Gaggia Cadorna Barista Plus/cleaning and maintenance
From Whole Latte Love Support Library
On Descaling
To keep your super-automatic in tip top shape, it's important to perform regular cleaning and maintenance functions, and descaling is a majorly important one to ensure any machine has a long life slinging your favorite brews. Check your manual for machine-specific descaling info, and watch the video on the right to learn more about why it's important to avoid scale build-up.
Quick Tip: Why Descale?
Lubricate the Brew Unit
The brew unit brews, as the name suggests, but, just as importantly, it's also responsible for tamping ground coffee into a consistent puck. Inside the unit are two tracks which should be lubricated every six months or so for best results in the cup. Watch the video on the right to get the low down on food safe lubricant and how to keep the brew unit functioning smoothly.
Espresso Machine Maintenance -- How To Lubricate A Brew Unit
Descaling Cycle Frequency
| Hardness | Water Hardness | Without Water Filter | Not Reactivating the Filter |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Soft water (up to 7°dH) | Approx. every 6 months / 240 litres | 210 litres |
| 2 | Medium water (7° - 14°dH) | Approx. every 3 months / 120 litres | 105 litres |
| 3 | Hard water (15° - 21°dH) | Approx. every 6 weeks or 60 litres | 52.5 litres |
| 4 | Very hard water (over 21°dH) | Approx. every 4 weeks or 30 litres | 26.25 litres |
The default water hardness level is 4. Each litre of water corresponds to approximately 2,000 pulses.