Cleaning your coffee grinder? That's important for a delicious cup of coffee!
The Importance of Cleaning Your Coffee Grinder
Cleaning your coffee grinder is often one of the most underestimated cleaning tasks for every barista. However, it is essential to do this regularly. Fortunately, cleaning your coffee grinder is fairly simple, provided you do it in a safe and responsible way. To keep your grinder in good condition, you will need a wide range of cleaning products, which are discussed below.
Why Is It Important to Clean Your Coffee Grinder?
The downside of a coffee grinder is that coffee residues and oils often remain in the grinding chamber and the doser (for grinders without an on-demand system). This is especially visible in transparent coffee hoppers, where the coffee oils deposit. The oil residue depends on how oily the coffee beans are.
The main reason for cleaning your coffee grinder regularly is that it extends the lifespan of the grinder and prevents you from having to buy new coffee grinder parts.
Removing Coffee Oils
The amount of oil that comes out of your coffee beans depends on the roast. Lighter roasted beans release less oil, while darker roasted beans produce more oil.
Maintaining Pure Coffee Flavor
If you are a café owner, you want every espresso you serve to be consistent in taste. Old coffee residues in the grinder can negatively affect the flavor of freshly ground coffee. Therefore, keep your grinder clean to ensure the perfect coffee flavor.
How to Perform a Deep Cleaning of Your Coffee Grinder
If you have never cleaned your coffee grinder thoroughly, you will need to follow a more detailed process before applying regular cleaning methods.
What do you need for a deep cleaning?
Steps for a Deep Cleaning:
- Unplug the coffee grinder from the power outlet.
- Remove the hopper and set it aside.
- Vacuum the grinding chamber and unscrew the top burr holder.
- Clean the burrs with a brush to remove any caked coffee residues.
- Clean the passage from the grinding chamber to the chute/doser with the Brooks nylon cleaning brush.
- If you have a doser grinder, clean the inside of the doser as well.
- Reinstall the burr holder and recalibrate the grinder.
Cleaning Your Coffee Grinder with Rice: Step by Step
Although it may sound unusual, you can use rice to clean your coffee grinder. Rice absorbs the oils from the coffee residues, especially if you use darker roasted beans. However, we recommend using a specialized cleaner instead of rice.
Cleaning Your Coffee Grinder with Puly Crystals
The easiest way to clean your grinder is by using Puly grinder cleaning crystals. These crystals come in sachets and are suitable for one cleaning session.
How to Use the Puly Cleaner:
- Remove the hopper and grind the remaining coffee beans.
- Add a sachet of Puly cleaning crystals and grind them completely through the grinder.
- Grind a small amount of coffee afterward to remove any remaining crystals.
For grinders with a doser, check to ensure no crystals are left behind.
How Often Should You Clean Your Coffee Grinder?
Cleaning your coffee grinder weekly with Puly cleaning crystals and keeping the exterior clean with Puly Bar will ensure a hygienic and well-performing grinder. Depending on the usage and the type of coffee beans, we recommend thoroughly cleaning the grinder every quarter or semi-annually.
Switching Coffee Beans? Clean and Recalibrate Your Grinder
When switching to a different coffee blend or brand, it is advisable to thoroughly clean and recalibrate your grinder. This prevents residues from the old beans from affecting the flavor of the new ones.
Cleaning Products for Your Coffee Grinder at Brooks Parts
At Brooks Parts, we offer a wide range of cleaning products for coffee grinders, including accessories from brands such as Puly and Brooks. Check out our full range on Brooks Parts - Coffee Grinder Cleaners and ensure your grinder always stays in top condition.