Your coffee machine is one of the hardest working pieces of equipment in your café. It produces hundreds of coffees every day, operates under high pressure and temperature, and is constantly exposed to coffee oils, milk residue and minerals from water. While regular preventative servicing by a qualified technician is essential, the health of your machine between services is largely determined by your daily maintenance routine. A well maintained coffee machine doesn’t just last longer, it produces better coffee, experiences fewer breakdowns and helps avoid costly repairs. Here’s how to keep your machine performing at its best every day of the year.
Daily maintenance matters
Coffee leaves behind more than just used grounds. Every shot deposits natural oils inside your machine. Over time these oils become rancid, affecting flavour and causing bitter or stale tasting coffee. Milk residue creates hygiene issues, while minerals naturally found in Australian water slowly build into scale that reduces boiler efficiency, affects temperature stability and shortens component life. The good news is most of these problems can be prevented with just a few minutes of maintenance each day.
The golden rule is to clean little and often
The busiest cafés aren’t necessarily the ones with the dirtiest machines. Professional baristas build cleaning into every coffee they make. Rather than leaving everything until closing time, small cleaning habits throughout the day prevent residue from building up and keep coffee tasting its best.
After Every Coffee checklist
These habits take only a few seconds but make a huge difference.
✔ Purge the group head before the next shot
✔ Knock out the coffee puck immediately
✔ Rinse and wipe the portafilter basket
✔ Wipe the steam wand immediately after steaming
✔ Purge the steam wand for 1–2 seconds
✔ Use a clean cloth dedicated only to milk
Allowing milk to dry on a steam wand is one of the quickest ways to reduce steam performance and create hygiene issues. Likewise, coffee oils begin oxidising almost immediately after extraction, so rinsing baskets and flushing the group head helps preserve flavour throughout the day.
End of every day checklist
Closing procedures are your machine’s reset button. Every café should finish the day with a thorough clean.
✔ Backflush each group head with clean water
✔ Backflush with cleaning detergent (if recommended by your machine manufacturer or cleaning schedule)
✔ Soak portafilters and baskets in cleaning solution
✔ Clean the shower screens
✔ Brush around group head gaskets
✔ Empty and wash the drip tray
✔ Empty and clean the knock tube
✔ Wipe all stainless steel surfaces
✔ Refill water filtration system if required
✔ Leave the machine clean and ready for the next morning
Coffee technicians consistently identify neglected coffee oils as one of the biggest causes of poor-tasting coffee and premature component wear.
Weekly maintenance checklist
Once a week it’s worth spending an extra 20 minutes giving your machine a deeper clean.
✔ Backflush using cleaning powder
✔ Remove and soak portafilters
✔ Soak filter baskets
✔ Scrub shower screens
✔ Clean around group head seals
✔ Remove and clean steam wand tips
✔ Wash drip trays thoroughly
✔ Clean underneath cup trays
✔ Clean grinder chute and hopper
Coffee oils don’t just affect your machine, they also build inside grinders and contribute to stale flavours if left unchecked.
Monthly maintenance checklist
Some components wear gradually and should be inspected every month.
✔ Inspect group head gaskets for wear
✔ Check shower screens for damage
✔ Replace water filters if required by your filtration system
✔ Inspect steam wand seals
✔ Check for leaks around valves and pipework
✔ Clean behind and underneath equipment
✔ Inspect power cords and water lines
Many cafés also keep a maintenance log so staff can record completed cleaning tasks and identify recurring issues before they become expensive repairs.
Water quality matters more than most people realise
One of the biggest threats to any coffee machine isn’t coffee, it’s actually water! Australian water quality varies significantly depending on location. Hard water contains higher levels of calcium and magnesium, which gradually form scale inside boilers, pipes and valves. This scale reduces heating efficiency, restricts water flow and increases the likelihood of costly repairs. Installing and maintaining a quality water filtration system is one of the smartest investments a café can make.
Signs your machine needs attention
Even with excellent maintenance, machines will eventually require servicing. Contact your Zando technician if you notice:
- Coffee extracting slower or faster than usual despite correct grind adjustments
- Reduced steam pressure
- Water leaking around the group head
- Inconsistent brew temperature
- Unusual noises from the pump
- Pressure fluctuations
- Steam wand leaking
- Water pooling underneath the machine
The earlier these issues are addressed, the less likely they are to become major repairs.
Don’t forget the Grinder
Great coffee depends on more than just the machine. Grinders should also be part of your maintenance routine so check your Grinder regularly.
✔ Empty old beans from the hopper
✔ Brush away retained grounds
✔ Vacuum the grinder chute
✔ Clean burrs following manufacturer recommendations
✔ Check grind consistency throughout the day
A perfectly clean coffee machine can still produce poor coffee if stale grounds remain inside the grinder.
Preventative maintenance isn’t just about avoiding breakdowns, it’s about protecting coffee quality. A clean coffee machine produces sweeter espresso, more consistent extractions and better milk texture. It also reduces downtime, extends equipment life and helps your café deliver the quality customers expect every single day. Think of your coffee machine like your coffee itself: consistency is everything! A few minutes of cleaning each day is a small investment that pays dividends in flavour, reliability and long-term performance.