Simply, and less than you think.
After every use
Rinse all three parts with hot water. No detergent, no scourer.
Aluminium moka pots build a thin seasoned layer of coffee oils over time, and traditionalists insist that layer improves the brew. Whether or not you believe that, detergent leaves a residue that you will taste in the next cup.
Dry it fully and store it disassembled. A moka pot screwed together while damp goes musty and corrodes at the threads.
The filter plate
Lift it out — it is only held by the gasket — and check the holes. Coffee blocks them over months, which slows the brew and can make the pot spit.
A soft brush and hot water clears it.
The gasket
The one real wear part. Rubber gaskets harden and crack after a year or two of regular use, and a leaking gasket means a pot that never builds pressure.
Replacements cost almost nothing and are sold everywhere. Change it before it fails.
The safety valve
A small spring valve in the base. Check occasionally that it moves — descale it if it is stuck. It is what stops the pot becoming a pressure vessel, so it matters.
Never in the dishwasher
Aluminium oxidises and discolours badly. Stainless models tolerate it, and hand rinsing is still better for the gasket.
Last reviewed 8 August 2026