Coffee Brewing Equipment Cleaning Guide
We get it; you drink a lot of coffee. Contrary to popular belief, the oil that builds up is NOT seasoning, ew. Here we'll show you how to clean your various brewing devices at home, what products you'll need, and how often you should be doing it.
Tools of the Trade
- Coffee machine cleaner
- Kettle or hot water
- Long-handled scrubbing brush
General Process
- Disassemble to the best of your abilities.
- Prepare a tub of hot water and dissolved coffee machine cleaner.
- Soak the brewer pieces for at least 10 minutes, or as long as you want.
- Remove parts from your tub and rinse them under warm water while scrubbing.
- Set to dry, and enjoy the cleanest, most sparkly brewing gadgets your lil heart could desire.
This cleaning should be completed every month if you make coffee daily, although a good rinse after each brew you make doesn't hurt anyone.
The reason you might use this method over dishwashing is twofold. First, not all brewing equipment should go in the dishwasher. Generally speaking, if it's not glass, it probably doesn't belong in there. Secondly, the coffee cleaning product will do a much better job of taking care of the built-up oils and grounds because it's specifically designed to attack those oils. This would be the same product you use to backflush your espresso machine at home.
Cleaning Your Hario Filter
For most Hario glass drippers, the glass cone pops out of the plastic base. These are dead easy to clean. For something a little more involved, like the Hario switch dripper with valve, go slowly. The Japanese design of Hario products is superb, but the glass is quite delicate. It's rare to find a part of your coffee making equipment that isn't cleanable so if you're having trouble, shoot us a call or stop by your local cafe that uses the same equipment. They should be able to point you in the right direction at least.
Cleaning Your Espro French Press
For the Espro French press' in particular, they require some disassembly. After each brew, separate and hand wash the filters, as well as rinsing out the press itself. Once a month, fill your Espro with hot water and separate the filters, soaking for 10 minutes before a thorough rinse to remove all trace of cleaning product.
Cleaning Your AeroPress
Aeropress is unique in the brew method and cleaning method. For Aeropress cleaning, it's wiped clean every time you use it by the tight seal the plunger creates. Once a month, it's recommended to remove the rubber seal on the end of the plunger and wash everything in warm soapy water.