milk gets much harder to remove after it dries.
so the best steam-wand cleaning routine starts about three seconds after you finish steaming.
first, point the wand toward the drip tray and give it a short purge. keep your hands away from the steam and the hot metal.
then wipe the outside with a clean, damp cloth that you use only for the steam wand. do not use the same cloth that has been collecting mystery counter water all morning.
purge it again briefly after wiping. this helps clear milk from the tip.
that quick wipe-and-purge should happen after every pitcher. it is much easier than chiseling cooked milk off later.
if the tip is already blocked, turn the machine off and let the wand cool before you touch it. check your machine's manual. some machines include a cleaning pin. some let you unscrew the tip. the exact steps are model-specific.
do not force a random needle into the holes. do not soak the entire wand. do not use a cleaner unless the manufacturer says it is safe for that part.
also remember that cleaning the steam wand is separate from backflushing or descaling the espresso machine. those jobs have their own schedules and instructions.
tl;dr: after every milk drink, purge the wand, wipe it with a dedicated damp cloth, then purge again. if it is blocked, let it cool and follow the machine's manual for the tip.
at Couplet, the steam wand gets cleaned because dried milk is not a flavor note.
coupletcoffee.com / @couplet
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