I think most folks will tell a similar tale. We all read we should run cleaning solution through and blah blah. Turns out that is more work, takes longer, and you are not as sure about how clean it really is. So we sheepishly go about taking the pumps apart the first time to find it is so dang easy to do that this only makes sense vice doing it the way the pros do! No need to run Star San through if you are pumping near boiling liquid through them for minutes or more either. I do put foil over all my ports and rubber band them to keep spiders and whatnot out of them after I clean though (no yummy arachnoid proteins in my beer!). Cleaning a homebrew pump is quick, easy, and I do it after every brew, and sometimes before and after cuz I tend to forget things so I check to avoid issues and since it is already apart, a quick clean never hurts. Best of luck!