HOW TO RUN A COFFEE CLEANING CYCLE ON A GAGGIA ANIMA

Coffee oils and residue gradually collect inside the brewing system of your Gaggia Anima. Gaggia's coffee cleaning procedure uses a cleaning tablet together with the pre-ground coffee function to clean the coffee circuit. This procedure cleans coffee residue from the machine — it does not replace descaling.

PREPARE THE MACHINE

Switch the Gaggia Anima on and allow it to complete its normal start-up and automatic rinse. Wait until the machine is ready for use.

Place a suitable container beneath the coffee dispensing spout.

SELECT PRE-GROUND COFFEE

Press the AROMA STRENGTH button until the pre-ground coffee function is selected on the display.

Do not add ground coffee. The pre-ground coffee compartment will be used for the cleaning tablet instead.

ADD THE COFFEE CLEANING TABLET

Open the lid of the pre-ground coffee compartment and place one coffee cleaning tablet inside.

Close the compartment after inserting the tablet.

START A LONG ESPRESSO

Press the ESPRESSO LUNGO button to begin the brewing cycle. The machine will begin drawing water through the brewing system and cleaning tablet.

Watch the progress bar on the machine's display during this stage.

STOP THE MACHINE HALFWAY

When the progress bar reaches approximately halfway, switch the machine off using the main power switch on the rear of the machine. Move the switch to the 0 position.

This stops the cycle while the cleaning solution is inside the brewing system.

LEAVE FOR 15 MINUTES

Leave the Gaggia Anima switched off for approximately 15 minutes. This allows the cleaning solution to work on oily coffee deposits inside the brewing circuit.

SWITCH THE MACHINE BACK ON

Move the rear main power switch back to the I position and press the Stand-by button to switch the machine on.

Allow the Anima to complete its normal automatic rinse cycle.

REMOVE THE BREW GROUP

Once the machine has completed its rinse and is safe to access, switch it off and open the service door.

Remove the coffee grounds container and then remove the brew group using the PUSH button and handle.

RINSE THE BREW GROUP

Rinse the brew group thoroughly with fresh lukewarm water. Pay particular attention to areas where loose coffee grounds and residue can collect.

Do not use washing-up liquid or other household cleaning products on the brew group.

REFIT THE BREW GROUP

Allow excess water to drain from the brew group and reinstall it in the machine. Do not press the PUSH button while inserting it.

Refit the coffee grounds container and close the service door. Your Gaggia Anima is now ready to return to normal use.

How often should I run a coffee cleaning cycle on my Gaggia Anima?
The coffee cleaning cycle is intended to remove oily coffee residue from the brewing system. It works alongside regular brew-group cleaning rather than replacing it. Follow the maintenance guidance for your machine and clean the brew group regularly to prevent coffee residue accumulating.
Is a Gaggia coffee cleaning tablet the same as descaler?
No. Coffee cleaning tablets are designed to remove oily coffee residue from the brewing system. Descaler removes mineral scale from the machine's water and heating circuit. The two maintenance procedures have different purposes and one should not be substituted for the other.
Why do I have to switch the Gaggia Anima off halfway through the cleaning cycle?
Gaggia's procedure stops the brewing cycle when the progress bar reaches approximately halfway and leaves the cleaning solution inside the brewing system for around 15 minutes. This gives the solution time to work on accumulated coffee oils before the machine is restarted and rinsed.

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Engineer Tip

Coffee oils are easy to overlook because most of the build-up happens inside the brewing system. Don't confuse coffee cleaning with descaling — they deal with completely different deposits. Regularly rinse the removable brew group and use the correct coffee cleaning procedure to tackle oily residue that normal water rinsing leaves behind.

How to Run a Coffee Cleaning Cycle on a Gaggia Anima