Before the first use:
Rinse the unit with water. You don't have to remove the saddles but ensure that water is flushed through the unit i.e. from the bottom of the column through to the alcohol out point.
Before each distillation:
Clean your boiler by rinsing it with water.
After each use:
Clean the boiler by using a stainless steel safe detergent to scrub away any build up on the element and rinse it with water.
Every 5-10 distillations:
Wash the saddles every 5-10 distillations by rinsing the condenser column with water.
Every 20 distillations:
For a thorough clean, rinse the column with a citric acid mix (2 Tbsp citric acid to 4 L (1.1 US Gal) of water) then flush with water 2 or 3 times to get rid of the acid. You can also unpack your column and soak your saddles in a citric acid mix before rinsing them and placing them back into the column again.
If you remove the saddles, remember to add the copper saddles first followed by the ceramic or stainless steel saddles (depending on what you have).
The Column may leak during cleaning - This may happen during cleaning as there is no seal at the top of the tower between the top cap and the condenser. This does not have any effect on the operation of the still as the vapour pressure produced from distilling using the T500 isn't enough to breach the seal between the top cap and the column. This is a safety feature in case of pressure build-up.