Cleaning an old grinder hopper and dosing chamber?
We purchased a used grinder for our cafe opening next month and the inside of the hopper and the dosing chamber are heavily stained with rancid coffee oils. Can anyone give me some advice on how best to clean the hopper and dosing chamber insides effectively without damaging the plastic? Simply soap, hot water & elbow grease? Rubbing alcohol? Or is there something tailor made for this type of cleaning job? Thanks for your help! - Cash c[_]
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Brady on
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I'm a big fan of a quick soak in a bucket of Purocaff or Cafeiza for anything removable that wouldn't rust (or isn't aluminum). A little on a rag is good for non-removable parts, followed by a "rinse" wipe with just water.
Before you start this, do yourself a favor and pick up a little bottle of Fast Orange pumice hand cleaner or something similar. They have it at Lowes or your local hardware store. Those rancid oils smell NASTY and are really hard to get off of your hands with regular soap. I've started carrying a bottle in my tool bag, and it really helps.
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Permalink Reply by Cash Reynolds on
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Thanks Brady, I appreciate the help. c[_] [_]D
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Permalink Reply by Chris on
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I'll double the soak in Cafiza , Joe Glo, or Purocaff, but I'll throw in a 'disassemble', and raise you a 'burrs rust'. Burrs rust really fast and easy, because they are hardened steel and not stainless, and you're removing any and all oils that would normally prevent them from rusting with these cleaners.
Grab a manual on-line, and go ahead and get new burrs. Use the new burrs as a known quantity, and save the others for paperweights, or at most, backup spares for if you find a nail or stone the hard way. Burrs are pretty cheap compared to the frustration of dulled burrs screwing with each and every pull.
DAMHIK, IJK, K?
Two things happen when you disassemble before cleaning:
Thing the first: You find places that harbor old rancid bean dust and detritus that you couldn't imagine existed, and without that disassembly would be where the bean 'curds' formed from that dust and cleaning agent would have exuded that foul, rancid, chemical smell in your grinder for aeons.
Thing 'B': You know have an intimate knowledge of the inner workings of your used grinder, and a clue as to where future problems may develop. If you see worn, loose, or cracked parts that were hidden by their location, you have an opportunity to have them shipped ground or slow boat, instead of Next Day Air.
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Permalink Reply by Jay Caragay on
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I don't think it's necessary to soak grinder components in Cafiza or Urnex or Joe Glow. If you must soak, opt for the cheaper and by the bucket size at Target OxyClean.
However, if you've bought a used grinder that's heavily stained, you're much better off disassembling the entire grinder and cleaning the components individually. The results will be far superior to the superficial cleaning that can be had with just trying to wipe and scrub it down.
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Jay Caragay said:I don't think it's necessary to soak grinder components in Cafiza or Urnex or Joe Glow. If you must soak, opt for the cheaper and by the bucket size at Target OxyClean.
When it comes to using a tablespoon of the Cafiza or Joe Glow sitting on my counter or getting in the car to go to Target to buy a bucket of OxyClean for a coupla tablespoons of that (at most) the Cafiza starts to look remarkably inexpensive. I mean, if you have OxyClean at your shop already, then sure, I guess, why not... But most shops already have some sort of coffee cleaner (or should) on hand, and it *is* specifically designed for that job, and to be used in a foodsafe environment... so...
There is a foodsafe version of OxyClean, so that warns me that the regular one... I dunno.
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Permalink Reply by Bryan Wray on
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This is along the same lines as the whole OxyClean/Cafiza thing, but Grindz is cereal and rice... I'd suggest using cereal and rice, 'cuz they don't cost like $30 for a 480g bottle. Now, there are apparently some "pharmaceutical grade binders" in Grindz, and I don't know if cereal and rice have "pharmaceutical grade binders" in them or not, but good ol' minute rice works fine for me (and thousands of other people).
-bry
Caty Rent said:Taking it apart and cleaning whatever you can take out individually is always a great idea- when you're through with that, I would reccommend running a product called, "Grindz" through it. It's through the Urnex company. I agree with Chris that you should get a manual online though. Taking a grinder apart can be tricky if you don't know what you're doing! Good luck!
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And that post isn't meant to knock Grindz... it's a FANTASTIC product, just... ya know... $$$$.
-bry
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Bryan Wray said:And that post isn't meant to knock Grindz... it's a FANTASTIC product, just... ya know... $$$$.
-bry
Knock away...
I just don't get the purpose... if you've disassembled the thing and removed all of the old residue using a puro-caff soak, brushes, picks, rags, and a shop vac to the point that it is clean, why bother? It's clean.
If you have a thoroughly clean grinder and periodically take steps to keep it that way (through periodic brushings, wiping, shop-vac), the thing will remain clean.
Again, I just don't get it.
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Forgot to mention in my original post...
Three other tools that are really useful for cleaning grinders: cheap (clean) toothbrushes, toothpicks, and a small paint brush that's had about half an inch cut off of the tip. Combine those with a shop vac and some microfiber rags and you're in business.
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Wow, thanks my friends! Lots of helpful info. I appreciate it. c[_]
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Permalink Reply by Shadow on
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I personally wouldn't consider using OxyClean for this type of cleaning. I highly doubt it'll clean as quickly or effectively as the aforementioned cleaners. Also don't trust OxyClean around anything food related. I do know that common backflush detergents have some wicked cleaning agents in them as well, but they rinse off far easier than what is in OxyClean and others. OC has its uses around the house, just not near my spro stuff. Later!
Jay Caragay said:I don't think it's necessary to soak grinder components in Cafiza or Urnex or Joe Glow. If you must soak, opt for the cheaper and by the bucket size at Target OxyClean.
However, if you've bought a used grinder that's heavily stained, you're much better off disassembling the entire grinder and cleaning the components individually. The results will be far superior to the superficial cleaning that can be had with just trying to wipe and scrub it down.
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On the OxyClean-
While some of you may be uncomfortable using OxyClean, we use it on a daily basis. Don't succumb to the marketing hype.
True, OxyClean comes in a variety of fragrances, which are unsuitable for our purposes, so we use the "unscented" versions.
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