The Quick, Easy and Effective Way to Clean a Chemex

By its nature, the Chemex coffee maker is a fairly simple device to keep clean.  The simpler the hardware, the easier it is to give it a thorough clean inside and out.

But what’s often overlooked is the importance of keeping your Chemex in pristine condition at all times. Not just to preserve its elegant appearance, but also to ensure every cup of coffee you brew is equally enjoyable.

Each time you brew a cup of coffee, residue builds up on the interior of your Chemex.  Much of which may be the invisible to the naked eye, but it’s there.  If you want your coffee to taste as good as it does at your local coffee shop, it all starts with a clean and pristine coffee maker!

Thankfully, keeping a Chemex clean isn’t exactly rocket science. Nor do you need any particularly complex equipment to get the job done.

These are the basic provisions needed to give your Chemex a proper clean:

• Plenty of warm water
• A bottle of spirit vinegar
• The official Chemex brush (or an equivalent bottle brush)
• A standard dishwashing sponge
• Mild washing up liquid

Armed with these basic tools, cleaning your Chemex is as easy as follows:

1. Let your Chemex cool down. First of all, don’t begin the cleaning process until your Chemex has fully cooled. If you’ve recently brewed coffee, give it an hour or so to ensure it is down to room temperature.
2. Take off the handle. Often misinterpreted as a permanent fixture, the wooden handle attached to a Chemex can actually be removed by untying the leather cord. Essential for getting to the exterior surface underneath and around the handle.
3. Scrub the outside first. A combination of mild washing up liquid and warm water is all that’s needed to give the exterior of your Chemex a good clean. Just be sure to use a soft and non-abrasive sponge, in order to avoid scratches and scuffs.
4. Submerge if necessary. If the exterior surface of your Chemex is particularly grubby, the whole thing (minus the handle) can be soaked in soapy water for an hour or two.
5. Combine water and vinegar. Pour warm water and vinegar in equal quantities directly into the carafe. Fill to the brim and allow to sit for a few hours (or overnight) if your Chemex needs a deep clean. For a more routine clean, fill around halfway and give the whole thing a good shake.
6. Empty and rinse. You can then empty the water-vinegar solution from the carafe and begin giving it a good rinse. While doing so, use a soft bottle brush that will not damage the glass to give the insides a good scrub.
7. Rinse again and leave to dry. At this point, all that’s left to do is to give your Chemex one last rinse inside (and out if necessary), before placing upside down on a rack and allowing to dry.

In the unlikely event that your Chemex is still looking worse for wear, simply repeat the steps outlined above once again.

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