weekly Cleaning: Grinder Burrs, Airpots and Syrup Pump Maintenance

Grinder Burrs

Burrs heat up with use and can trap old grounds and oils, which dulls performance and messes with flavor. Regular grinder burr cleaning keeps your equipment running smoothly and ensures consistent grind quality.

To clean, start by removing the hopper and any beans inside. Purge any grounds left in the chamber. Then, pour a capful of Grindz cleaning tablets directly into the grinder and run the machine to process them through. Once that’s done, run a small amount of stale coffee beans through to flush out any remaining cleaner. This simple step is key to effective coffee grinder maintenance and removing coffee oils—and only takes about 5 minutes from start to finish.

Airpots

At least once a week, your airpots and pump stems need a deep clean to prevent buildup and off-flavors. Here's how to do it right with Tabz cleaning tablets.

Start by placing one Tabz tablet into the bottom of the brew basket you normally use for brewing into airpots. Position the airpot underneath and run a full brew cycle—just hot water, no coffee. The hot water will dissolve the tab and fill the airpot with cleaning solution. Once brewed, remove the lid from the airpot and place the pump stem inside to soak. You can leave both the airpot and pump soaking overnight. This quick routine keeps your gear fresh, improves flavor, and is essential for proper coffee airpot maintenance.

The next morning, pour out the solution, scrub the inside of the airpot to remove loosened coffee residue, and wipe down the pump stem. After a full 24-hour soak, any brown buildup should be easy to clean off.

Syrup Pumps

Sticky pumps = sticky situations. Over time, sugar from syrups builds up, causing pumps to clog or harden. Regular cleaning not only keeps things sanitary—it also extends the life of your pumps.

To clean, remove the pumps from their bottles and soak them in hot water. While soaking, repeatedly pump hot water through each one until all sugar residue is cleared. There’s no need for soap—just heat and patience.

Even after cleaning, syrup pumps will usually retain the scent of the syrup they were used with. That’s totally normal—just be sure each pump goes back into the same bottle it came from to avoid flavor contamination.

Monthly Cleaning: Espresso Machine Screens

Espresso Machine Dispersion Screens

Over time, espresso grounds and oils build up behind the dispersion screen, affecting flavor and machine performance. Regular cleaning keeps espresso shots tasting clean and your machine running smooth.

To clean, use a stub-nose flathead screwdriver to carefully unscrew the screen from the grouphead. (Use a rag to hold the screen—it’s hot!) Once removed, separate the screen from the dispersion plate.

Place both the screen and the plate in a container with hot water and a teaspoon of Cafiza. Let them soak for 30 minutes. After soaking, scrub gently to remove any remaining residue. If the screen still looks worn or warped, go ahead and replace it—screens should be swapped out once or twice a year, depending on usage. Plates usually only need replacing if cracked or damaged. Total process time: 30–40 minutes.

Quarterly Cleaning: Espresso Machine Gaskets

Group Head Gaskets

Gaskets are small silicone rings that form a seal between the group head and portafilter. When working properly, they help create the vacuum necessary for extracting espresso. But over time—thanks to constant heat and pressure—gaskets dry out, crack, and lose their grip. A worn gasket leads to a loose portafilter and leaky espresso shots.

To replace a gasket, use a flathead screwdriver or similar tool to gently wedge between the gasket and the group head. Work around the circle, prying it loose. If it’s dried out, it might break into pieces—totally normal. Once the old gasket is out, lightly coat the new one with food-safe lubricant and press it into place around the screen. This simple fix takes about 10 minutes and makes a big difference in shot quality.

Why You Should Clean Your Equipment

Caffeine may have natural antibacterial properties, but that doesn’t mean your coffee gear is safe from grime. Stained coffee pots and neglected parts can harbor bacteria—some of which could make people sick. And even if it’s not dangerous, that buildup can leave your fresh brew tasting… not so fresh.

A 2015 study on capsule machines found that bacteria with pathogenic traits can bounce back fast—even after a quick rinse. Their conclusion? Coffee gear needs regular, thorough cleaning with proper products to keep contaminants from messing with your machine or your brew.

It’s easy to skip a clean during a rush or at closing time, but buildup happens fast—and it leads to bigger problems. Grease, minerals, and old coffee oils can wear down rubber gaskets, corrode metal parts, and clog up valves. The fix? A little daily maintenance and weekly deep cleans. Your equipment will thank you—and so will your customers.

Dilworth is always here to help your coffee operations remain spick and span! Please get in touch today if you have any questions. Cheers!