Every barista learns the closing routine sooner or later, usually on a late shift with a trainer who moves very fast. It looks like a long list of chores, and it is, but each step has a clear reason, and the order matters. A machine closed properly makes clean-tasting coffee the next morning. A machine closed in a hurry makes bitter shots that nobody can dial in.
This checklist explains the daily closing routine for a typical café espresso machine, the jobs done during the day, and the weekly tasks you may be asked to help with. Your café’s own procedure always comes first; this is the logic behind it, and the Specialty Coffee Association publishes broader guidance on equipment and brewing standards.
Why cleaning changes the taste
Espresso leaves coffee oils behind everywhere it touches: the shower screen, the group gasket, the basket, the portafilter spout. Those oils go rancid quickly, and every following shot passes through them, picking up bitter, burnt and stale flavours. Milk does the same on the steam wand, where it dries and burns within seconds.
That is why many taste problems are really cleaning problems. If shots taste harsh no matter how the grind is set, the guide to dialling in espresso will tell you to check the machine first.
During the day: the small habits
Most cleaning happens in small moments during service:
- Purge the group with a short flush of water before locking in each shot, to rinse grounds off the shower screen.
- Knock out and wipe the basket after every shot, so old grounds do not dry in it.
- Purge and wipe the steam wand after every single milk drink: a short blast of steam into a cloth, then a wipe with a dedicated damp cloth.
- Keep separate cloths for the steam wand, the portafilters and the counter.
- Empty the knock box before it overflows.
- Rinse milk jugs between uses, and use a clean jug for alternative milks when allergies are involved, as the guide to allergens and milk alternatives explains.
Between rushes, many cafés also do a quick water backflush on each group.
The closing checklist, in order
| Step | What you do | Why it matters | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Backflush with detergent | Blind basket, small dose of machine detergent, run the pump in short cycles | Dissolves coffee oils in the group and valve | 3 to 5 min per group |
| 2. Rinse backflush | Same cycles with plain water | Removes detergent so the first shot tomorrow is clean | 2 min per group |
| 3. Soak portafilters and baskets | Remove baskets, soak both in hot water and detergent | Oils in the basket holes ruin extraction | Soak while you do other jobs |
| 4. Scrub groups | Group brush around the gasket and shower screen | Removes grounds the backflush misses | 1 min per group |
| 5. Steam wands | Purge, wipe, soak tips if your café does | Prevents blocked tips and milk residue | 2 to 5 min |
| 6. Drip trays | Remove, empty, wash, dry | Stops smells and residue build-up | 3 min |
| 7. Grinder | Empty or cover hopper as instructed, brush the chute, wipe outside | Old grounds and oils go stale | 5 min |
| 8. Bar and equipment | Wash jugs, tampers, knock box, wipe all surfaces | Hygiene and a clean start tomorrow | 10 min |
| 9. Rinse and reassemble | Rinse soaked parts, dry, refit, final flush | Machine ready for opening | 5 min |
Backflushing properly
Backflushing is the core of closing. Fit the blind basket, a basket with no holes, into the portafilter. Add the amount of detergent your café specifies, usually a small scoop or tablet. Lock in, run the pump for around ten seconds, stop, and repeat several times. You will see dirty foam come out of the group’s drain. Then do the same with water only, until the water runs clear, so no detergent remains.
Wiggle the portafilter slightly in the group during a backflush cycle to let the detergent reach around the gasket. Follow the specific cycle your café uses; some machines have an automatic cleaning programme that does the timing for you.
Soaking and scrubbing
While the baskets and portafilters soak, use the group brush to scrub around the gasket and the shower screen, flushing water as you go. If your café removes the shower screens for cleaning, that is usually a weekly job, done carefully because the screw is easy to lose.
After soaking, rinse every part well in clean water. Detergent left on a basket gives the first shot of the morning a soapy taste.
Steam wand care
Milk dried on a steam wand is one of the fastest ways to get a hygiene complaint. Beyond the purge and wipe after every use, closing usually involves purging each wand again, wiping it down thoroughly, and either soaking the tips in a milk-system cleaner or wrapping the wand in a cloth soaked in it for a set time. If a wand tip is blocked, a pin or tip-cleaning tool may be used, but ask first; some tips are easily damaged.
The grinder at closing
Grinder routines vary. Some cafés empty the hopper each night to keep beans fresh; others keep it sealed. Either way, brush out the chute and the area around it, clean the dosing area and wipe the outside. Grinders are also cleaned more deeply on a schedule, often with cleaning tablets run through the burrs, which absorb oils without needing to open the grinder.
