Cleaning

This forum contains various threads with photos on how to perform various maintenance and repairs on your S1.
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mls64

Cleaning

Post by mls64 »

I've enjoyed my S1 for about 6 weeks now, and have been following the recommended (by the group) backflush routine, with maybe one cleaning of the screens. Well, I took the screens out today and it was obvious that backflushing is not doing the job! I could not believe the amount of grounds and grunge between the 2nd screen and the dispersion disk. A 30-min soak in Cafiza brought everything back to new condition. It is clear to me that the La Spaziale recommended routine of removing the screens is better than relying on backflushing. Anyone else have the same experience?
liftoff

Post by liftoff »

My cleaning method is to take the screens off and either clean them with detergent or replace with clean ones. I put it back together and then go through the detergent/backflush routine. Backflushing's biggest benefit is cleaning the three way valve that does accumulate coffee "stuff" over time.
mls64

Post by mls64 »

liftoff wrote:My cleaning method is to take the screens off and either clean them with detergent or replace with clean ones. I put it back together and then go through the detergent/backflush routine. Backflushing's biggest benefit is cleaning the three way valve that does accumulate coffee "stuff" over time.
How often do you clean?
liftoff

Post by liftoff »

My usage patterns vary greatly. Some days I might run a pound or more through it and other times it's turned off for a couple days. It's difficult to say because of that, but I find that I clean the screens after around 15 shots and I backflush every couple days.

Hard to say what's optimum and what's overkill...but keep it clean! Those oils and coffee crud on dirty equipment impart a horrible taste.
Niko

Post by Niko »

Trying to revive an old thread here...

I backflush with just water every time the knockbox gets emptied out (about 16-20 shots).
I use Cafiza every week, if I don't my valve starts dripping like crazy because of the oils that cause it to stick.
woodchuck

Post by woodchuck »

Only had my VII for a couple of months now. I back flush with water after every session and scrub down the group head with a brush. Once a week I pull off the dispersion screens and block and soak them in Cafiza. Once every couple of weeks I backflush with Cafiza.

Cheers

Ian
Barry

Post by Barry »

I remove the screens and diffuser once a day. It just isn't that hard to do so. While they are off, I pull two blank shots to flush the head out. I backflush with no detergent (screens and diffuser removed), once a week. I backflush with detergent (screens and diffuser removed), about every 45 days. My machine is roughly two years old and with the exception of a few minor glitches, still operates like new.

Barry
swimmer

Cleaning brass dispersion disk

Post by swimmer »

I finally found the perfect 'tool' to clean the holes in the dispersion disk. I finally got around to cleaning out the kid's bathroom drawers (it was about time since 2 have graduated from college :) ) and found a package of tiny brushes they used MANY years ago for cleaning under their braces. Oral-B Interdental cylindrical refills are the PERFECT size for getting the oily gunk out of the holes in the disk. When done, i just throw the brush in the cafiza bath along with the screens and voila, clean brush. I know many people put their disk in the cafiza bath, but i've never gotten up the nerve to try that.
Clean bathroom drawers and clean dispersion disk - life is good.
Niko

Post by Niko »

I throw my dispersion disk into Cafiza every 7 days exactly along with both screens and PF's, etc..
The oils never had or have a chance to even think about building up anywhere on my precious equipment. They go in oily and come squeaky clean everytime. It also helps to have an extra dispersion disk so there's no down time.
woodchuck

Post by woodchuck »

Same as Niko. Everything into the Cafiza once a week.

Cheers

Ian
Weska

Post by Weska »

Cafiza soak for portafilters, baskets, screens, and dispersion discs once a week. Seems harmless. I don't even throw out the first shot through after a detergent soak.
Niko

Post by Niko »

Weska wrote:I don't even throw out the first shot through after a detergent soak.
Neither do I!
What a waste of good coffee....of course I flush about 10 more times with plain water.
They should make a coffee-flavored detergent :lol:
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PBL
Espresso
Posts: 53
Joined: Thu Dec 27, 2007 5:40 pm
Location: Montreal

Cleaning

Post by PBL »

The S1 is six weeks old. Everyday I run a couple of blank shots after I am finished and every two weeks take the screen and diffuser block out and scrub lightly with the supplied BBQ brush. Everything looks new after and I start all over again. No chemicals, no detergents and it only takes a few minutes.
JohnB

Post by JohnB »

Niko wrote:
Weska wrote:I don't even throw out the first shot through after a detergent soak.
Neither do I!
What a waste of good coffee....of course I flush about 10 more times with plain water.
They should make a coffee-flavored detergent :lol:
I run a shot using the now "aging" free coffee that came with my machine. Never acquired a taste for the stuff so it seems like a good way to use it up.
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