Basket cleaning

[KatKat]

I am having difficulties cleaning my double basket. Some of the holes are half clogged. I put it in a concentrated cup of Urnex Full Circle coffee equipment wash (1/2 cup with 1/2 spoon) for a couple of hours. It has gotten a little better, but not perfect. Should I use a more concentrated solution? More time? Different product?

Thanks!

[MDL]

I have never run into this. I rinse the basket after each shot and soak it in Cafiza for 30 minutes every 10 days to 2 weeks. When it comes out of the Cafiza it is shiny and clean as can be.

Are you letting the puck cook in the basket after you pull shots?
Do you rinse the basket after each shot?

Not sure what else to say or ask...

Good luck,
Mark

[Endo]

Soak overnight in detergent. Use a pin to open any holes still clogged.

Did you remove your screens too? If your double basket is that bad, your screen must be even worse.

I would say 99% of the time this is due to forgeting the coffee puck in your portafilter when you turn off the machine. You should always empty the PF right after your shot and run 1 oz of water out the group head to clean it, then wipe the screen with a microfibre cloth (or Paolo tool) when done for the day.

[KatKat]

I never leave coffee in the basket and I rinse the basket every time I make coffee.
I think that the issue is that I do not wipe the basket and sometimes there's some (very little) coffee left in the basket that sits there for hours. The screens are in great shape because I rinse & brush them after each use and soak them in detergent once a week.

I will have to find a pin that's small enough to clean the basket or spend $8 on a new one...

[Endo]

I will have to find a pin that's small enough to clean the basket or spend $8 on a new one...

Try soaking for a full 24 hr. It won't do any harm.

The Urnex Full Circle uses natural ingredients. I've never used it, but perhaps it is not as strong as others. I use Joe Glo, which seems to work well.

http://www.joeglo.com/Pages/JoeGlo%20Jar%20page.html

In any case, a little work with a scouring pad and a pin to poke out any clogged holes well definitely fix it, and it shouldn't take longer than 5 minutes. No need to waste money on a new basket.

[chas]

I soaked my baskets and screens in Joe Glo in one of my wife's fancy Calphalon pans once and it took the finish right off the pan. So it will probably clean the grounds out of your basket holes.

[slo]

I never did this, so I cannot guarantee anything...

I read on another forum of an Italian guy that learned from his Mom to bake the basket in the oven to released the ground that got stuck in the holes. Another guy suggested to just put it over a gas oven, but I think that that one may have more risk to damage the basket.

[Dodger1]

The ritual I use is to rinse the basket after each shot and wipe it out with a clean paper towel. Then before using it again, I wipe it out again to remove any water and residual grinds. That way when I put my grinds in the basket they settle down to the bottom and not the sides, which will happen if the baskets wet.

After I'm finished using the machine, I remove the portafilter and wipe the bottom of the group with a clean wet rag and follow that up with a clean paper towel, making certain to get into all the crevasses/nooks.

About every third day I'll pull the screens and clean them and before putting it all back together I'll blow all the grinds off the screw with a can of air.

Once a week I put the screens, screw, baskets etc. in my drip tray and back flush the machine with Cafiza. I'll let them sit in that solution for ~ a half an hour and then wash them with some clean water. Once there clean I'll remove the clip in the basket and wipe it and the basket down with a clean paper towel.

[GDK]

If you use pin to unplug the holes - be very CAREFUL. You should apply no more than feather light force as you definitely do not want to enlarge the holes. Edges of the holes are razor thin and can bent easily, I know it from experience.