How to Clean DeLonghi Espresso Machine: Complete Guide

Your DeLonghi Needs Regular Cleaning to Perform Its Best

Automatic espresso machines like the Magnifica and Dinamica make great coffee, but they also accumulate residue faster than you'd think. Coffee oils go rancid within 2-3 weeks. Milk residue can harbor bacteria within hours. I've serviced DeLonghi machines that tasted terrible — not because anything was broken, but because they hadn't been cleaned properly in months.

This guide covers everything: the brew unit, milk system, drip tray, and water circuits. Follow this routine, and your DeLonghi will brew like the day you bought it.

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What You'll Need

Cleaning Supplies:

• DeLonghi milk system cleaner (or Cafiza)
• Soft cloths (lint-free)
• Small brush (included with most models)
• DeLonghi descaler (for monthly descaling — separate process)

Time Required: 15-20 minutes for complete cleaning

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Part 1: Clean the Brew Unit (10 Minutes)

Do This Weekly — the brew unit is the heart of your machine.

Symptoms of Dirty Brew Unit:

• Coffee tastes stale or bitter
• Grounds visible in drip tray
• Machine displaying cleaning reminder
• Brew unit sticking or hard to remove

How to Clean:

1. Turn off machine and wait 5 minutes for it to cool
2. Open service door on left side of machine (right side on some models)
3. Press PUSH button on brew unit to release it
4. Pull straight out — don't twist, just slide it out
5. Rinse under warm water — no soap, no dishwasher
6. Remove grounds from all crevices using included brush
7. Inspect seals for coffee buildup — clean with damp cloth
8. Let air dry for 10 minutes or pat dry with clean cloth
9. Apply food-grade silicone grease (pea-sized amount) to rails — reduces friction
10. Slide back in until it clicks into place
11. Close door and run a water cycle to test

Time: 10 minutes
Cost: Free (or $5 for silicone grease)
Success Rate: Fixes 70% of "weak coffee" complaints
Difficulty: Easy

Model Notes:

• Magnifica (ESAM3300): Brew unit slides out from left
• Dinamica (ECAM35025): Same location, slightly different release button
• La Specialista: Non-removable brew unit — use cleaning cycle only
• Dedica (EC680): No removable brew unit — backflush with blind basket instead

Warning: Never force the brew unit. If it's stuck, grounds are blocking it. Turn machine upside down and gently tap to dislodge.

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Part 2: Clean the Milk System (5 Minutes)

Do This After Every Milk Drink — milk goes bad fast.

Symptoms of Dirty Milk System:

• Milk foam is thin or watery
• Unusual smell from milk spout
• Milk sputtering instead of flowing
• White chunks in your latte

How to Clean (Automatic Milk Carafe Models):

1. Remove milk carafe and pour out remaining milk
2. Rinse carafe with warm water
3. Fill with warm water plus 1 capful of milk system cleaner
4. Attach carafe to machine
5. Press milk/steam button to run cleaning solution through system
6. Repeat with plain water to rinse — run 2-3 cycles
7. Disassemble carafe lid and clean all parts with brush
8. Air dry completely before storing

How to Clean (Steam Wand Models — Dedica, etc.):

1. Purge steam immediately after frothing — 3 seconds into drip tray
2. Wipe with damp cloth while still warm
3. Unscrew tip and soak in warm water
4. Clear holes with toothpick or pin
5. Reassemble and purge again

Time: 3-5 minutes
Cost: $0.25 per cleaning (milk cleaner)
Difficulty: Easy

Model Notes:

• LatteCrema System (Dinamica Plus, Eletta): Has dedicated CLEAN button — use it
• Automatic Cappuccino (Magnifica S): Run hot water through milk spout after each use
• Manual Frother (Dedica): Wipe wand immediately — dried milk is very hard to remove

Pro Tip: Never leave milk in the carafe overnight. Bacteria multiply rapidly, and the carafe will smell terrible.

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Part 3: Clean the Drip Tray and Grounds Container (3 Minutes)

Do This Every 1-2 Days — prevents overflow and odor.

How to Clean:

Drip Tray:

1. Slide out tray from front of machine
2. Remove drip tray cover (grate)
3. Dump liquid and grounds into trash
4. Wash with warm soapy water
5. Dry completely and reassemble

Grounds Container:

1. Remove container from inside machine
2. Empty grounds into compost or trash
3. Rinse container — grounds leave oily residue
4. Dry and replace

Time: 2-3 minutes
Cost: Free
Difficulty: Easy

Pro Tip: Empty the grounds container before it triggers the "full" alert. Letting it overfill causes grounds to fall into the drip tray and clog the drain.

