When it comes to keeping my coffee alter and equipment clean, I am a bit obsessive. I empty and clean my Sage Dual boiler's water tank every two weeks and thought I was doing OK until yesterday to my horror I saw this… [URL=https://i.imgur.com/Ebp7aUa.jpeg][IMG]https://i.imgur.com/Ebp7aUa.jpeg[/IMG][/URL] It is the float inside the water tank and as you can seee it sits in its own housing which is sealed at the top. I carefully clean out the tank washing it down ensuring that there is nothing untoward sticking to any surface but I can't get to that one spot. I have tried using cotton buds with a bent end and poking a cloth in as best I can, but because of where it is situated and the fact the float is always in the way I cannot get into it to clean it. Consequently as you can see there is a build up of the questionable spots which cannot be good and must contaminate the fresh water I put in. I am guessing this has occurred because the machine gets warm and the wee beasties that live in what has become standing warm water in the tank start to come to life. So, any ideas please as to what I can do to clean them off and also any preventative measures I can take, because apart from cleaning the tank out every other day I am stumped? I am also going to send the picture off to Sage to see what they might recommend.

@"Pompeyexile"#p64112 A picture from a wider angle would help!

Will this do? [URL=https://i.imgur.com/qVAULhj.jpeg][IMG]https://i.imgur.com/qVAULhj.jpeg[/IMG][/URL] [URL=https://i.imgur.com/8lPZjt5.jpeg][IMG]https://i.imgur.com/8lPZjt5.jpeg[/IMG][/URL] [URL=https://i.imgur.com/ugmhhAg.jpeg][IMG]https://i.imgur.com/ugmhhAg.jpeg[/IMG][/URL]

> @"HarveyMushman"#p64134 Not helpful sorry but I do think this highlights a fundamental flaw in 99% of espresso machine designs. It does, it's why I rather liked * Puristica (separate tank) * Biancas (tank can be positioned to cool location and has a degree of separation) * Evo leva (as tank is in cooler wet bay, separated from hot section).

Yeeeuk! Any suggestions?

dfk41

Pompeyexile A picture from a wider angle would help!

Pompeyexile

Will this do?

Elcarajillo

Not familiar with that machine, periodically I empty the water tank and fill with dilute Milton steriliser and let it stand
over night then flush thoroughly,

Pompeyexile

Thanks Elcarajillo, Milton Steriliser….good idea, I’ll give it a try. Even if it doesn’t actually get rid of what I think are bacterial spots it may hopefully kill them off.

DavecUK

Does the float chamber clip open at the top, or did they glue it down?

If it’s glued own, then the best way do deal with it, empty the tank completely, including all the water in the float chamber. Then make a strong Milton solution and only fill it to just above the top of the float chamber and swish it around, leave for 10, or so…then rinse.

HarveyMushman

Not helpful sorry but I do think this highlights a fundamental flaw in 99% of espresso machine designs.

Most tanks are close enough to the boilers that they stay at an ambient temperature that proves an absolutely ideal breeding ground for this kind of thing. Add to that the fact we’re often using purified water of some kind and it’s a miracle the tanks don’t look worse than this!

DavecUK

HarveyMushman Not helpful sorry but I do think this highlights a fundamental flaw in 99% of espresso machine designs.

It does, it’s why I rather liked

Puristica (separate tank)
Biancas (tank can be positioned to cool location and has a degree of separation)
Evo leva (as tank is in cooler wet bay, separated from hot section).

HarveyMushman

DavecUK

Yeah! Surprised the Purisitika hasn’t inspired a few copies by now.

And yes, the Evo Leva one always looked pretty smart to me too.

The Linea Mini/Micra put it behind the drip tray which works well for avoiding bacteria but the low-level indicator is ridiculously high so it needs to be pretty much full all the time.

Pompeyexile

Thanks for all your advice. I will let you know how the Milton soak goes.

Elcarajillo

Did it work well ?

Pompeyexile

Did it yesterday. Even though the box stated only need to soak for 15 minutes I soaked it for an hour or so, then rinsed and put in another tablet and again soaked it for another hour and it has worked a treat. I will now use the Milton soak as part of my regime and will monitor the tank carefully to see if it can go 1 month before cleaning, or how more often it will be required. Either way it is no hassle, so even if I had to do it once a fortnight then so be it.

Thanks everyone!

Elcarajillo

Pompeyexile I keep a bottle of Milton for sanitising, it is also useful for soaking milk sponge overnight
( sponge for steam wand)

dutchy101

Milton is brilliant stuff