Alternative safe cleaners for machines

[ron45]

I read somewhere online that you can use TSP tri sodium phosphate for back flushing. Anyone know if this is safe for food use? Are there other common items good for removing coffee oils. When you backflush are you just cleaning the group? How about descaling, are there supermarket/hardware type products for descaling. Vinegar comes to mind but I don't think I'd want to try that.

Thanks

Ron

 

[DavesLT]

TSP to clean a machine?!? I certainly hope you haven't tried this yet. I'd hate to think what would happen if some of that ended up in someones cappuccino. Just buy the readily available food-safe detergents that are everywhere. These are not only certified safe, but they really do a great job of dissolving the coffee oils without eating the metal in the machine like TSP would.

 

[ron45]

Thanks for the reply. I was unaware that tsp was harmful to metal. What is your souce for this info? I used to use it in a place I once worked as a degreaser on metal cores for filters. It is a water soluable substance and should rinse away like other water soluable cleaners. I haven't used it yet. But am still curious about it.

Ron

 

[DavesLT]

TSP

TSP is used frequently to degrease floors and coils on compressors, etc. But it is considered too extreme for use with many metals and plastics. Also, I don't think you'll find anyone who would consider it safe for human consumption. Even if you rinse it very well, you still run that risk. Check out the following website for more info on cleaning, see cleaning S/S http://ianrpubs.unl.edu/homemgt/nf134.htm

 

[ron45]

Thanks for the info. The site will be useful to us as our water is pretty hard here.

Ron

 

[NW JAVA]

Puro Caff® Espresso Machine Cleaner

Puro Caff® Espresso Machine Cleaner


need I say more?

 

[ron45]

So , NW, the subject was alternatives to commercial cleaners. Last time I checked puro caffe was still on the commercial cleaners list.

Ron

 

[NW JAVA]

Ooops, you are so right.......I guess I lost focus. I should say that I prefer things that work v. alts. Are there any alts? that work mentioned yet?

 

[ron45]

Hi NW, I haven't gotten a single reply with an alternative suggestion. It just seems to me that there should be something available outside of the specialty coffee market that will remove the oils and sludge left by brewing espresso at about 25% of the price of puro caff and for a lot more of the product. Something on the order of oxyclean or it's near relatives. It isn't that puro caff is prohibitively expensive I just don't like being charged more because I bought an espresso machine. And thanks for trying to help.

Ron