Cleaning the kettle and grinder

Old coffee oils and mineral scale both end up in the cup sooner or later, so a little routine cleaning is part of brewing for me.

The kettle

Hard water leaves a chalky layer inside a kettle over time. When I see it, I fill the kettle partway with equal parts white vinegar and water, or with water and a spoonful of citric acid, bring it to a boil, and let it sit for about half an hour. Then I empty it, rinse well, boil a full kettle of fresh water, and pour that out too, so no taste is left behind. I read the kettle's manual first, because some models come with their own advice.

The grinder

I unplug an electric grinder before opening it, then brush out the burrs and the chute with a small dry brush. Burrs generally should not get wet unless the manual says so, because steel burrs can rust. Every few weeks I take my hand grinder apart and wipe away the oily dust. Some people run raw rice through a grinder to clean it, but it can be hard on some machines, so I stick to brushing.