The best way to remove coffee grounds from a French press is by first allowing the press to cool down and then carefully removing the grounds with a spatula or large spoon. Use some paper towels or newspaper to catch the grounds. Then you can dispose of the grounds how you see fit along with a good rinse and cleaning of the device.
It’s not difficult and it shouldn’t take you a large amount of time to do this. But, you want to use care and caution so as not to create and unholy mess throughout your kitchen. Therefore, it’s wise to devise a solid plan of action.
Steps Overview
- Finish Your Coffee & Let the Press Cool Down – this will make things much easier to deal with
- Carefully Remove the Grounds – use a spoon or spatula and scoop the grounds out onto a paper towel or newspaper placed over the drain of the sink
- Dispose of the Coffee Grounds – there are several disposal options: garbage, recycling and repurposing
- Rinse out the French Press – use warm water to swirl out what’s in the carafe as well as the filter and cap
- Clean the French Press (optional) – optional depending on how stained and sticky the residue is
1. Finish Your Coffee & Let the Press Cool Down
Once you’ve finished drinking all the coffee in your French press, allow the grounds and device to cool down enough to the touch. One thing is certain, however, do not let the grounds sit at the bottom of the press all day long. Removing them sooner will make it easier to clean the French press.
Depress the plunger once more before you begin removing the grounds. This will extract any water left. Pour this into the sink, taking care not to dump the grounds.
2. Carefully Remove the Grounds
Get a plastic or silicone spatula or a large, long spoon along with some newspaper or paper towel. Place the newspaper or paper towel over the sink drain and gently pull out the grounds. When about 90% of the grounds are out of the French press, move the paper off to the side to prepare it for disposal.
Do not dump all your coffee grounds into the sink. This is because the buildup of coffee particles will clog your drain. Also, if your French press is glass, don’t shake it over the garbage can. The grounds will likely fall to the floor and not go into the receptacle. Plus there’s the added risk of breaking your press.
The object is to attempt to not have millions of coffee grounds and sediment all over your kitchen. Unfortunately, it’s far too easy to end up with a monumental mess if you aren’t careful about how you remove the grounds.
3. Dispose of the Coffee Grounds
You don’t have to throw away your coffee grounds into the trash. There are a host of applications for used coffee grounds. If you have a garden or a few houseplants, you can use the grounds to provide a nice nutrient boost. Likewise, if you want to grow mushrooms in your kitchen, coffee grounds provide a nice, moist soil base.
Also, you can dry the used grounds on a baking sheet and use them in your own homemade face and body scrubs. Coffee is excellent for anti-aging and helps slough off dead skin cells. It reduces wrinkles and minimizes cellulite while also taking care of the appearance of varicose veins.
Additionally, used coffee grounds make a great wood stain or a fabric dye. It provides a nice natural way to darken materials that isn’t harmful. In the event none of these appeal to you, you can just roll up the paper of coffee grounds from the sink in a secure fashion. Then, toss it into the garbage.
4. Rinse out the French Press
At this point you should have no more than 10% of the original grounds inside the French Press. With a little hot water, swirl it around in such a way as to loosen the grounds smattered against the inside of the carafe. Don’t forget to rinse out the plunger as well.
Ensure you inspect every part of the French press to see that all grounds are out of it. This includes the fine mesh filter attached to the plunger and the inside of the cap along with the carafe. At this point you can opt to fully wash and clean the French press or put it on your dish rack to dry for later use.
5. Clean the French Press (optional)
While thoroughly rinsing out your French press should do the trick before your next use of it, you will have to clean it from time to time. So, this part is optional depending on the state of the press. Typically, you will clean it after every four or five uses.
Frequency
However, if you notice stickiness or staining more frequently than that, you’ll have to clean it more often. For a basic cleaning, use soap, warm water and a sponge unless you know your device is safe for the dishwasher. In the case of hand washing your French press, you may also want to invest in a bottle scrubber.
Depending on the design and engineering of your press, it may be ideal to disassemble the device. It will make it infinitely easier to clean while ensuring every bit of grounds comes out.
For Stubborn Stains
When you notice extreme staining, especially on the lid and fine mesh filter, you should let the plunger sit inside the press with a little warm water, baking soda and some vinegar. This will help remove any discoloration from the press.
Depending on how bad it is, you may want this to sit for an hour or for the whole day. When all the stains and stickiness are no longer visible, then proceed with your regular cleaning.
Hi, I’m Jen Williams, chief editor and writer for ThirstPerk.com.
I’ve been drinking coffee and tea for most of my life, but it wasn’t until I started working at Thirstperk.com that I became an expert on the subject. I’m a total caffeine addict who has spent hours upon hours reading about and experimenting with the different types of coffees out there in my search to find the perfect cup of joe.
I’ve been a tea lover for as long as I can remember as well. I grew up in a house with a mom who loved to drink herbal tea, and I think that’s where my love for tea first began. These days, I’m always on the lookout for new and interesting teas to try, and I love experimenting with different brewing methods and flavoring combinations.
