It has happened to many people that, when preparing that precious coffee in the morning, the day comes when they simply “know differently”. It has a bad taste. The reality is that sometimes we do not know how to clean coffee makers; we forget or leave it for the last moment, until that fateful day comes when we drink that terrible cup of coffee.
Now, I will not be an ultra expert coffee drinker, but I know some things. One of these things is that coffee is not supposed to taste that good. I think that is a basic principle, right?
When the coffee you are preparing begins to taste bitter it is time to give your coffee maker a little extra love. A simple cleaning will help maintain the freshness of the coffee, remove water stains from the jar and prevent staining. In addition, it will eliminate the mineral buildup and clean the remaining coffee oils and turn rancid. The good news? It is easy to do and you probably have everything you need to cool your coffee maker in your home.
When the coffee starts to taste a little bad, you head to the coffee machine to check its condition. If the situation is not good, it is likely to require cleaning. Maybe you can see the accumulations at a glance. It is time to take things seriously.
The coffee grinder is one of the most neglected tools of the barista. Especially when it comes to cleaning and maintenance. Although it may seem like a tedious task. In just a few minutes, your grinder will look as clean as the day you premiered it. Take note!
Why it is so important to clean the coffee grinder?
Coffee beans leave traces of oils and impurities that degrade quickly and become bitter. If you do not clean your grinder correctly, these remains will be combined with the freshly ground coffee. That directly affect its flavor and quality. In addition, over time they can cause deterioration and damage to some parts of the grinder.
The most advisable thing is that you combine the daily superficial cleaning with deeper ones. To make sure that it maintains the hygienic conditions that guarantee you the best flavor in your coffees.
Make sure that the exit channel of the hopper is closed so that the grain does not spill when it is removed.
Grind all the coffee that is inside the grinder until nothing else falls through the outlet channel.
Turn it off and clean the inside mechanism with a brush or soft brush or, if you want a deeper cleaning, use a vacuum cleaner.
Remove any trace of ground coffee from the dispenser and clean it with the brush.
Do not forget to use it also in the exit channel. So that all the remains adhered to the walls fall.
Finally, a soft cloth passes over the outside so that the grinder is shiny.
A good time to do this is when you are checking and cleaning your professional coffee maker.
The specific pellets for grinders allow a deeper cleaning without the need to disassemble it. They are made of such a way that absorb and eliminate coffee residues and oils. Therefore, they are ideal to prevent the contamination of flavors when you grind different varieties of coffee with the same appliance.
Remove the hopper and remove the remains of coffee that are in the bottom.
Introduce about 20g of cleaning tablets in the part of the blades and then start it to clean the inside as they are falling apart.
To purge the grinder, grind a few coffee beans until the remains of the pellets leave the exit channel. This will eliminate all waste and leave the grinder ready to be used.
In the long term, the cleaning tablets can leave residues inside the mill, so it is important that from time to time you clean it in depth as explained in the following section.
From time to time it is necessary to disassemble (if you do not know how to do it you can consult the manual) and clean each part of the grinder separately, either to continue working with it or if you are going to stop using it for a while. Remember that best way to clean a coffee maker is daily cleaning. That will make this task much faster and easier.
Remove the hopper head and empty all the coffee beans that are inside. Wash the container with warm water and soap and make sure to dry it perfectly with a soft cloth. This last part is very important since the remains of moisture can damage the components of your coffee grinder.
Remove as much of the parts as possible and clean the coffee and oil residues using a soft dry brush or wooden toothpick. Pay special attention to the nooks, teeth and screws, where it is easier for waste to accumulate.
Empty the coffee dosing compartment and clean it with the brush. Pass it also through the exit channel.
Use a vacuum cleaner (better if it is professional) with a small nozzle that allows you to access all the parts of the grinder and pass it through the pieces that you have disassembled.
When you have vacuumed all the rubbish, reassemble the grinder and clean the outside with a soft cloth.
Grind a little coffee (10 or 20 grams) before using it again. This ensures that it is properly assembled and adjusted to work again.
Raw rice, and sometimes breadcrumbs, sometimes used as an alternative to cleaning tablets. However, experts strictly avoid it for several reasons: its hardness can damage the blades and the motor, the starch found in uncooked grains can clog some parts over time and, most importantly, many guarantees do not cover problems related to the grinding of rice or bread.
Following these cleaning tips you will not only get an excellent ground coffee for your recipes, you will also get your grinder to work perfectly for many years. In any case, do not forget to unplug the grinder before each cleaning to ensure your safety.