Grinders are one of the top go-to cannabis accessories that makes your smoking experience smooth and flavorful. Grinders makes it easy to break up the cannabis nugs into small pieces. However, when the grinder gets stuck and stops grinding down nugs, it’s time to clean it. The easiest way to clean a grinder is with isopropyl alcohol and all you need is a couple of household items to get it done.
For this cleaning process we focus on the best grinders that last the longest: grinders made of metal and with a manual grinding process (you do the grinding by hand).
Why do you need to clean your grinder?
Over time and use, grinders can get clogged up with residue and sticky gunk, and at minimum you won’t get a nice, smooth grind with pieces of similar size and consistency, at worst, the grinder will get stuck and stop working all together. If that’s not enough, a dirty grinder can become a petri dish for mold and bacteria. So, it’s best to clean your grinder periodically and know that you get a smooth, consistent grind every time.
How to clean your weed grinder step by step
The good news is that it’s really easy to clean your grinder. All you need is a couple of household items and a little bit of time and you’ll have a sparkling clean grinder.
What you need:
- Rubbing alcohol (isopropyl alcohol)
- A small nylon brush, toothbrush
- A couple of toothpicks
A resealable plastic bag or a tupperware container or glass jar - Paper towels
Before cleaning
Before you start cleaning your grinder, disassemble it. Separate all the parts and collect and save any leftover plant material in the grinder.
Cleaning Instructions
- Put the grinder parts into the tupperware container, glass jar, or the plastic bag.
- Pour isopropyl alcohol over the parts and make sure all pieces are fully submerged. Zip up the bag if using one.
- Let the pieces soak until the alcohol gets murky (could be 30 minutes or longer*).
- Drain the alcohol and rinse the pieces well with warm water.
- As needed scrub the pieces with the nylon brush or toothbrush to remove any remaining gunk.
- Place the rinsed pieces on a paper towel to dry and let dry completely before putting the grinder back together.
That is it. A clean grinder is efficient, enhancing a smooth and flavorful smoking experience.
*How long you need to soak your grinder pieces depends on how dirty they are. If you don’t want to keep checking on them, you could leave them soaking overnight and rinsing them in the morning.
How often should you clean your grinder
You don’t have to clean a grinder often. However, it’s better to clean it periodically, and before it gets stuck and stops working. Once you start noticing some resistance when twisting the grinder, it’s time to clean it. Deep cleaning can be a bigger hassle than a quick, regular cleaning.
The bottom line
A grinder is a great tool to have in your arsenal. However, a clean grinder is a must to get the best smoking experience and ensure longevity of your grinder. Luckily, cleaning a grinder is easy and all you need is a few household items and a little bit of time.
