How to Clean a Reusable Coffee Filter

Co-authored by Regina DeCorte and Hannah Madden

Last Updated: October 5, 2022

Using a reusable coffee filter is a great way to cut down on excess waste. However, just like your coffee maker, the filter you use can collect germs, hard water buildup, and even mold. Fortunately, you can clean your coffee filter in just a few minutes to make your coffee taste fresher and keep your coffee maker working like new.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Using Dish Soap after Each Use

1
Dump the coffee grounds out of the filter. You can throw the grounds into your garbage or put them into your compost pile. Try to get as many grounds out as you can before you start cleaning your filter.^{[1]
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- Coffee grounds are a great addition to compost because they add nitrogen to the soil.
2
Dab 1 to 2 drops of dish soap onto the filter. Try to use a mild dish soap that’s fragrance free. You don’t have to add a ton, since reusable coffee filters usually aren’t very big.^{[2]
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3
Scrub the filter gently with a sponge and warm water. Add a bit of warm water if you need to suds up your soap more. Try not to scrub too hard to avoid damaging the small holes in the filter.^{[3]
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- Don’t use a metal scrub brush, as this could be too harsh on your filter.
4
Rinse your filter with warm water. Make sure you get rid of all the soap suds so your coffee doesn’t taste bad the next time you use your filter. Use warm water to give your filter a thorough cleaning.^{[4]
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5
Set your filter on a towel to air dry. Lay out a towel in your kitchen and put your filter on it to dry. Make sure your filter dries all the way before you use it to make coffee again so you don’t water down your grounds.^{[5]
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Tip: You can wipe your filter off gently with a towel to speed up the drying process.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Deep-Cleaning with Vinegar

1
Dump the coffee grounds out of the filter. You can put them into the trash or directly into your garden. Try to scrape out as many grounds as you can to get rid of them before you start cleaning.^{[6]
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- Coffee grounds also help to ward off mosquitoes.
Warning: If you have a gold toned filter, don’t use vinegar. Stick to washing it with soap and water instead. Vinegar can damage gold if it is left on for too long.
2
Rinse the filter with water to get rid of any excess grounds. You don’t have to spend a ton of time rinsing the filter off, but make sure it is mostly free and clear of grounds. This will make the cleaning process much easier.^{[7]
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- Try not to rinse a ton of coffee grounds down your drain to avoid clogging it. A little bit here and there is fine, but if there is more than 1 tbsp (15 g) of grounds in your filter, try to scrape them into the garbage instead of your sink.
3
Fill a bowl with 2 parts vinegar and 1 part warm water. Use white vinegar and warm water so that they mix together well. Make sure the bowl is deep enough to hold your entire filter without it sticking out at all.^{[8]
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- For example, try using 1 cup (240 mL) of vinegar and ¹⁄₂ cup (120 mL) of water.
- If you don’t have a big enough bowl, consider filling up your sink with water and white vinegar instead.
- White vinegar is a natural cleaner that will kill germs without exposing your filter to harsh chemicals.
4
Soak the filter in the bowl for 30 minutes. Make sure the filter is fully submerged before you leave it to soak. You can leave your filter sitting for up to 45 minutes if it’s stained.^{[9]
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- While you’re waiting for your filter to soak, you can clean the rest of your coffee maker with white vinegar and water.
5
Rinse the filter with warm water to get rid of the vinegar. Make sure all of the vinegar is rinsed off your filter so that it doesn’t taint your coffee. Use warm water so your filter gets one last deep clean before you use it again.^{[10]
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6
Set the filter out to air dry before you use it again. Lay a towel down on your kitchen counter and leave your filter to air dry for about 1 hour. Make sure it’s fully dry before you use it again so it doesn’t water down your coffee grounds.^{[11]
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- You can deep clean your coffee filter with vinegar about once a month.