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  • Cleaning a Vario

    Hello vario owners,

    I have had mine now for a couple of months, I have cleaned it twice by brushing it out and removing the ceramic burrs.

    Does anyone use the grindz in their cleaning routine and is it required ??

    Does it help clean the bits you can't brush ??

    Thanks all

  • #2
    Originally posted by Pdockley View Post
    Hello vario owners,

    I have had mine now for a couple of months, I have cleaned it twice by brushing it out and removing the ceramic burrs.

    Does anyone use the grindz in their cleaning routine and is it required ??

    Does it help clean the bits you can't brush ??

    Thanks all
    Hi Pdockley

    Please get other views as well as mine here, as I am biased on this one. I am from a really "old school" that does not put anything through the "coffee contact patch" within any grinder or machine if I can possibly avoid it.

    I have given all my "encountered grinders" a rough brush out followed by 40 psi of "double water trapped" compressed air for years now. Rarely, and only for those really pestiferous "sticky & oily roasts", I have given them a second brush out if there is still a residue. Maybe three times in the last twenty years or so (i.e. since roasts improved) has the second brush been needed.

    Machines: Drop all the contact bits in an "efficient coffee solvent" overnight. Rinse really, really thoroughly. When preflushing: if you wouldn't drink the water, rinse it out properly next time! FWIW, I would prefer to strip it down rather than use "in machinery cleaners".

    My Mahlkonig Vario: a quick puff of air (so far) has removed any of the minimal grinds retained. As a bonus, it is also faster than 90% of other grinders "out there" to do.

    Just my 2 cents.

    All the best

    TampIt
    Last edited by TampIt; 13 November 2013, 10:28 PM.

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    • #3
      I'm also interested in this. What's best practice? Should I use the grindz and the cleaning routine outlined in the manual?

      Comment


      • #4
        Hi Anthonypiccolo I took Tampit's advice as well as my own concern about running something like grindz through the grinder.

        I don't have air so I just use a good brush and dismantle only takes 10 mins or so.

        But once again just my advice but the concept of grinding some foreign man made chemical through it just didn't sit well with me or the family

        Cheers

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        • #5
          Actually, blowing out with compressed air above 20psi is NOT a good idea.

          Far better to vacuum out than blow air in - Micro particles can end up where they're not supposed to and eventually cause premature failure of both mechanical and electrical components.

          Mal.

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by Pdockley View Post

            But once again just my advice but the concept of grinding some foreign man made chemical through it just didn't sit well with me or the family

            Cheers
            What do you clean your espresso machine (or indeed coffee cups) with?....a lot more of a issue than the food safe / edible Grindz I'd think.

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            • #7
              Glass cups and always rinse straight away

              Have not had the machine long enough to need to descale or anything like that, I back flush with just water on a regular basis, I'm sure I'll need to use something else sooner or later but if you keep up a regular clean I guess I can elongate that window

              Any natural based options anyone ??

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              • #8
                Originally posted by Barry O'Speedwagon View Post
                What do you clean your espresso machine (or indeed coffee cups) with?....a lot more of a issue than the food safe / edible Grindz I'd think.
                Hi Barry, must say I've never checked the ingredients, made an assumption which appears to be incorrect, whoops

                Still think it might be a bit overkill for my consumption levels and the vario I have comes up clean each time I have given it a brush and wipe out

                Must do a little more research next time, looks like there quite a few organic options already out there

                Just always cautious when it comes to what we put in our mouths

                Thanks for the wake up call

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by Pdockley View Post
                  Hi Barry, must say I've never checked the ingredients, made an assumption which appears to be incorrect, whoops

                  Still think it might be a bit overkill for my consumption levels and the vario I have comes up clean each time I have given it a brush and wipe out

                  Must do a little more research next time, looks like there quite a few organic options already out there

                  Just always cautious when it comes to what we put in our mouths

                  Thanks for the wake up call

                  No worries mate, and I agree that discretion is the better part of valour in this regard. Nor was I actually advocating using Grindz (I use it occasionally), or eating it (the pellets look a bit like chook food or ratsak)

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Dimal View Post
                    Actually, blowing out with compressed air above 20psi is NOT a good idea.

                    Far better to vacuum out than blow air in - Micro particles can end up where they're not supposed to and eventually cause premature failure of both mechanical and electrical components.

                    Mal.
                    Yes, and some (very fussy) manufacturers I know of regulate compressed air used for cleaning in their approved workshops, to 15psi.

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by TOK View Post
                      Yes, and some (very fussy) manufacturers I know of regulate compressed air used for cleaning in their approved workshops, to 15psi.
                      Think I might know where one of those workshops is at...

                      Mal.

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