How To Clean A Weed Grinder
Before you can truly enjoy your cannabis, you need to grind it.Â
Grinding your weed is essential to properly smoking and consuming your cannabis. There’s not much you can do with a whole nug.Â
Additionally, using a grinder ensures a clean and consistent smoke. If the bud is not ground up enough, your joint will canoe and burn unevenly. Canoeing can lead to a loss of bud real quick.
If you struggle with using a grinder, check out this article.Â
While you can always break up your bud by hand, a grinder makes your life easier and lets you catch kief, among other benefits.Â
However, to preserve your grinder, there are a few steps that you need to take.
What Is A Grinder?
First things first, there are a few different kinds of grinders.Â
The simplest model has a single chamber, metal grinding teeth, and a lid that snaps or screws. The lid’s bottom side also has grinding teeth. These teeth work in tandem with the primary chamber teeth.
This grinder can be used by simply pressing a few nugs into the grinding teeth. Then, you can put the lid on and twist. The main chamber’s grinding teeth and the lid will cut the herb into smaller, uniform pieces as you twist.
There are also grinders with multiple chambers, usually three. They typically function in the same way as this single-chamber model. The top section houses the grinding teeth, where you can place your nugs and twist the lid back and forth to break down the herb. The grinding chamber has a series of holes through which the herb falls into the catch beneath the teeth.Â
Then, open the third chamber and find your ground-up cannabis. Below this chamber is usually the kief chamber. Having a grinder with a kief chamber is amazing because you get to save your kief which would otherwise be lost in the rolling process or stick to your grinder.
How To Clean A Weed Grinder: Kief
A mesh screen is usually at the bottom of multi-chambered grinders. The screen separates plant matter chunks from powdery kief. Some grinders have multiple screens that separate the finer grains of kief. These multi-chambered grinders can be used to separate cannabinoid-rich kief.
Lastly, some fancier grinders use blades instead of teeth. These grinders can produce a more uniform product since the blades slice the herb cleanly rather than breaking it up into small pieces.
How To Clean A Weed Grinder: What You Will Need
Due to the sticky nature of cannabis, grinders often get clogged with resinous chunks of cannabis which affect the overall usability of the grinder.Â
When you frequently use your grinder, cannabis gets stuck between the teeth, in the crevices, and builds up on the sides.Â
Cleaning your grinder will help make your life significantly easier and prevent your grinder from getting stuck.
If you do not keep your grinder clean, the lid can get stuck, and it can be next to impossible to grind your weed or even get it open to get your bud out.Â
You will need:
- A towel
- Clean water
- Dirty grinder
- Ziplock bag or glass jar
- A toothbrush or another type of stiff brush
- Rubbing alcohol
- Freezer
- A plate or bowl
- Toothbrush
- Soft-bristled brush
Cleaning A Weed Grinder: Step-By-Step
There are two common ways to clean a grinder. The first method is simpler and faster. However, it will not allow you to save the plant material stuck in the grinder.
The leftover plant material that is stuck in your grinder is a potent resin that can get you pretty high. It’s basically a self-made hash.
Furthermore, the second method will help you to preserve it and leave you with some potent resin.
How To Clean A Weed Grinder – Method 1: Quick Clean
Step 1: Dissasemble
Take apart your grinder, chamber by chamber. Be sure to harvest whatever leftovers you have lingering in your grinder. You can do this by dumping it out or hitting it against a clean surface.
Step 2: Soak in alcohol
Put your grinder in some sort of container, a sealable plastic bag, container, or glass jar. Ensure you completely submerge it in the alcohol for at least 30 minutes. Gently agitate it every few minutes to help loosen the residue off the grinder.
Step 3: Scrub a dub dub
Next, pour out the alcohol and use a stiff-bristled brush to scrub your grinder. Remember to wash all parts and clean them well.
Step 4: Rinse and Dry
Use clean, warm water to rinse your grinder thoroughly. Make sure to wash away all lingering alcohol and plant residue.Â
Lastly, dry off your grinder with a clean towel. Once dry, you’re good to go to start using it again! Enjoy!
How To Clean A Weed Grinder – Method 2: Deep Clean
If a light clean isn’t cutting it, here’s how to deep clean your grinder.
#1 Dissasemble
If you are finding that your grinder is so clogged that it’s challenging to get a back and forth motion going without it getting stuck, it’s time to do a deep clean.
Begin by disassembling and removing each chamber. Beware of spilling any lingering plant matter.
#2 Dump out residue
Dump the remaining plant residue and leftovers into a plate, bowl, or rolling tray. You can save this material for later use as it is a potent resin many people cringe at wasting.Â
However, at this point, you are just trying to harvest what is loosely caked on the sides or in the grinder. The parts that are really stuck to the sides will be taken care of in the next step.
#3 Freeze your grinder
Be sure each piece is facing upwards in the freezer. Leave it in there for at least 30 minutes.
This method makes the plant matter stiff, making it easier to harvest.Â
#4 Harvest residue
Remove the grinder from the freezer and use something with a sharp tip to scrape the resin off the sides of and teeth of the grinder. Place the residue in your rolling tray, plate, or bowl, whatever you used before.Â
Make sure to scrape your grinder really well and get in all the crevices to remove as much residue as possible. Not only does this clean your grinder, but it gives you hash to add to your joints or bowl packs.
Furthermore, most of this plant residue is rich in cannabinoids and is very potent, so be sure to get every last bit.
#5 Soak in alcohol
When you’re satisfied with the amount of resin you have and you feel your grinder is clean enough, you can now soak it in alcohol. Separately place each chamber in a zip loc or glass jar and cover with alcohol.Â
Let your grinder soak for at least 20 minutes. Every so often, gently shake the jar or bag to help loosen any remaining residue.Â
#6 Clean off residue
Pour out the alcohol and use a toothbrush to clean the grinder and remove any last bits of residue.
This step will eliminate the most tedious and tenacious residue inhibiting your grinder from functioning correctly.Â
#7 Rinse and dry
Finally, clean your grinder with clean hot water to ensure all plant residue and alcohol are washed away—dry well with a towel.
There you have it! Once your grinder is fully dry, you can start grinding your weed again!
How To Clean A Weed Grinder: Conclusion
Maintaining a clean grinder is essential to prolong your grinder’s life and adequately grind up your cannabis.
Dealing with a sticky grinder can be extremely annoying and time-consuming. Additionally, grinders can get stuck with your weed locked inside!
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