Cleaning the inside of a portafilter?

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JerDGold
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#1: Post by JerDGold »

The double spouted PF that came with my used Mini Vivaldi is super dirty inside the portafilter under the basket. If I rub it with my finger, it has sort of sticky feeling as though it's caked on coffee oils...but Joe-Glo doesn't do a thing. I tried soapy water to no avail as well. I'm not sure what Portafilters are generally made of (SS? Chrome?), but does anyone have ideas of how to clean it?

I don't have a camera handy to take a picture of it, but it's like weird mix of brown/grey/orange. The outside is nice and shiny! I assume they're the PF's that shipped with the machine, although I bought it used so can't confirm.

I have convinced myself it is effecting taste, and won't use anything other than a naked, but I'd love to be able to split my flow.

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sweaner
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#2: Post by sweaner »

Did you soak it in the cleaner for a while, using boiling water? That should work. Soak it overnight.
Scott
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JerDGold (original poster)
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#3: Post by JerDGold (original poster) »

The water wasn't boiling, but it was steaming from the faucet, and I soaked it about 6 hours while I was at work. I'll try boiling overight tonight and see how that pans out.

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drgary
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#4: Post by drgary »

Also I wonder if the JoGlo was sufficiently concentrated. There's no magic with this, it should work.
Gary
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What I WOULD do for a good cup of coffee!

Marcelnl
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#5: Post by Marcelnl »

Sometimes the inside of the PF is not chrome plated and you can see parts of the copper layer, base metal, chrome etc...without a picture it is hard to say anything more than that phosphate based cleaner works for my portafilter and bottom of the filter basket .

My PF looks (and feels) like crap on the inside, but who cares...
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dominico
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#6: Post by dominico »

Soak it overnight in pulycaff.
https://bit.ly/3N1bhPR
Il caffè è un piacere, se non è buono che piacere è?

JerDGold (original poster)
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#7: Post by JerDGold (original poster) »

Well, a simple wipe with a paper towel didn't do anything after the overnight soak...so I gave it a go with some elbow grease and the rough side of my kitchen sponge. Definitely helped...but not perfect. There don't seem to be any more stains or spots...just a general discoloration. Is the inside supposed to be bright and shiny like the outside?

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stefano65
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#8: Post by stefano65 »

Apart from the different espresso detergents that us and other vendors sells,
when I have to clean a very very dirty one sent in with a machine for repairs
hand cleaner abrasive paste does a very good job to get the bulk out,
then traditional detergents in hot boiling water soak
Stefano Cremonesi
Stefano's Espresso Care
Repairs & sales from Oregon.

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keno
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#9: Post by keno »

Most portafilters are chrome plated brass and eventually the chrome plating wears off leaving the brass exposed which holds coffee oils much better making it very hard to clean and keep clean since stuff adheres to the brass.

Some portafilters (eg, La Marzocco) are solid stainless steel and are much easier to clean.

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redbone
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#10: Post by redbone replying to keno »

The same issue I'm having with my Riviera PF. The inside is now exposed brass. Further to making it harder to clean I also find that the brass imparts a taste in the coffee. Ideally I'd like it either food safe non PTFE coated or bottomless aka naked PF avoiding coffee contact with bottom of PF.
Between order and chaos there is espresso.
Semper discens.


Rob
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