Have you started to notice a decline in the quality of your AeroPress coffee? Are your once clear brews now starting to develop a bit of a muddy taste? If so, it might be time to give your AeroPress a good cleaning.
Cleaning your AeroPress is like giving it a reset button – it can take your coffee quality back to where it was when you first started using the AeroPress. So, if you’re ready to get your AeroPress coffee quality back on track, here’s how to clean it.
Is AeroPress Easy to Clean?
The first question that people often ask is whether or not the AeroPress is easy to clean. The answer to this question is yes! The AeroPress is designed in such a way that it can be easily disassembled and cleaned with just a few simple steps.
Probably the most important part to clean is the rubber seal at the bottom of the AeroPress plunger. This seal is what creates a tight seal between the chamber and the filter, so it’s important to make sure that it is free of any coffee grounds or residue.
TIP: If you regularly use paper filters you can also clean them and reuse them several times before throwing them away. The paper filters are compostable so you can easily dispose them in your compost bin.
How to Clean Your AeroPress Coffee Maker
Cleaning every part of your AeroPress separately will take some time, so I recommend that you start by disassembling the AeroPress. Once you have all of the parts in front of you, it’s time to start cleaning.
1. Cleaning The Plunger.
The plunger doesn’t need so much attention. A quick rinse under some hot water should do the trick. If there is any coffee residue stuck to the plunger, you can use a small brush to remove it.
Dish soap can also be used to clean the plunger, but make sure you rinse it well afterward so the taste of the soap doesn’t end up in your coffee.
2. Cleaning The Rubber Seal.
As I already mentioned, the rubber seal is the most important part to clean. The easiest way to do this is to remove it from the plunger and rinse it under warm water.
You should avoid using boiling water as this can damage the seal over time. Simply rinsing it under warm water should be enough to remove any coffee stains.
Once you have rinsed the seal, dry it with a hairdryer or a clean towel. Make sure that there are no water droplets left on the seal before you put it back on the plunger.
3. Cleaning The Chamber.
As with the plunger, the chamber can be rinsed under hot water. Since the chamber is where coffee grounds spend the majority of their time, it is important to make sure this area is cleaned well.
You can use vinegar or lemon juice to remove the smell of coffee from the chamber. Add the chamber to a bowl of vinegar or lemon juice and let it soak for about 10 minutes. Rinse the chamber with water afterward.
4. Cleaning The Filter Cap.
The filter cap is located on the bottom of the AeroPress and has many small holes that can easily become clogged. To clean the filter cap, take an old toothbrush and scrub it under warm water.
If the holes are still clogged, you can add the filter cap to your dishwasher on the top rack. This will usually do the trick!
5. What About The Metal Filters?
If you went and bought a metal filter for your AeroPress, then kudos to you for supporting your local economy. Metal filters will last forever, which is nice.
Cleaning the metal filters is pretty easy. Just hold it under running water and give it a good scrub with a brush. If you don’t have a brush you can use a piece of paper towel.
The good thing about metal filters is that they don’t absorb any coffee oils, so the only thing you really need to worry about is getting rid of the coffee grounds and the smell.
Get this free cheat sheet to step up your coffee game and learn about the different grind sizes!
How to Deep-Clean Your AeroPress
Deep cleaning your AeroPress is important to do every once in a while to remove any coffee oils that may have built up over time.
A regular clean with just water and soap isn’t enough to help with the longevity of your coffee maker and could even lead to some off-flavors in your cup.
To ensure your AeroPress is clean and will make great-tasting coffee for years to come, here’s a step-by-step guide on how to deep clean it.
1. Vinegar Solution
The first option is to use vinegar to clean your AeroPress. Vinegar’s acidity is what makes it a powerful cleaner, and it’s also effective at breaking down coffee oils. It has a pH of 2.4, which is lower than coffee’s pH of around 5.0.
This makes it effective at removing stains and residue, while also being gentle enough to not damage your coffee maker. The only thing that can be damaged by vinegar is the rubber seal on the plunger, so be sure to remove it before you start cleaning.
The process is simple, take a big bowl that can fit your AeroPress and fill it with vinegar. You don’t have to add water to the vinegar, but if you want to, you can add a 1:1 ratio of water to vinegar.
How long you let your AeroPress soak in the vinegar solution depends on how dirty it is. If it’s just a little bit stained, then you can probably get away with 15-20 minutes. If it’s really dirty, then you might want to let it soak for an hour or two.
Leaving it overnight is probably overkill, but if you want to be extra thorough, then go for it. Just make sure to rinse it well before brewing, so the vinegar doesn’t affect the taste of your coffee.
2. Denture Cleaning Tablets
This is new for most of you reading this, but denture cleaning tablets are an easy and effective way to clean your AeroPress (or anything else for that matter).
The tablets contain sodium bicarbonate which is a mild abrasive that can help remove coffee stains. They also release oxygen when they dissolve, which helps to break down the leftover coffee oils.
The steps are simple:
- Take a bowl and add water until it’s about half full.
- Drop-in 1-2 denture tablets and wait for them to dissolve.
- Once they’ve dissolved, add your AeroPress to the bowl and let it soak for 15-20 minutes.
- Rinse it well with water and soap, and you’re done!
TIP: If you don’t have denture cleaning tablets you can use baking soda instead. Just add 1-2 tablespoons to the water and follow the same steps.
Is AeroPress Dishwasher Safe?
If you exclude the rubber seal and the paper filters, then yes, the AeroPress is dishwasher safe. You can put the plunger, chamber, and cap in the top rack of your dishwasher and let it run through a normal cycle.
Do You Need to Clean an AeroPress?
Yes, you need to clean your AeroPress after each brew. If you want to do regular cleaning, just rinse it with water and soap. If you want to do a deep cleaning, then follow the instructions above.
Last Thoughts
So don’t forget to clean your AeroPress! It’s an important part of making great coffee, and it will help prolong the lifespan of your coffee maker. Also, deep cleaning it every now and then will help remove any stains that can’t be removed by regular cleaning.
And don’t forget to grab our free grind size cheat sheet below. It will help you understand what grind size to use for different coffee brewing methods and get the most out of your brew!
Evelina
Evelina’s passion for coffee could never been hidden. Having worked as a barista, she learned the true value of the coffee bean and its secrets. As she continued to evolve as a barista, so did her knowledge, techniques on making different coffee blends and most importantly how to operate every kind of gear when it comes to coffee. Having a degree in biomedicine and being a barista, allows her to provide our community with in-depth knowledge surrounding the topics of coffee.
Get this free cheat sheet to step up your coffee game and learn about the different grind sizes!
