How to Clean an Espresso Machine With Citric Acid
An important part of making a delicious and satisfying espresso drink is using a clean espresso machine. Some espresso machines will let you know they need cleaning with an indicating light, others will let you know because the espresso won't taste as good. In any case, cleaning your espresso machine with natural products like citric acid are good for the machine and for the espresso, which means it's also good for you. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Turn the espresso machine off and unplug it before starting to clean. You want to clean and descale your espresso machine with citric acid every three to six months depending on the hardness of water you are using in your machine.
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Mix 1 or 2 tsp. of citric acid with 1 qt. of water.
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Put the citric-acid solution into the espresso machine reservoir and run the espresso machine for about 30 minutes. Use an appropriate amount of citric-acid solution, and do not overflow the reservoir.
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Empty the entire espresso tank and refill the espresso machine reservoir with water. Flush the clean water through the espresso machine. You will probably need to run two full reservoirs of water through the machine to get the desired cleanliness and remove all citric-acid residue.
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Brew at least 1 cup of espresso and pour it out. Your espresso machine should now be clean and ready to brew its best.
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Use a PH strip to check the hardness of your water or to verify that all the citric-acid solution has been removed.
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Tips & Warnings
In addition to cleaning your espresso machine with citric acid every few months, you should also perform regular maintenance on your espresso machine by wiping it down with a wet cloth after every use to remove coffee grounds and any dry milk.
