How do you clean french press coffee makers?

You clean a french press by discarding the used grounds after each brew, then rinsing and washing the plunger, filter screen and glass jug in warm soapy water, taking the plunger assembly apart so you can clean the fine mesh filter where coffee particles and oils collect. Periodically you deep-clean it to remove the built-up coffee oils that daily washing leaves behind, and you dry everything afterwards. The keys are getting the grounds out without blocking your sink, cleaning the mesh filter thoroughly, and dealing with coffee oils, since trapped grounds and rancid oils are what make a french press taste stale and look grimy. Our Best French Press Coffee Makers compares five of them.

Getting the grounds out

Cleaning starts with removing the spent grounds, and how you do it matters because wet coffee grounds can block a sink drain. Rather than rinsing a jug full of grounds down the sink, scoop or tip the bulk of the grounds into the bin or, better, the compost, using a spatula or spoon to get them out, or swirl a little water and pour the grounds through a sieve. Getting most of the grounds out this way first makes the rest of the cleaning easier and protects your plumbing.

Once the bulk is out, rinse the jug and the plunger under the tap to clear the remaining grounds, swirling water to loosen bits stuck to the sides and in the filter. Doing this promptly after brewing, while the grounds are still wet and loose, is far easier than letting them dry and cake on. This simple first step, bin or compost the grounds and rinse, is the foundation of cleaning a french press and the part people most often get wrong by sending grounds down the drain.

Washing the plunger, filter and jug

With the grounds out, wash the parts in warm soapy water. The jug (glass, or in some presses stainless steel or other material) washes easily with a sponge or bottle brush, reaching the bottom and sides to clear coffee film. The important part is the plunger and its filter, because the fine mesh screen traps coffee particles and oils that an ordinary rinse leaves behind, so the mesh needs proper cleaning to keep the press working and the coffee fresh.

For a thorough clean, unscrew or take apart the plunger assembly, most french press plungers come apart into the rod, the mesh screen, and the plates or discs that sandwich it, and wash each piece, scrubbing the mesh with a soft brush to clear trapped grounds and oils from both sides, then rinse. Taking it apart periodically, even if not every time, is what keeps the filter clear and stops a buildup of fine grounds and oil. Many french press parts are dishwasher safe, but check, as some are better hand washed, and the mesh often cleans more thoroughly by hand.

Deep-cleaning the coffee oils

Over time, coffee leaves oily residue on the jug, plunger and especially the mesh filter, and those oils go rancid, making the coffee taste stale and bitter and leaving a grimy film, so periodically you deep-clean to remove them. Daily washing with soap removes much of the oil, but a periodic deeper clean tackles the stubborn buildup that ordinary washing leaves, especially in the mesh.

To deep-clean, you can soak the parts, or fill the jug, with a solution of warm water and a little baking soda, or a mix of water and white vinegar, or a dedicated coffee-equipment cleaner, to break down the coffee oils, leave it to work, then scrub the mesh and jug and rinse thoroughly. This clears the rancid oils and restores fresher-tasting coffee and a clean-looking press. How often depends on use, but doing it when the press looks oily or the coffee tastes off keeps it fresh. Rinse away all cleaner so none taints your next brew.

Drying, care and keeping it fresh

Dry the parts after washing, since water left in the mesh and on the jug can leave spots, and a press stored wet with trapped grounds can go musty. Let the plunger, filter and jug air dry, reassembling the plunger once dry, and make sure no grounds are left caught in the mesh. For a glass jug, handle it carefully as the glass can break, and avoid thermal shock by not pouring boiling water into a cold glass jug or washing a hot jug with cold water.

A few habits keep a french press fresh: clean it promptly after each use while grounds are loose, take the plunger apart to clean the mesh regularly, deep-clean the oils periodically, and store it clean and dry. Keeping the mesh clear and the oils down is what keeps the coffee tasting good, since a neglected press full of old grounds and rancid oil makes stale, bitter coffee. So cleaning a french press is: bin the grounds, wash the parts with the plunger taken apart, deep-clean the oils now and then, and dry everything, which keeps it working and the coffee fresh.

The short answer

To clean a french press, first get the used grounds out into the bin or compost, not down the sink where they can block the drain, then rinse the jug and plunger. Wash the jug in warm soapy water with a sponge or bottle brush, and clean the plunger and its fine mesh filter thoroughly, taking the plunger assembly apart periodically into the rod, screen and plates to scrub the mesh clear of trapped grounds and oils on both sides. Periodically deep-clean to remove the coffee oils that build up and go rancid, by soaking the parts in warm water with baking soda, a water-and-vinegar mix, or a coffee-equipment cleaner, then scrubbing and rinsing thoroughly. Dry all the parts and reassemble once dry, handling a glass jug carefully and avoiding thermal shock. Cleaning promptly, keeping the mesh clear and tackling the oils keeps the press working and the coffee fresh, since trapped grounds and rancid oils are what make a french press taste stale.