How to clean coffee grinder?
Keeping your coffee tools clean is essential and necessary. The maintenance of a coffee grinder depends on the type of this accessory. If you want to get to know, how to clean a coffee grinder, read this short guide below.
Cleaning a blade coffee grinder
There are two types of coffee grinders, and the blade coffee grinder is one of them. It is powered by a small motor that grinds coffee beans quickly and effectively. However, because it is the electric type of coffee grinder, you cannot wash it with soapy water. You would definitely destroy the motor inside. There is another way to clean the inside chamber. You surely have rice in your kitchen. Rice absorbs all the leftover coffee oils, which makes it perfect for cleaning the grinder. Grind a few batches of rice to get rid of not only the oils, but other leftovers of ground coffee. It is difficult to clean or brush the coffee leftover under the blades, but thanks to this solution, they will be clean as brand new again. Why is it important to clean coffee grinders regularly? Because the coffee build-up collects old coffee particles that can affect the taste of your freshly brewed coffee. Using rice is an easy and effective way to clean your coffee grinder. Don’t forget to wipe the rice residue with a piece of kitchen towel after unplugging the machine.
How to clean a manual burr coffee grinder?
Cleaning a coffee grinder that is not electrically powered is slightly more complicated, and it takes more time, but don’t worry, you can do it without any problem. Before cleaning a burr coffee grinder, prepare a few tools. A soft toothbrush (or a soft brush) is helpful to remove coffee residue from the burrs. A screwdriver is sometimes needed on some models to unscrew certain parts to clean it properly. Let’s start with cleaning the bottom chamber. Remove this part and empty it. Then you can clean it in soapy water – leave it as long as it is needed to dry completely. Now it is time to clean the inner parts of your grinder. Loosen the adjustment nut and remove it. The next step is removal of the conical burr set. Use the brush to remove the coffee build-up. Then take the screw part – in some cases you need to pinch the tip to loosen the inner part. If it is made of plastic – you can wash it in soapy water or clear water. If you have a metal grinder, don’t use the water because it might rust.
After making sure that each part is free from coffee dust, and is dry, you can reassemble your coffee grinder. It is ready to use!
How to clean coffee grinders? Useful tips
- As it was mentioned before, using rice is helpful only if you own a blade grinder. Rice grains are too hard for grinding in a manual burr coffee grinder. They could destroy the burrs, which is the most important part of the grinder! Use cleaning pellets or tablets instead.
- Using soapy water is recommended only for plastic or rubber parts of your grinder. Contact with water can result in rust.
- You should clean your coffee grinder once a week, if you like alternative methods of coffee brewing, such as pour over or AeroPress. Old coffee dust and oils can change the taste of freshly brewed coffee.
- If you have never used a manual coffee grinder before, and this is your first time cleaning it, you should put each part in the order, to reassemble them correctly.
Cleaning a coffee grinder is a crucial step of coffee brewing. Removal of all the coffee dust helps with keeping the tool in a good shape, and it improves the taste of your coffee.
