So I’ve seen some posts in the past about puck screen cleaning/sanitization and all of them required the use of an ultrasonic cleaner, which I have tried myself with meh 🫤 results (now returned).
A better alternative that I have found is to use hardware that all of us barista’s already have.. our steam wands! The results are pretty stunning!
The video is the method I use, obviously you can use a cup with a handle DUH! So you don’t burn your hands.
To recreate:
Boil water
Put just enough boiled water in your vessel of choice (preferably with a handle) and put puck screen in vessel.
Place steam wand in vessel very close to puck screen so steam pressure penetrates the puck screen weaving
Start cleaning! CAUTION the boiled water and added steam will boil the water even more! Use a deep vessel to prevent spillage.
Alternatively, use a white cup so you can see all the gunk clearly! And add soap to your water to get a nice deep clean and capture all the gunk in the soap film!
P.S. I’m curious to see how dirty everyone else’s puck screens are! Post Pics!!!
Warning! Attempt at your own risk! 🙃
by Lilodude
49 Comments
I do something similar except I add a little cafiza powder before steaming. Then let it soak for 30 minutes before rinsing and soaking in hot water.
Pretty cool I’ll try it out
Every time I see these puck screens they seem filthy dirty and people are going to great lengths to clean them. At some point it makes you wonder if they are really worth the hassle for what amounts to marginal difference in water distribution and fewer particles on your shower screen.
I toss mine into an ultrasonic jewelry cleaner once a week and the amount of stuff that comes out is impressive
I just clean mine after every use3 with warm water… seems to work fine.
https://preview.redd.it/z72nqt5ka7kf1.png?width=1499&format=png&auto=webp&s=5c93a1385070fdc00f3b0831524bc4cad2842a12
I use this type of puck screen and it’s easier to clean. I do have your type as well and putting it in hot/warm water with soap in a small container then shaking it around was sufficient for cleaning too.
I rinse after every use just as i do with the portafilter basket. When i run cafiza through the machine, i place the accessories in the catch basin and soak them during the cleaning cycle and afterwards. So no waste. Works great
A cheap sonic jewelry cleaner does a better job. Nice hack though.
You clean your puck screen? Psssh patina baby!
Next time add a little Purocaffe.
You boys need to discover cafiza.
I put mine in the dishwasher whenever I run it.
After each shot I just press the screen up to my sink faucet to force water through it. Seems to work pretty well.
I use paper filters just so I don’t have to worry about this. My main reason for using something on top is to keep the group head clean
I just use Cafiza whenever i do cleaning on the rest of stuff. big bowl and soak it with the basket and other small items.
Watte with essence of coffee
Wait until he finds out about ultrasonic cleaners 😄
I just do boiling water and cafiza every week or other week depending on the use and have 4 different puck screens do the same with the shower screen as well
i really don’t think one should use a puck screen.
Just put it in the dishwasher.
i just assumed everyone used the same method for puck screens as i use for my shower screen: water from the steam wand and cafiza. let soak for a bit, then steam want rinse.
but i guess this would be where the less cleaning part of using shower screens comes from? they basically just rinse it like OP? is that all the time, or do you guys do a deep clean sometimes?
Well my Cafelat Robot doesn’t have a steam wand 😜and I use Shades Of Coffee brand puck screens. What I do is buy sodium percarbonate in bulk from Amazon, which is the active ingredient in Cafiza. I make a fairly concentrated hot solution and let them soak at least an hour. The liquid gets a slight brown tint and there will be a few tiny grounds knocked loose as well. Then I use the sink sprayer to rinse and finish.
Or just use paper filters and toss them with every espresso.
I first soak in cafiza for 15 minutes, then pop it in the blind basket and do 5 backflushes, clean as new 👌
I rinse after use and clean it with dish soap and a brush, super quick and clean.
I switched to paper filters. 10 bucks a year.
I rinse mine with hot water, then the portafilter. To deep clean the puck screen:
Put Cafiza powder in the blind. Add the pick screen. Attach the portafilter and clean the machine.
Just poor water 💦 you don’t need so much energy and time consumed
I just leave the puck screen in the PF when back flushing.
You didn’t have an ultrasonic cleaner.
Buy a nano puck screen. They are like $5 and don’t need special tricks.
Edit: ok I checked and the normcore brand I have more than doubled in price but my point still stands that the thin puck screen should be the default now. All the good, none of the bad.
Does anyone else pull it out of the grinds bin and pop it in the freshly loaded basket?
I just put all of them together with the baskets in the dishwasher’s utensil drawer at the end of the day. Nice and shiny every day – no hassle
I use a Flair Pro 2 (simple direct lever machine) so I don’t have a steam wand. I’ve been using an ultrasonic jewelry cleaner + sprinkle of Cafiza to get *very* satisfactory results. Two cycles (one with Cafiza, one to rinse) and when I smell the mesh screen, it smells like plain metal instead of soap or coffee.
Important detail: with a Flair, you must use some sort of puck screen, even if it’s just paper, because you’re pouring hot water directly on top of your puck. In my experience, the mesh screen does give better results on average over the stock screen. I don’t think it makes my best shots better, but I think it raises the floor (bad shots aren’t as bad & don’t happen as often).
My Cafiza water does get ever so slightly brown after the cleaning cycle is over, but I do rinse the screen after each use, so there are no large particles floating around in my wash water.
I have this neat trick where I just don’t use an extra screen.
I clean mines with cafiza. Just a bit. Toss them into a container or whatever you want. Sprinkle a bit of cafiza and pour some hot water for the cafiza to dissolve then agitate and let it sit.
Or you just put it in Cafiza
I do something similar except I just rinse them under the fucking tap…
Cool idea though, will give it a try, see if anything comes out.
Unrelated but how do you like the Notneutral cups? Just picked up a few of them
Just use Aeropress filters, no clean up.
Now put it in an ultrasonic cleaner like an eyeglass version and watch how ineffective your cleaning really is.
This seems like overkill to clean a puck. Also, that’s one thick puck, mine is a lot slimmer
denture cleaning tablets.
Jeezus man. Just put it in the dishwasher.
I typically soak mine in gasoline once a week, does wonders!
I use a pair of pliers and a propane torch on my filter and shower screens. It burns off even the smallest residue.
You need to use cafiza with your ultrasonic cleaner. And hot water. My ultrasonic cleaner has a heater in it. Cafiza is the essential (degreaser)element you’re missing here.
this type of screen looks new after a few seconds running water… it is very thin at 0.8mm and much thinner at holes
I don’t know difference of shot from mess-type
this is a Normcore 58.5mm I got via Amazon
https://preview.redd.it/lymjmz0mcakf1.jpeg?width=729&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9a534c338238cda9dbb78c189fe3b6bdceca4591
I just rinse it after each use. But I know it gets dirty over time. Just tried your method and it does get a lot of the small particles out and the water looks like a cup of coffee after I am done. It took a few rounds and seems to have cleaned most of it out. It is more work than some other methods, but a good option.