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View Full Version : Aack! I Farked My Grinder!


JimT
02-17-2007, 06:16 PM
Been using my little coffee grinder for years to grind spices. Never any problem. Just wipe it out, and it's good for the next journey. Untill tonight, that is. Ground up some whole cloves, since that's what the recipe called for. Yikes, are those oily little bastards!

Try as I might, I've not been able to clean the thing enough to get the clove smell out. Even the top plastic part won't come clean. After repeated washings/scrubbings with hot, soapy water it still has a crusty film on it. When I scratch it with my fingernail, the crud comes off the plastic, but the clove smell intensifies.

Is there a way to clean this chit?

Should I just buy a new grinder?

Thanks.

JimT

jpw23
02-17-2007, 06:20 PM
Try soaking the parts in a sinkfull of water and dawn with a cup of bleach.

jgh1204
02-17-2007, 06:42 PM
Try grinding some coarse salt? I would try vinegar first before bleach.

bbqbull
02-17-2007, 07:10 PM
I would try some salt and lemon juice and a bit of warm water. Thats how I clean my coffee pot.

G$
02-17-2007, 08:12 PM
White rice and a tad of baking soda. Might work, might not.

swamprb
02-17-2007, 10:47 PM
I saw the white rice trick in the local paper last week and was going to ask the rub group if anyone used it to clean their grinders, I'm looking for a Burr grinder thats adjustable and has removable conical burrs for cleaning.

qman
02-18-2007, 06:54 AM
Have not tried the rice trick, but just grinding coarse salt always works for me. It is sort off like sandblasting, really scours things inside that little fella.

Neil
02-18-2007, 06:58 AM
Be sure to let us know what works.

JimT
02-18-2007, 08:30 AM
I tried grinding some coarse salt I had first. Maybe it wasn't the right kink of salt? It turned to powder in about 2 seconds flat. Maybe helped some, I couldn't really tell.

Next came white rice & baking soda. After this step, the bowl and blade were pretty much OK, but the plastic lid still smelled of cloves.

After a good scrubbing with a salt/lemon juice "paste", I think the patient is on the road to recovery! There is still a "scratch & sniff" film instead of nice clear plastic, but I can live with that. Who knows, maybe my next rub will have "just the slightest hint" of clove. Might be kind of good!

Then again, they're not very expensive.........:biggrin:

JimT

jacob
02-18-2007, 08:32 AM
Try grinding some coarse salt? I would try vinegar first before bleach.
ditto

Sledneck
02-18-2007, 08:33 AM
Put it in the dishwasher

tony76248
02-18-2007, 08:45 AM
Rice is the answer!!!!!!!! It will leave a fine white powder when all is said and done.

Ron_L
02-18-2007, 09:52 AM
I think the problem with cloves is the amount of oil in them. Rice is the perfect thing for cleaning out any bits, but it won't do much for the oils. The lemon juice/salt paste probably did a good job on the oils. Give it another scrub and it should be OK.

If not, there is a commercial grinder cleaner called Grindz (http://www.urnex.com/grindz.htm) that may do the job. I'm not sure where to get it in the store, but you could always order come. I just use rice and a small vacuum cleander to clean out my grinders, but I'm grinding coffee in them, not cloves! :-D

I'm looking for a Burr grinder thats adjustable and has removable conical burrs for cleaning

What's your budget and what are you going to use it for? The cheapest conical burr grinder with removeable burrs that I know about is the Capresso Infinity (http://www.wholelattelove.com/Capresso/infinityburr.cfm) at about $90. It would work fine for brewed coffee, but does not have enough adjustability for espresso. PM me if you want more info.

Sylvie
02-18-2007, 12:32 PM
Grinding coarse salt works for me.

BBQchef33
02-18-2007, 10:47 PM
i read somewhere that grinding white bread removes the oils left behind form the oily members of the spices.

jgh1204
02-18-2007, 10:54 PM
Unless your grinder is on atkins. Then try grinding some egg shells.

david
02-18-2007, 11:20 PM
saltines

Bill-Chicago
02-18-2007, 11:24 PM
saltines

Salt free, saltines.

David beat me too it.

I would use saltines (but my box actually says sodium free saltines.)

Irony Mod

swamprb
02-19-2007, 01:57 AM
What's your budget and what are you going to use it for? The cheapest conical burr grinder with removeable burrs that I know about is the Capresso Infinity (http://www.wholelattelove.com/Capresso/infinityburr.cfm) at about $90. It would work fine for brewed coffee, but does not have enough adjustability for espresso. PM me if you want more info.[/quote]

Currently using a Bodum burr grinder for Espresso, but I did have my eye on the Capresso, Thanks for the heads up!