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Part 4: Clean the Water Tank (2 Minutes)

Do This Every 2-3 Days — fresh water tastes better.

How to Clean:

1. Remove tank by lifting straight up
2. Dump old water — don't reuse water sitting overnight
3. Rinse tank with fresh water
4. Check float valve (small disk inside) — should move freely
5. Wipe tank exterior and sensor contacts on machine
6. Refill with filtered water — reduces scale buildup
7. Reinsert tank firmly until it clicks

Time: 2 minutes
Cost: Free
Difficulty: Easy

Water Tip: Filtered water extends time between descaling from every 2-3 weeks to every 2-3 months.

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Part 5: Run the Automatic Cleaning Cycle (5 Minutes)

Do This When Prompted — most DeLonghi machines remind you.

Models with Auto-Clean:

• Dinamica series
• Eletta series
• Primadonna series
• Magnifica S Smart

How to Run:

1. Check display for cleaning prompt (or access via menu)
2. Empty drip tray and grounds container
3. Fill water tank to max
4. Place large container under coffee spouts
5. Select CLEAN function and press start
6. Wait 5-10 minutes — machine runs water and steam cycles
7. Empty drip tray when complete
8. Run 1-2 water dispenses to rinse

Time: 5-10 minutes (mostly waiting)
Cost: Free
Difficulty: Easy

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Complete Cleaning Schedule

After Each Milk Drink:

• Run milk system cleaning or wipe steam wand

Daily:

• Empty drip tray if full
• Empty grounds container before it overflows
• Wipe exterior with damp cloth

Every 2-3 Days:

• Rinse water tank and refill
• Check drip tray and clean if needed

Weekly:

• Remove and clean brew unit
• Deep clean milk carafe and lid
• Run automatic cleaning cycle

Monthly:

• Descale machine (separate process)
• Clean coffee spout with pipe cleaner
• Inspect brew unit seals for wear

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Troubleshooting Common Issues

Brew unit won't slide back in:

• Check that it's in the correct position (handle at top)
• Look for grounds blocking the rails
• Don't force it — remove, clean rails, try again

Machine shows "Clean" even after cleaning:

• Run automatic cleaning cycle twice
• Clean water tank sensors with soft cloth
• Some models require factory reset — check manual

Coffee tastes bitter despite cleaning:

• Brew unit may need silicone grease
• Check grind size — too fine causes over-extraction
• Descaling may be needed (different from cleaning)

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When to Call a Technician

Signs You Need Professional Help:

• Brew unit completely stuck despite cleaning
• Water leaking from inside machine
• Error codes that won't clear
• Grinding mechanism jammed
• Machine older than 5 years with heavy use

Professional Service Cost: $100-200 depending on issue

DeLonghi Warranty: 2 years standard — cleaning neglect can void warranty

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FAQ

Can I use vinegar instead of DeLonghi descaler?

White vinegar works for descaling but is separate from cleaning. For cleaning, just use water. For descaling, DeLonghi recommends their EcoDecalk product, but diluted white vinegar (50/50 with water) works too. Rinse thoroughly — 4-5 water cycles minimum.

How often should I grease the brew unit?

Every 500 cups or when the brew unit becomes sticky. Use food-grade silicone grease only — other lubricants can contaminate your coffee or damage seals.

Why does my machine say "Insert Brew Unit" when it's already in?

The brew unit isn't fully seated or there's coffee grounds on the sensors. Remove, clean the contacts on both the unit and inside the machine, and reinsert firmly until you hear a click.

Can I put the brew unit in the dishwasher?

Never. The heat and detergent damage the seals and moving parts. Rinse under warm running water only, and never use soap.

My Dedica doesn't have a removable brew unit. How do I clean it?

Use backflushing. Insert a blind basket (or single-wall basket blocked with rubber disk), add a cleaning tablet, and run a brew cycle. The pressure forces cleaning solution through internal passages. Repeat with water only to rinse.

The milk frother makes a weird noise. Is that a cleaning issue?

Often yes. Milk residue in the steam circuit causes gurgling or sputtering sounds. Run the milk system clean cycle twice. If noise persists, the steam valve may need professional service.