With the popularity of coffee in recent years, a large number and variety of coffee-related products have also boomed, and such is the case of coffee grinders.
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Why should I clean my coffee grinder?
For many years, there was a belief that washing our coffee-making equipment would affect the flavor of our coffee. However, this is not true and one of the products most affected by this belief was the coffee grinder.
With continued use, the grinder will accumulate coffee grounds and processed coffee oils, which can alter the flavor of the coffee and encourage fungus growth in the grinder.
Or the mechanism may be stuck due to the accumulation of coffee residues due to use. We’ll show you how to clean it perfectly.
How do you clean the coffee grinder?
Cleaning our grinder should become a habit regardless of its use and it should be washed immediately after use so that coffee residues do not stick to the mechanism and affect the functioning of the grinder. If you don’t know where to start cleaning your grinder, here are a few steps you can follow.
- Make sure the hopper is empty. If you have coffee beans in it, you should grind or remove them.
- When the grinder is completely drained, you should unplug it from the mains (if it is electric).
- Remove all detachable parts.
- Soak the funnel and measuring cup in lukewarm water for 5 minutes.
- After 5 minutes, scrub the funnel and dosing cup with a soft sponge to remove dirt and debris, then allow to dry.
- Using a soft brush, clean the duct from which the ground coffee comes out, being careful to remove any coffee residue.
- Wipe moisture from all parts of your grinder with a soft, dry cloth.
- When everything is dry, reassemble your grinder and it’s ready to go again.
By following these steps, you will ensure that any residue that can affect the flavor of your coffee is removed and your grinder stays clean.
Fast cleaning of the grinder
We know we often don’t have the time to do a deep clean like we showed you above, but we have other, easier ways to effectively clean your grinder.
You only need one of these ingredients to clean your grinder.
- Rice
- Salt
- Stale breadcrumbs
All three ingredients have the same cleaning effect and are very easy to use.
Into the grinder you should either add a handful of uncooked rice, salt, or pieces of bread (do not mix) and let the grinder run for at least a minute or until the contents appear like a powder. Our three ingredients remove the bad odors and eliminate the residue clinging to the walls of the mill.
You should repeat this process until the powder is completely clean and free of coffee residue, then wipe away the remains of rice, salt or bread with a dry cloth and that should do the trick.
If you don’t want to waste food that you can use later, we recommend using stale bread.
Other ways to clean your coffee grinder
In addition to the ways that we have already explained to you in this blog, there are very simple ways to clean your coffee grinder.
- A quick and easy way to clean your coffee grinder is to remove all detachable parts and put it in the dishwasher, using mild soap.
- Wipe the surfaces of your grinder with a damp microfiber cloth to remove all dirt, and then with a dry cloth to remove all moisture.
Not all dirt and accumulated dirt can be removed with these methods, but a large part of it can be removed. We recommend these methods if you don’t have enough time for a thorough cleaning, but it’s very important that you do them regularly.
Tips and hints for cleaning your coffee grinder
Although we’ve already shown you how to properly wash your grinder, we still have a few tips to help you keep trying.
- You can use a clean, unused brush to remove residue in places you wouldn’t reach with a regular sponge.
- In the user manual of your coffee grinder you can see which parts are removable so that you do not damage any parts when washing.
- Use microfiber towels to clean the outside of your grinder.
- If you can’t clean your grinder every time, try to clean it at least once a month.
- With some grinder brands, you may find specific instructions from the manufacturer on how to wash your grinder.
- Do not use concentrated products to avoid unwanted aromas in the coffee.
- When the grinder is not in use and there is no coffee inside, leave it uncovered to avoid moisture.
These tips will help you avoid bad smells and aromas in your coffee and keep your grinder in the best possible condition so coffee deposits don’t affect its performance.
