Isopropyl alcohol at 90% or higher cleans a metal grinder in about 30 minutes. Take the grinder apart. Soak the metal parts in alcohol for 20 to 30 minutes. Scrub the teeth and screen with a stiff nylon brush. Rinse with warm water. Let the parts dry for 1 hour before you reassemble them.
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What You Need
- 1 cup of 90% or 99% isopropyl alcohol
- A small glass bowl
- A stiff nylon brush or an old toothbrush
- Warm water
- Paper towels
- Coarse salt for heavy resin
Steps
- Empty loose plant material onto a tray. Set it aside.
- Take the grinder apart. Remove the lid, the grinding chamber, the screen, and the kief catcher.
- Put the metal parts in the glass bowl. Pour alcohol over them until the parts sit below the surface.
- Soak for 20 to 30 minutes. For resin that has built up over months, soak for 1 hour.
- Scrub the teeth, the screen, and the threads. Add a pinch of coarse salt if resin stays stuck.
- Rinse each part under warm water.
- Dry the parts on paper towels for 1 hour. The screen holds water longer than the plates. Do not put a wet grinder back together.
Wood and Plastic Grinders
Wood absorbs alcohol and water. Soaking a wooden grinder can swell the grain and split the body. Brush the teeth dry. Scrape resin with a wooden pick or a toothpick. Wipe the surface with a cloth dampened with alcohol, then dry it right away.
Plastic and acrylic grinders can cloud or crack in high-percentage alcohol. Use warm water and dish soap instead, and scrub with the brush.
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If You Do Not Have Isopropyl Alcohol
Hot water and dish soap lift light buildup. Grain alcohol at 190 proof also works. Boiling water can warp plastic and crack thin metal, so skip that method. Vinegar removes stains but leaves resin behind.
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How Often to Clean
With daily use, clean the grinder every 2 to 4 weeks. Clean it sooner if the lid sticks, the teeth drag, or the screen stops passing kief. A clogged screen is packed resin, not lost kief.
Safety Notes
Isopropyl alcohol is flammable. Keep it away from flame, sparks, and lit material. Open a window or work outdoors. Do not mix alcohol with bleach. Wait until every part is dry and the alcohol smell is gone before you grind again. Alcohol evaporates at room temperature, so 1 hour of air drying handles most parts.