Welcome to Coming Clean , a monthly column where writer Lauren Viera finds the best products for the toughest parts of the kitchen. Along the way, she might convince you (and yourself) to use all of the cleaning.
If, like me, you think you're "cleaning" your coffee grinder by simply wiping it with a paper towel every now and then, I have news: we got it wrong. Cleaning coffee grinders isn't exactly intuitive, especially if you want to do it right - really go ahead and rid you of a practically invisible layer of coffee oil. A quick Google guide lists a number of tedious steps and consumables, including rice bags (not recommended) and toothbrushes (not fully effective). But depending on how much time you're looking to invest (and more importantly, which model you own), cleaning the blade and grinding wheels is pretty straightforward and likely means a more delicious cup of coffee tomorrow morning. I looked on cleaning sites and coffee blogs for tips on how to really effectively clean your coffee grinder and then tried them out myself. Here are some tips I learned along the way:
Take it apart. (If you can.)
It should be obvious, but just in case: make sure your grinder is unplugged before playing with it.
If it is a knife sharpener, you may be able to (carefully) unscrew and remove the knives from the main sharpening cavity. If you can't remove the blades from your grinder like I couldn't remove mine, scroll down to the section below for cleaning tips.
Wheel grinders are generally easier to disassemble than knife grinders. Most of the burrs or gears can be loosened and removed from the cavity. others are held in place with a screw or two. Either way, your goal is to remove as much material as possible to make room for cleaning all the rough edges.
Hit him.
When the grinder is out of gears and blades, remove as much debris as possible by giving it a few good knocks on the counter. Tip: You may want to place a tea towel or wooden cutting board between the two surfaces to avoid cutting the side of your grinder like I did with myself. Oops!
Clean it up.
This step seems easy, but if you've tried it before, you know it doesn't. Coffee powder is practically magnetic - it sticks to everything, and it's hard to resist finding a damp cloth to wipe it off. Do not do that! The slightest hint of moisture (even wet!) Can eventually bring these gears - and your caffeinated mornings - to a halt. Instead, use dry towels that are as "magnetic" as microfiber towels. The thinner the better; I used old glasses cloths and they worked fine.
Wisdompro microfiber cleaning cloths, pack of 8
$ 8.00, Amazon
Do a few details.
Your microfiber cloth cannot reach the crevices that are essential for good cleaning. You can bring swabs or toothpicks, but a coffee grinder cleaning brush exists and is much more civilized.
Cleaning brush for coffee grinder
$ 7.00, Amazon
Optional: season.
If you've made it this far, you can also go your own way and season your freshly cleaned mill. The idea is to add a little flavor to the thing after cleaning it. For this step, run some leftover beans through the grinder to add a new layer of coffee oil. Save The Good Stuff - You should drop these designs when you're done.
What if i can't remove the blades or burrs? \.
My trusty Krups F203 is so old (we're talking about the mid-90s, inherited from my parents even before I actually had coffee). I did some research before finding out that it is older than the more basic models whose access to equipment is hidden under the label on the bottom panel . My only option was to leave the blades there. Instead of collecting a handful of rice grinding all the coffee bits, a DIY process that can damage the leaves, I grabbed a packet of coffee grinder cleaning tablets. They are made from food-grade citrus powder and feel like vitamins. Just grind them, removing any coffee residue in the process. Then clean everything. Don't forget to season with single-use beans afterwards.
Cleaning tablets for coffee grinders
$ 10.00 bath bed and more
Originally appeared on Epicurious
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