Uploaded March 2022 | Updated September 2026, 21 hours ago
When that Breville Barista Express "clean me" light comes on, it's time to descale and clean the machine! Here is my step-by-step process to do it. (This is not an official Breville document, its just what I always do, so follow this at your own risk lol).
You'll Need:
Cleaning tablets & replacement water filters: amzn.to/3CDpqLF
White vinegar
HERE ARE MY STEPS:
1. Remove water filter from tank. Throw out old filter.
2. Follow instructions on water tank to replace filter.
3. Leave filter out of tank while cleaning.
4. Fill water tank 50/50 with white vinegar and water.
5. Remove drip tray and portafilter and place large container under grouphead (and a small container under the drip spout underneath to catch drips.
6. Press and hold 1 cup button until half of tank has emptied.
7. Run hot water out of hot water spout until tank is 3/4 empty.
8. Run steam wand for 2 minutes.
9. Refill tank again with 50/50 water and white vinegar. Repeat steps 6-8.
10. Rinse water tank out well with water to get all the vinegar out. Refill with fresh water and repeat steps 6-8 one more time.
11. Put the single cup dual wall basket into the portafilter. (It is written on the bottom of the basket, and the single cup one is the smaller of the two dual wall baskets.)
12. Put the rubber cleaning disc in, then add a cleaning tablet.
13. Put portafilter into the grouped and place the drip tray underneath to collect the soapy water.
14. Turn machine OFF. Make sure there is still water in the tank.
15. Press and hold: 1 cup button, 2 cup button and powder button until machine turns on. The clean cycle will start and will run on its own, turning on and off for about 5 minutes.
16. When cycle is done, clean me light should be off (if it is still on but you know you did all the steps correctly, see below). Check if tablet has dissolved, then remove rubber cleaning disc and clean and replace the portafiler with the basket you normally use.
17. Run some hot water through by holding the 1 cup button for a few seconds to clean out any lingering soap bubbles.
18. Place new water filter back into water tank.
19. Clean drip tray parts with hotnsoapy water, then dry and put back together.
20. Done! I like to turn my machine off to let it cool down for at least 20 minutes before using it again.
IF CLEAN ME LIGHT DIDN'T GO OFF:
If you know you did the steps correctly but for some reason the clean me light stayed on (has happened to me before):
Press and hold the 2 cup button and power button. Turn machine off, then back on again and the light will be off.
*****This will deprogram the machine for any settings you had set, so make sure to check that the right filter size is selected (button on front) as it may have changed when you reprogrammed.
MY BOOK:
Indigo (Canada): chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/liv-bs-easy-everyday-100/9780778806790-item.html?ref=isbn-search#internal=1
Amazon (Canada): amazon.ca/Liv-Bs-Easy-Everyday-5-Ingredient/dp/0778806790/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=liv+b+easy+everyday&qid=1610378046&sr=8-1
Amazon (US): amazon.com/dp/0778806790
Barnes & Noble (US): barnesandnoble.com/w/liv-bs-easy-everyday-olivia-biermann/1137898256?ean=9780778806790
SOCIAL:
instagram: instagram.com/itslivb
tik tok: tiktok.com/@its.livb?lang=en
blog: itslivb.com
CAMERA:
canon 80D, canon 5D mk4 & canon m50
FTC:
not sponsored. Amazon link is affiliate.
When that Breville Barista Express "clean me" light comes on, it's time to descale and clean the machine! Here is my step-by-step process to do it. (This is not an official Breville document, its just what I always do, so follow this at your own risk lol).
You'll Need:
Cleaning tablets & replacement water filters: amzn.to/3CDpqLF
White vinegar
HERE ARE MY STEPS:
1. Remove water filter from tank. Throw out old filter.
2. Follow instructions on water tank to replace filter.
3. Leave filter out of tank while cleaning.
4. Fill water tank 50/50 with white vinegar and water.
5. Remove drip tray and portafilter and place large container under grouphead (and a small container under the drip spout underneath to catch drips.
6. Press and hold 1 cup button until half of tank has emptied.
7. Run hot water out of hot water spout until tank is 3/4 empty.
8. Run steam wand for 2 minutes.
9. Refill tank again with 50/50 water and white vinegar. Repeat steps 6-8.
10. Rinse water tank out well with water to get all the vinegar out. Refill with fresh water and repeat steps 6-8 one more time.
11. Put the single cup dual wall basket into the portafilter. (It is written on the bottom of the basket, and the single cup one is the smaller of the two dual wall baskets.)
12. Put the rubber cleaning disc in, then add a cleaning tablet.
13. Put portafilter into the grouped and place the drip tray underneath to collect the soapy water.
14. Turn machine OFF. Make sure there is still water in the tank.
15. Press and hold: 1 cup button, 2 cup button and powder button until machine turns on. The clean cycle will start and will run on its own, turning on and off for about 5 minutes.
16. When cycle is done, clean me light should be off (if it is still on but you know you did all the steps correctly, see below). Check if tablet has dissolved, then remove rubber cleaning disc and clean and replace the portafiler with the basket you normally use.
17. Run some hot water through by holding the 1 cup button for a few seconds to clean out any lingering soap bubbles.
18. Place new water filter back into water tank.
19. Clean drip tray parts with hotnsoapy water, then dry and put back together.
20. Done! I like to turn my machine off to let it cool down for at least 20 minutes before using it again.
IF CLEAN ME LIGHT DIDN'T GO OFF:
If you know you did the steps correctly but for some reason the clean me light stayed on (has happened to me before):
Press and hold the 2 cup button and power button. Turn machine off, then back on again and the light will be off.
*****This will deprogram the machine for any settings you had set, so make sure to check that the right filter size is selected (button on front) as it may have changed when you reprogrammed.
MY BOOK:
Indigo (Canada): chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/liv-bs-easy-everyday-100/9780778806790-item.html?ref=isbn-search#internal=1
Amazon (Canada): amazon.ca/Liv-Bs-Easy-Everyday-5-Ingredient/dp/0778806790/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=liv+b+easy+everyday&qid=1610378046&sr=8-1
Amazon (US): amazon.com/dp/0778806790
Barnes & Noble (US): barnesandnoble.com/w/liv-bs-easy-everyday-olivia-biermann/1137898256?ean=9780778806790
SOCIAL:
instagram: instagram.com/itslivb
tik tok: tiktok.com/@its.livb?lang=en
blog: itslivb.com
CAMERA:
canon 80D, canon 5D mk4 & canon m50
FTC:
not sponsored. Amazon link is affiliate.
