Keeping your burr grinder clean is key to having your morning coffee taste as fresh as possible. With every new batch of coffee beans added to your grinder, it will build up oils and fine grinds.
Not only does this affect the flavor of fresh coffee beans, but will wear down your grinder quicker if not cared for properly.
There are several products on the market for cleaning your grinder, but these are expensive and not always necessary. Thankfully, there’s a pretty good cleaning hack available that uses a pantry staple – rice!
Why Rice?
Rice will quickly and efficiently soak up the coffee oils that are left within the grinder. Coffee oil residue builds up, especially if you prefer darker roasts, and can clog your grinder if not properly maintained.
We always suggest using non-oily beans with burr grinders, as this will give your grinder a maximum lifespan.
Running rice through your burr grinder allows those oils to be soaked up, while the small pointed grains help push out all the fine coffee dust. This is also a great way to use up small amounts of rice leftovers at the bottom of the bag!
What You’ll Need
Other than your grinder, you really only need two things for this method to work.
- 1/2 cup of regular rice grains
- Microfiber towel, vacuum, or brush
Long-grain rice has the lowest starch content, which makes it an ideal choice, as starch can cause extra build-up.
Long-grain rice can be harder, though, which will add wear and tear to your grinder. The best rice to use is dry quick rice, as it’s softer and has less starch.
You will also want something to quickly brush off the rice dust once complete. Paper towels tend to leave lint, so we suggest using a cloth, microfiber towel, a high-suction vacuum, or bristle brush to remove the dust.
The rice dust will not affect the taste of your coffee, but it’s best to clean out as much as possible!
How to Clean Your Burr Grinder With Rice
Using rice to clean out your burr grinder really is quite simple.
Add the 1/2 cup of rice into the empty grinder, and mill the grinder until the rice has run through.
For the most effective cleaning, have your grinder at the coarsest setting when you begin milling, and slowly tighten the level while it grinds. This ensures the entire blade gets cleaned.
However, if you don’t want to redial in your grind setting, this is not a necessary step.
You should have rice grinds mixed with coffee grinds that fall into the catch. Knock these out and wipe down the catcher. Wipe out or vacuum any remaining rice dust in the hopper.
FAQ
We hope you are able to use this hack to maintain your machine and get as long a lifespan from it as possible.
This is a quick, easy, and very cheap means to effectively clean out all the coffee bean oil and grind residue!
If you have any remaining questions, consult our FAQ list below:
How Often Should I Clean My Burr Grinder?
Your grinder will last the longest if you wipe it down after each use, knocking out excess grind dust. If you keep beans in the hopper, clean after each new batch with rice or wipe/vacuum out. Deep clean every 3-6 months.
What Rice Do I Use to Clean My Burr Grinder?
Using dry, quick-cook white rice is best. It has low starch and is softer than other types of rice, which means less wear and tear on your grinder.
Does Rice Work In All Grinder Types?
Yes. Rice will help soak up oils and dislodge fine grinds from burr and blade coffee grinders alike. It works for both conical and flat burr blades.
Happy Caffeinating!
