How to Clean a Coffee Grinder? Actionable Advice

Have your coffee grinder accumulated coffee residues and you feel it is affecting the taste of your coffee.

In that case, you need to learn how to clean a coffee grinder properly.

Actually, coffee is a spice and like other spices, coffee too contains oils that are generated while toasting and grinding, and these can accumulate on the grinder over time?

This not only looks bad, but also you feel the coffee taste has changed a bit.

In such a scenario, your coffee grinder requires cleaning to continue creating fresh cups of coffee.

Particles and oil residue might have a significant impact on the performance of your grinder as well.

I used to clean my grinder off with a damp cloth before, but the results were not satisfactory.

But later, I discovered some secret tricks that give superb results. The good news is, that I will share with you everything in this guide.

So, let's begin!

Why You Need to How to Clean a Coffee Grinder?

It is critical to clean your coffee grinder regularly to guarantee that your coffee tastes better and that your grinder continues to function properly.

With regular use, your coffee grinder can have:

Coffee build-up

Coffee build-up occurs when old coffee particles and dust accumulate in the coffee grinder, altering the flavor of the coffee grounds and the coffee brew.

If you use a blade grinder to grind spices as well, the leftover spices will accumulate in the grinder and impact the flavor of your coffee.

Dust Accumulation

Dust accumulates when we use the same gadget or appliance for a long period.

This might make your coffee taste disgusting and can cause some allergies to those allergic to dust. This dust can also contaminate the coffee, serving as a carcinogen.

Oils

When coffee beans are ground, they produce oils. Coffee oils will build in the coffee grinder and become stale and rancid over time, emitting an odd odour.

The stale oil will damage the taste of the coffee grounds as well as the final brew.

The accumulation of old oils and coffee fragments in the grinder will also wear down the blade. This will have an impact on the performance and longevity of your grinder.

There are two main types of coffee grinders and the cleaning mechanism is different for each.

Let’s talk about these types of coffee grinders and then discuss the ways to clean them.

What is a Blade Grinder?

This grinder, like a blender, has two or three blades that are driven by a tiny engine. The coffee beans are ground down as the blades revolve at high speeds.

In addition to coffee beans, a blade grinder may be used to grind spices. The use of a blade-type grinder to grind coffee has the disadvantage of producing uneven grounds.

How to Clean Blade Grinders

Depending on the type of grinder, there are many techniques for cleaning it. To clean a blade grinder, follow these steps:

Things You Need:

1.       A handful of rice.
2.       A wet cloth.

What You Need to Do

1.       Fill the rice grinder halfway.
2.       Load it with uncooked rice until the blades are completely coated.
3.       Run the rice through the rice grinder.  (For approximately a minute).
4.       Remove the rice from the grinder.
5.       Wipe with a wet cloth.

You can also use grinder cleaning pellets instead of rice, but they have almost the same results as rice so why spend the extra bucks to buy the grinder cleaning pellets?

What is a Burr Grinder?

A burr coffee grinder or burr grinder, also known as a burr mill, is used solely for grinding coffee beans.

Burr grinders have a top storage container for coffee beans, known as a bean hopper, as well as a bottom grinder part. 

The grinder smashes beans between two spinning burrs, one in the middle and one on the outside. Burr grinders generate coffee grinds that are uniform in size. Burr grinders are comparatively hard to clean out as compared to blade-type grinders.

How to Clean Burr Grinders

The cleaning of a burr coffee grinder can be time-consuming. To make the procedure easier, follow these steps:

Things You Need:

1.       Soap.
2.       Water.
3.       A small scrubbing brush
4.       Toothpick/toothbrush.
5.       A wet Cloth.

What You Need To Do:

• Clean out the hopper.
• Remove the bean hopper and dump any coffee beans and coffee dust.
• Use soapy water to clean the inside of the hopper.
• Remove all of the pieces, including the outer burr.
• Remove all replaceable plastic and rubber parts from the grinder.
• Wash the parts with soapy water.
• Remove the inner burr. Remove the inner burr with a screwdriver if necessary.
• Scrub gently with a brush.
• With a toothbrush or a toothpick, remove any coffee grounds that have become lodged.
• Clean the burrs. Wipe the burrs down with a wet cloth.
• Clean out the coffee chute.
• Allow it to dry.

Tips to Keep Your Grinder Squeaky Clean

•             Clean as you go along.
•             Keep the burrs tidy.
•             Keep it away from grease.
•             Change the burrs regularly.
•             After cleaning, let the grinder, dry well.

FINAL THOUGHTS

If you use your grinder frequently, you should clean your coffee grinder once a week to ensure that your brew is at its finest.

It should be cleaned, especially when grinding items other than coffee - both before and after.

As a general rule, cleaning your grinder on a regular basis has been just healthier, and you should end up with a coffee grinder that looks as squeaky clean as the day you got it.

You do not worry about how to clean your coffee grinder after you have read our blog.

We promise you, if you follow the steps we’ve shared with you, your grinders will last longer and also be squeaky clean.