Group Head Cleaning Products: Using Only What the Maker Names

The group head looks grimy and there's a bottle of something under the sink that would probably cut through it. Stop there. What goes into your machine is the maker's call, not yours.

Start with what the manual names

Look in the cleaning section for a product name or a description, such as "cleaning tablets" or "espresso machine cleaner". The Vibiemme manual refers to "espresso machine cleaner" and "chemicals designated for back flushing" without naming a product. It says to use only those chemicals and warns that others can cause problems¹.

One Breville manual (BES980) starts its cleaning cycle with the supplied disc and one cleaning tablet in the basket². A different Breville manual (BES920) says that if the basket holes become blocked, you dissolve a cleaning tablet in hot water. You then soak the basket and portafilter for about 20 minutes and rinse thoroughly³.

So the answer to "which cleaner can I use" changes by machine. You have to look it up.

Why not a home-made mix

It's tempting. A cupboard of vinegar, dish soap or descaler seems close enough. It isn't, for two reasons.

1. The maker names what suits the machine. The Vibiemme manual's warning is that other cleaners can cause problems or damage¹. A home-made mix is exactly that, an unnamed cleaner. If your manual names a product, use that one, as packed.
2. Products are made for particular jobs. One guide says not to use descaling solution or vinegar for backflushing⁴. It says they're formulated for scale, not coffee oils, and won't clean the solenoid properly⁴.

Descaling is its own job. A guide on backflushing treats it as a separate job⁴. For descaling, use the descaler and method your maker names, and never swap it in for a group head cleaner.

Using the product properly

Whatever you're allowed to use, handle it the way the pack and manual say.

• Read the pack. The Vibiemme manual calls its cleaning agent quite strong¹. It tells you to follow all safety recommendations on the cleaner's packaging¹.
• Use the amount given. One manual says to place a small amount of cleaner in the basket and to see manufacturer's instructions for specific amounts¹.
• Rinse and purge. After the cycle, the Breville BES980 manual says to make sure the tablet has completely dissolved, rinse the basket and portafilter thoroughly, then run an espresso to purge any remaining cleaner². After a soak, rinse thoroughly³.
• Keep parts out of the dishwasher unless your manual allows it. One manual says not to clean any of the parts or accessories in the dishwasher³.

If your manual names nothing

Check with the maker before you pick a product. Don't fill the gap yourself.

If the machine has a built-in cleaning program, follow the manual exactly and use the products it calls for⁵.

Once you know the product, the cleaning interval page shows how often makers suggest using it.