So you’ve decided to switch over to a reusable, metal coffee filter. Congratulations! Not only will you be saving money but you will also be helping to reduce waste in landfills. Metal coffee filters can be the healthier choice when compared to paper coffee filters too.
That’s because paper coffee filters are often bleached with chlorine. This can pose a potential health hazard, affect the taste of your brew and is environmentally unsustainable. Still, metal coffee filters aren’t without their challenges.
The principle conundrum they pose to coffee-lovers is maintaining them. You have to properly maintain your metal coffee filter or else your brews will start tasting funky. Luckily there are some very simple ways to clean a metal coffee filter so read on to find out what they are.
What you Will Need
We will be going over a few different methods in the following guide but don’t worry; the process is so simple that you will be using the same supplies for each method. Here’s what you will need to clean any metal coffee filter:
- A Brush – We recommend using a medium bristled brush for this. Libman makes a ton of great hand brushes that will make short work of cleaning your metal coffee filters. However, if you don’t have a hand brush lying around, you can use an old toothbrush as well.
- Distilled White Vinegar – You will also need a bottle of distilled white vinegar to clean your metal coffee filters effectively. You won’t need to use an entire gallon but having one handy is always a good idea.
- Lemon Juice – Now you can get your lemon juice any way you can. We recommend squeezing the juice from fresh lemons yourself but if you have a bottle of lemon juice in your fridge that you don’t know what to do with, by all means use it.
- Dish Soap – Chances are you won’t have to run out to the store to get a bottle of dish soap which should be an indicator of how easy the following methods really are.
- Baking Soda – Baking soda is sanitary and very effective at removing the hard-to-see impurities that could be affecting the taste of your coffee every day.
Cleaning A Metal Coffee Filter with Baking Soda
The first method for cleaning a metal coffee filter we will go over is the simplest. Hopefully, this will be all you need to get your metal coffee filter looking like new again. Here are the steps:
- Step 1 – Remove your metal coffee filter and make sure to remove any pieces that may be attached to it as well.
- Step 2 – Pour hot water into a bowl that can easily fit your metal filter then pour in about a tablespoon of dish soap. Mix the water around a bit until the water gets soapy. Soak your metal filter in the water for about 10 minutes.
- Step 3 – Next, break out your hand brush or tooth brush, run the bristles under warm water for a couple of seconds and sprinkle a bit of baking soda onto the bristles. Now scrub the basket thoroughly.
- Step 4 – Rinse the filter thoroughly and allow it to dry in a strainer for at least a few hours.
Cleaning A Metal Coffee Filter with Lemon Juice
We love the cleaning power that comes from the combination of vinegar and lemon juice. We’ve found that this 1-2 punch is also effective for metal coffee filters. Check out the steps:
- Step 1 – Mix warm water with an equal amount of vinegar in a bowl that can easily fit your metal filter. Then add about a cup of lemon juice to the mix.
- Step 2 – Allow your metal coffee filter to soak in the mixture for 20 minutes to a half an hour.
- Step 3 – Remove the filter from the mixture and brush it gently with a hand brush. You can also scrub the filter while it’s still in the water/lemon juice/vinegar mixture.
- Step 4 – Rinse the filter thoroughly and allow it to dry in a strainer for at least a few hours. You can also hand-dry it with a clean dish towel.
Parting Advice
Here’s a bit of a bonus tip for you: that lemon juice, water and white vinegar mixture can be used as an effective and natural all-purpose cleaner throughout your home. Also, be sure to clean your metal coffee filter regularly to increase it’s longevity and ensure a tasty brew.
