How to Clean a Coffee Grinder

Stephan asked, “Does anyone know how to clean a coffee burr grinder that might have been used to grind curry spices?”

Table of Contents:

Cleaning the Coffee Grinder
Additional Tips and Advice
Sources

A coffee grinder can be used for more than just turning coffee beans into coffee grounds; you can use it to turn just about any dry food into a powder. Whether you used your grinder for something other than coffee or you just want to clean out the grounds before they go stale, the tips below will help you keep your grinder clean.¹

Cleaning the Coffee Grinder

You Will Need:

Coffee grinder brush or clean paintbrush
A pipe cleaner
White rice
Bread
A cloth
Water
Dish liquid

Steps to Clean the Coffee Grinder

Grind about a handful of raw white rice through the grinder. The rice will remove the coffee grounds, any oils, as well as the odor.²
If you have used the grinder for spices, mill several slices of bread through the grinder.³
Use a coffee grinder brush to dust out the grounds.⁴ If you don’t have a coffee grinder brush, use a clean paintbrush.⁵
If there are any grounds stuck in the grinding mechanism, use a pipe cleaner to remove them.¹
Lightly dampen a clean cloth with water and wipe the bowl surfaces to remove as much residue as possible.¹
Some coffee grinders have a grinding mechanism that can be removed. If your grinder does, you can remove the mechanism and wash it with dish liquid or place it in the dishwasher.¹