Weekly and periodic jobs
| Job | Typical frequency | Who usually does it |
|---|---|---|
| Remove and clean shower screens | Weekly | Trained barista or supervisor |
| Grinder cleaning tablets | Weekly or per bag volume | Barista |
| Replace group gaskets | Every few months | Supervisor or technician |
| Descale machine | Depends on water and filtration | Technician |
| Change water filter | As specified by supplier | Supervisor |
New baristas are rarely asked to descale or replace parts, but knowing the jobs exist helps you understand why some machines run better than others.
Opening checks the next morning
A good close makes opening simple, but a few checks are still worth doing. Run water through each group to flush any residue from overnight, check that baskets and portafilters are dry and seated properly, purge each steam wand, and pull a test shot before serving customers. If the first shot tastes soapy, some detergent was left behind, so run more water through the group and rinse the basket again.
Look at the drip trays and the drain as well. A drain that is slow to empty usually means coffee grounds have built up, which is easier to clear in the morning before service than in the middle of a rush.
Common closing mistakes
- Skipping the water rinse after detergent. The first shots of the morning taste soapy.
- Not soaking the baskets. Oils build up in the tiny holes, and extraction becomes uneven.
- Forgetting the steam wand. Dried milk blocks the tip and becomes a hygiene issue.
- Using the wrong product. Household detergents and abrasive pads damage machine parts.
- Rushing the grinder. Old grounds left in the chute make the first doses stale.
Logging the close
Many cafés keep a closing log or checklist that each closer signs. It looks like paperwork, but it protects everyone: if the coffee tastes off the next morning or a hygiene inspector asks, the log shows what was done and by whom. It also helps new baristas learn the routine, because each step is written down in order. Fill it in honestly; a skipped step that is recorded can be fixed, while one that is ticked but not done causes problems nobody can trace.
Who closes, and handing over
When two people close together, split the jobs clearly so nothing is done twice or missed: one takes the machine and grinder, the other the bar, fridges and floor. Before leaving, walk through the checklist together. If something could not be done, such as a blocked steam tip or a shower screen that needs a technician, leave a written note for the opening team so they are not surprised at six in the morning.
Safety at closing
Espresso machines are hot and pressurised. Keep your hands away from the group head during backflush cycles, since hot water and steam come out of the drain. Never put your hand under the steam wand when purging. Let parts cool before handling them closely, and follow your café’s rules about turning off or leaving on the machine overnight, since some machines are designed to stay on.
Making closing faster without cutting corners
Closing takes long the first few times and gets quicker with a routine. Start the soak early so it runs while you do other jobs, backflush one group while scrubbing another, and work in the same order every night so nothing is missed. A checklist on the wall, ticked each night, is common for good reason. The guide on what to expect on your first day covers how closing usually fits into training.
Knowing the steps and why they matter makes it easier to remember them when you are tired at the end of a shift. BaristaPractice, which is in early access, is built to drill that kind of procedural knowledge alongside drink recipes; you can join the waitlist.
The bottom line
Close in order: backflush with detergent, rinse with water, soak and scrub, purge and clean the steam wands, empty the drip trays, clean the grinder and the bar, then rinse and reassemble. During the day, purge and wipe the steam wand after every drink and keep cloths separate. A clean machine is the first step to good espresso, and many taste problems disappear after one proper backflush.
Frequently asked questions
How do you clean an espresso machine at closing?
Backflush each group with a blind basket and espresso machine detergent, then rinse by backflushing with plain water. Soak the portafilters and baskets, scrub the group gaskets and shower screens with a group brush, purge and wipe the steam wands, soak the steam tips if your café does, empty and rinse the drip trays, and clean the grinder and counters.
What is backflushing?
Backflushing pushes water back through the group head by running the pump with a blind basket, a basket with no holes, in the portafilter. With detergent, it dissolves coffee oils from the group and valve; with plain water, it rinses them away. Most cafés backflush with detergent at closing and with water between rushes.
How often should the steam wand be cleaned?
After every single use: purge a short burst of steam into a cloth and wipe the wand with a dedicated damp cloth. Milk dries on the wand within seconds and blocks the holes in the tip. At closing, many cafés also soak the tips or wrap the wand in a cloth soaked in a milk system cleaner.
Why does a dirty espresso machine affect taste?
Coffee oils build up in the group head, shower screen and baskets and turn rancid quickly. They add bitter, burnt and stale flavours to every shot, and no grinder adjustment removes them. Many taste problems blamed on the beans or the grind disappear after a proper backflush and basket soak.
Can I use any cleaning product on the espresso machine?
No. Use the detergent and descaler your café specifies, made for espresso machines, at the stated amounts. Household cleaners can leave residues and damage gaskets and metals, and descaling is usually a separate, scheduled job done by a supervisor or technician. When unsure, ask before using anything.