Here’s a tough question for all the coffee lovers out there: When was the last time you cleaned your coffee grinder? It’s okay if you can’t remember! Cleaning a grinder can be a hassle, as washing it risks rust, and using paper towels doesn’t reach every nook and cranny. As a result, many just leave it be. However, with regular use, coffee bean oils can turn rancid, leading to a funky smell and a stale taste in your coffee.
But here’s some good news: You don’t need to throw out your grinder when it gets dirty. You can make it squeaky clean in only a couple of minutes with something everyone has in their kitchen: sugar. Fine sugar is great for cleaning because it’s highly absorbent, allowing it to clean up all the rancid oils inside the grinder by absorbing them. Additionally, sugar is considered to be “neutral” and won’t leave any weird tastes or smells behind.
Put about a quarter cup of sugar in the grinder and grind away until it becomes a fine powder. While the sugar granules mix inside, they’ll scrub away the gunk and soak up the oils that are stuck on the blades. Once the sugary mix comes out on the other side, toss it away, then give your grinder a quick wipe-down with a damp paper towel to take care of any leftovers.
Uncooked rice is another natural coffee grinder cleaner you’d find in your pantry
Besides sugar, rice grains can also be used to clean your coffee grinder. It’s a simple trick that works on the same principle as sugar. When you load the rice into the grinder and start grinding, the rice grains get crushed into tiny particles. Just as rice absorbs water when you cook it, here it absorbs the oily residue and buildup inside your grinder.
However, coffee grinders aren’t designed for rice grinding, so regular rice can dull out the grinder blades. Instead, opt for Instant Rice or other pre-soaked rice varieties, which are softer but still excellent for cleaning. Simply use a quarter cup of this rice, grind it for about a minute until it becomes a fine powder, and discard the rice flour. Finish by wiping your grinder with a damp paper towel to remove any remaining residue.
Whether you prefer sugar or rice, it’s a good practice to give your coffee grinder a thorough cleaning once a week, especially if you use it daily. For just five minutes on the weekend, you’ll be able to ensure that your coffee will taste consistently awesome every time you start up a brew. If you use the grinder for both coffee and spices, remember to clean it each time you switch to prevent unwanted flavor mixing. Nobody wants their coffee to taste like last night’s curry (unless you want to season your grinder).
