While it may seem unconventional, boiling your grinder in milk is quite an effective cleaning method. What’s more, you’ll have THC-infused milk. So, it’s a win-win. Here is our curated guide on boiling a grinder in milk to clean it and what to expect.
Photo: Stoners Rotation
How often should you clean your grinder?
Cleaning a grinder will maintain it in optimum shape, improving efficiency. Continued grinder use leads to a buildup of sticky resin until it no longer works well.
It’s advisable to clean your grinder at least once every month to remove the buildup. However, if you use the grinder more often, you may have to clean it more regularly.
How to clean a grinder with milk
Now that you know how often you should clean your grinder, let’s discuss an unusual cleaning hack: boiling the grinder in milk.
Materials needed
First thing first. You’ll need:
- Dirty grinder
- Whole milk
- Small pot
- Strainer or coffee filter
Prepare your space
Ensure you’re working in an open, well-ventilated area for safety purposes. Also, avoiding using open flames is important as this can lead to fire and related issues. Also, avoid boiling a painted or plastic grinder in milk, as this will leach out .
Disassemble the grinder
Next, disassemble the grinder into its parts. Most herb grinders use standard screw thread, similar to what you’ll find in household items. This makes it easier to disassemble and assemble your grinder. Then, tap out each part over a rolling tray to free any loosened particles.
Place the components in a small pot
Gently place the parts of the grinder into the small pot and cover them with enough milk. Then, turn on the stove to low heat and simmer for about one hour. Avoid bringing the milk to a rapid boil as the water will evaporate, and fat solubles in the milk will burn.
Extract the residue
After about one hour, turn off the stove and let the milk cool down. You can use a small, clean brush to scrub loosely attached residue. Store the milk and residue in a dark, air-tight container to deepen the infusion.
You should rinse your grinder in warm water to remove any milk residue. Please leave it to air dry before use.
How does milk clean a grinder?
Scalding milk loosens any plant matter inside the grinder, making it easy to scrape it off with a small brush or butter knife.
Furthermore, cannabinoids in stuck resin, such as THC and CBD, are fat soluble. Thus, they will dissolve in milk, creating a cannabis milk beverage you can enjoy later.
Other methods to clean a grinder
You can consider other cleaning alternatives besides boiling your grinder in milk. They include:
Freezing the grinder
When you leave a grinder in a freezer, the plant matter stiffens. As it freezes, it forms small clumps instead of clinging tightly to the grinder. You can use a butter knife to scrape off the sticky resin. You can store the resin for future use or sprinkle it on your joints to increase the potency.
Using rubbing alcohol
Soak the dirty grinder in rubbing alcohol for at least 20-30 minutes. Then, use cotton swabs to unclog any residue. Finally, use warm water and soap to rinse the rubbing alcohol down the drain.
Does boiling your grinder in milk get you high?
Boiling a grinder in milk extracts cannabinoids such as THC and CBD. However, the potency of the THC-infused milk will depend on the potency of residue, dosage, and more. The amount of THC is fairly low, so it’s likely to get you slightly buzzed at most.