Coffee Machine Steam Wand is Not Working

At some point, you may go to steam your coffee only to find that your coffee machine steam wand is not working, but the pump and boiler are fine. Although many issues cause this occurrence, you likely need to clean and unclog your pipe.

To do so, you want a milk wash, a pin, water, and your steaming pitcher. The process takes about 20 minutes, and your kitchen appliance should be cleared of milk and dirt. The best coffee makers should undergo cleaning once every day or every other day, depending on how frequently you use them. Check out these coffee machine tips for additional information.

Fixing a Coffee Maker Steam Wand

When you troubleshoot your steam wand issues, you may check a few different things. The three most common causes for a steamless pipe are lack of water in the tank, steam dial on the wrong setting, and a clogged steam wand that reduces the power of the stream. All of these can be easily fixed.

If there’s no water in your coffee maker’s tank, add some. Likewise, check to see what setting the steam valve is on and adjust as needed to supply the pump. However, cleaning out dried milk residue from inside the steam wand takes more work. If you want to clean the rest of your machine while going through this process, check out how to clean a coffee maker with apple cider vinegar or white vinegar.

Steps

• Tools Needed:
  • Milk wash
  • Needle, machine pin tool, pin, or safety pin
  • Water
  • Steam pitcher

SKIP 1

Mix the hot water and milk wash. These cleaning solutions typically state the desired ratio for the mix. For most, you need about one ounce of milk wash to a liter of water. However, you should only use this ratio if you cannot find it on the bottle. Instead, use your steam pitcher as a container.

SKIP 2

Purge the steam wand if you can. This step helps to prepare the steam wand for the mixture and eliminates loose build-up first. Then, you only need to run it without a cup or pitcher for a few seconds.

SKIP 3

Place the pitcher under the steam wand and aerate the solution. Make sure that the liquid reaches high temperatures as this happens to help soak whatever calcium and milk are inside the steam wand.

SKIP 4

Leave the tip of the steam wand sitting inside the mixture when you turn it off, allowing the steam wand to suck up some of the cleaning solution. Let it sit for about five minutes, though some people prefer less time and repetition.

SKIP 5

To loosen any dirt or dried milk, insert the pin that comes with the product. Take a look at the steam tip on the end of the wand. This part features multiple holes that can get clogged up. If you don’t have the pin from espresso machines, you can use a sterilized needle or safety pin.

SKIP 6

Reattach the steam tip before purging the steam wand again. This time, you need to purge it into the drip tray or air. By doing so, you prevent anything from getting sucked in when the pressure changes.

SKIP 7

Clean off the outside of the steam wand and tip. You don’t want any cleaning solution getting stuck inside your coffee machine or in your morning cup of coffee. After this step, you can brew your coffee as you normally would and feel comfortable aerating your milk.

F.A.Q.S