How to Clean & Descale Your Breville Espresso Machine: The Ultimate Guide

Whether you rely on the hands-on control of the Barista Express or Barista Pro, the smart assistance of the Barista Express Impress, or the compact power of the Bambino, Breville espresso machines are absolute powerhouses for home baristas.

However, every shot of espresso leaves behind natural coffee oils, and every jug of milk creates steam wand buildup. Over time, mineral scale from tap water can quietly slow down your machine’s heating element.

To keep your morning brew rich, sweet, and smooth - and to keep your machine humming for years to come - here is your complete step-by-step cleaning guide using industry-leading cleaning products from Cafetto and Rhino Coffee Gear, available right here at The Coffee Collective.

1. Backflushing & Group Head Cleaning (Coffee Oil Removal)

When you pull a shot, coffee oils and micro-grounds backflow into the machine's shower screen and group head valve. If left uncleaned, these old oils oxidize, giving fresh espresso a bitter, burnt taste.

When to do it: Every 1–2 weeks (or whenever your machine’s CLEAN / DESCALE light triggers).

The Best Cafetto Match: For a quick, perfectly measured clean, use Cafetto S15 Cleaning Tablets. If you prefer a loose powder for manually soaking portafilters and filter baskets, reach for Cafetto Espresso Clean or the certified organic Cafetto EVO Clean.

How to Backflush:

1. Pop the silicon cleaning disc into your single-shot filter basket and insert it into your portafilter.
2. Place one Cafetto S15 Tablet (or 1/2 tsp of Cafetto Espresso Clean) in the centre of the disc.
3. Lock the portafilter into the group head.
4. For Barista Express / Impress / Pro: Run a manual cleaning cycle (consult your manual for the button combo, usually holding power + single & double shot buttons).
5. For Bambino: Insert the blank disc, turn on the shot button for 10 seconds, stop it, let it sit for 10 seconds, and repeat 5 times to manually backflush.
6. Remove the portafilter, rinse thoroughly, and run a blank water shot through the group head to flush any residual cleaner.

2. Descaling the Water System (Limescale Removal)

Living in areas with mineral-heavy water means scale buildup inside your thermo-coil or boiler. Descaling breaks down these mineral deposits so your machine heats efficiently and maintains proper pressure.

When to do it: Every 2–3 months.

The Best Cafetto Match: Use Cafetto Organic LOD Green Descaler Liquid for a quick liquid solution, or Cafetto Spectra Descaler—a smart powder descaler that changes color (orange to blue) if another cycle is needed!

How to Descale:

1. Remove the water filter from your water tank.
2. Mix Cafetto Organic LOD Green Descaler or Cafetto Spectra Descaler with 1 litre of warm water directly inside the water reservoir.
3. Run half the liquid through the group head and half through the steam wand/hot water outlet.
4. Let the machine sit off for 15 minutes to allow the descaler to break down stubborn scale.
5. Flush the remaining solution through, discard it, refill the reservoir with fresh water, and run a full tank of plain water through to rinse the system completely.

3. Cleaning the Steam Wand & Milk Jugs

Baked-on milk fats inside the steam wand tip can restrict steam flow and spoil the sweet, silky texture of your microfoam.

When to do it: Purge and wipe after every use; deep-clean weekly.

The Best Cafetto Match: Soak steam wands in Cafetto Organic MFC Green Liquid or Cafetto MFC Blue Liquid. For clearing blocked steam wand holes, pair your soak with a Cafetto Steam Tip Brush Set.

How to Deep-Clean Your Wand:

1. Mix 50ml of Cafetto MFC Liquid with 500ml of warm water in your stainless steel milk jug.
2. Submerge the steam wand tip into the solution and let it soak for 15–20 minutes.
3. Turn on the steam for 10 seconds to blast out loosened residue.
4. Wipe the wand thoroughly with a damp microfibre cloth and rinse the jug.
5. If steam holes are still clogged, gently insert a pin or wire from the Cafetto Steam Tip Brush Set to clear them.

4. Cleaning the Built-in Grinder (Barista Express, Impress & Pro)

If you own a built-in grinder machine, old coffee oils coat the steel burrs over time, turning rancid and muddying the taste of your fresh beans.

When to do it: Every 2–3 weeks.

Recommended Tool: The Rhino Coffee Grinder and Bench Brush—it features a narrow, low-profile brush end designed specifically to get into tight grinder burr chambers, plus a flat bench brush on the other end to tidy up loose grounds on your counter!

How to Clean the Burrs:

1. Empty all fresh coffee beans out of your hopper. Run the grinder for a few seconds to clear out any remaining beans in the chamber.
2. Turn off and unplug the machine from the wall for safety.
3. Unlock and remove the bean hopper.
4. Lift the wire handle on the upper steel burr, twist it counterclockwise, and lift it out of the grinder assembly.
5. Take your Rhino Coffee Grinder and Bench Brush and use the narrow brush head to sweep away all loose coffee grounds and fine dust from both the top burr and the lower burr chamber.
6. Wipe the bean hopper with a clean, dry microfibre cloth to remove oily residue (avoid running water inside the burr mechanism).
7. Align the upper burr back into place, push down firmly, lock the handle, reattach your hopper, flip your brush around to sweep the counter clean, and you’re ready to grind!

Quick Reference Summary Table

Ready to Fresh-Start Your Morning Espresso?

A clean coffee machine is the true secret behind bright crema and sweet, smooth microfoam. Grab your routine maintenance gear from our complete Cafetto Collection and Rhino Coffee Gear at The Coffee Collective today, and keep every cup tasting extraordinary!