Cleaning Your Grinder
How to Inhale the Good Stuff, Not the Bad Stuff
Cleaning Before First Use
Once you get your grinder, the first thing you want to do is clean it. The reason behind this is your new grinder can have some excess dirt and metal pieces left over from the manufacturing process and you don’t want to smoke that stuff!
You should initially clean your grinder by unscrewing all pieces of your grinder and set each piece over a paper towel. Shake each piece of your grinder to get any loose metal shavings possibly left behind. After shaking, use rubbing alcohol (Isopropyl alcohol) and a Q-tip to get in between the teeth and screw grooves. After cleaning your grinder with the Q-tip and rubbing alcohol rinse with warm water and allow the grinder to air dry.
Cleaning Your Grinder After Use
If you're like me, your grinder gets used on a regular basis. Over time keif and residue can gunk up your grinder's teeth and grooves. This will cause your grinder to squeak , get stuck, basically not working like new. A little cleaning and your grinder will work like new again.
Step 1: Take each piece of your grinder apart and place it in a freezer safe bag or container, then place it in the freezer for an hour.
Step 2: After about an hour remove the bag with your grinder parts inside and place each piece onto a cookie sheet. Tap each piece of your grinder to knock off the frozen Leif and residue onto the cookie sheet.
Step 3: Use a toothbrush to brush out any excess keif or residue onto the cookie sheet so that you can use the keif for your next joint if you choose.
Step 4: Depending on how clean you like it you can either wash your grinder under warm water with soap or for a deeper clean soak your grinder in rubbing alcohol for 30-60 minutes. Then take out and allow to dry throughly.
And Voila! Your grinder is as clean and clear as new.
Summary
Cleaning your grinder is very important, it is just as important to buy a quality grinder made with quality materials. Cleaning a bottom of the line grinder may help, it will not solve the issue of having a crappy grinder that can peel from scratching causing metal flakes to be inside your grind. I hope this helps you maintain a nice grind so you can - “Inhale the good stuff, and not the bad stuff!”