Coffee is the best thing ever…unless it clogs your sink drain or, worse, your coffee maker. What dissolves coffee grounds? Read on to find out!
There are a few ways to dissolve coffee grounds. Your best and cheapest choice for dissolving coffee grounds is baking soda. The alkaline content of it breaks down the coffee grounds much better than something acidic (like vinegar).
It will take a lot of baking soda, though, and time. You can also consider heavy-duty chemical drain cleaners and even a plunger if you have a clump clogging your pipe. You’ll want to know how to use each of these safely by reading below!
Do coffee grounds clog drains?
Unfortunately, yes, coffee grounds can clog drains. Besides grease, coffee grounds are the most common cause of clogs in your kitchen pipes. They can also clog up your pour-over filter or classic coffee machine.
But how? Coffee grounds take on a fibrous texture when the hot water hits them, and this causes them to clump, stick, and clog. They also get very oily, sticking even more to your pipes and the other gunk. You get the picture!
Why won’t my coffee grounds dissolve?
Think about it this way: your coffee maker has grounds left after making coffee, and that water will be very hot, between 195-205 degrees F (90-96 degrees C). So even if you poured hot water down your drain, it’s not going to get even close to hot enough to dissolve those oily, clumped coffee grounds.
This is different from instant coffee, of course. Its grounds are dehydrated filtered beans. So the coffee dissolves in the water, whereas traditional coffee will have the original fibers that still need to be filtered.
Do coffee grounds eventually dissolve?
I can see why you’re asking that question. It takes a lot of effort to figure out how to properly remove coffee grounds from your coffee maker or sink drain. Technically, they will dissolve…eventually. The keyword here, of course, is eventually.
Coffee grounds are often used in compost, so they do biodegrade. However, they will take a loooong time. Do you want to have that causing a problem with your drain or your coffee maker for that amount? Exactly.
It’s better to take the time and effort to manually dissolve or remove the coffee grounds to keep your home running smoothly. After all, you’ll have more things go through your pipes, so you’ll want to keep them as free and clear as possible!
Will hot water dissolve coffee grounds?
As I mentioned earlier, hot water isn’t enough to dissolve your clump of coffee grounds. In fact, the hot water will just activate the coffee grounds into the fibrous, oily mess that it becomes.
However, hot water can be a catalyst when it comes to putting other cleaning methods to work, though. I’ll discuss that in a bit!
Do coffee grounds dissolve in cold water?
Coffee grounds won’t dissolve in cold water, but it can help them move through your pipes more because they don’t clump as badly. However, this may not always be good because the further it goes through your pipework, the harder it might be to properly clean your pipes.
What does this mean? It means reading the next section on effectively dissolving coffee grounds from your pipes rather than simply using water to “fix” it!
What is the easiest way to dissolve coffee grounds in the drain?
Okay, so now that I’ve talked about how NOT to dissolve coffee grains using water, let’s focus on how to do it safely and accurately so that you can return to your coffee-related life in no time.
Use hot water
Wait, what!? No, keep reading; this isn’t a trick! To dissolve your coffee grounds properly, you must start with hot water. Boil your kettle and dump the water down the drain quickly and consistently.
Add some baking soda
Next is to dump down some baking soda. As far as how much, it depends on how much you have clogged your drain. I’d put a decent amount down because it does take a lot of baking soda to dissolve the coffee grounds.
Let the baking soda sit for a while to work into the coffee grounds. Baking soda is a powerful ingredient if you allow it to work. The worst thing you can do is rush the process. Let it sit for about 1-2 hours.
Rerun hot water
Once the baking soda has sat for as long as possible, boil more water and dump it down the drain again. Use the hot water slower this time, pouring slowly but consistently down the drain.
Try an all-in-one solution
If you love the idea of those steps but don’t have the time or patience (it’s okay, no judgment) to do it, then you can simply mix a healthy amount of baking soda in with hot water and stir it to dissolve it. Once that’s done, you can pour it directly into your drain. It might not be effective with a particularly stubborn clog, but it can help loosen and clear it.
Let that water and baking soda mix sit in your pipes for as long as possible before running more water. The longer, the better, as you know.
Does baking soda actually dissolve coffee grounds?
While it takes a while to do so, yes! Baking soda chemically breaks down coffee grounds and dissolves them entirely, so they simply melt away. It doesn’t happen instantly, and it does take a lot of baking soda to do so, but it’s an excellent option for keeping things all-natural.
Fun Fact: Did you know that baking soda can also remove coffee stains from mugs, clothing, and more? The Penny Hoarder explains.
Will Drano unclog coffee grounds?
Many of us use Drano or similar products for stubborn clogs. Sometimes you just need to bring in heavy-duty products. You can absolutely use Drano to clear coffee grounds from your pipes.
That being said, this is best for kitchen sinks. If you use Drano in your coffee maker, you might accidentally expose your future self (and your family) to chemical-laced coffee!
Best products to dissolve coffee grounds in the drain
While some people will swear by vinegar to dissolve coffee grounds, I argue with that. Baking soda is your best bet for effectively breaking down coffee grounds. Not only does it loosen the clog itself, it literally breaks down the coffee grounds and dissolves them into literally nothing.
Alternatives to dissolving coffee grounds
There are a few ways to clear your pipes besides dissolving coffee grounds, as you can imagine. Some of the best options include:
- Using a plunger
- Regular cleanings of your pipes and drains
- Installing a mesh filter
Using a plunger
A plunger will use its pressure to loosen the clog and help it pass through your pipes properly. This works well with kitchen pies but not so well with your coffee maker since the water helps form the suction, and your coffee maker isn’t, well, underwater.
Regular cleanings of your pipes and drains
The next step is to pre-clean your pipes and coffee maker. If you clean them regularly, you won’t find that a clog has the time or the ability to even clog up in the first place! You can easily clean most drains with a bit of baking soda, and most coffee makers can do a quick cleaning cycle using baking soda, too!
Regular cleanings of your pipes, drain, and coffee maker also is good for your overall health.
Installing a mesh filter
This helps you keep your drain itself clear and also helps cut the smelly drain issue, too! These mesh filters keep your pipes clean and clear and your drains. They’re inexpensive and easy to pop out and manually clear. They also work well in showers and bathroom sinks, where build-up is common!
Best way to dispose of coffee grounds
When you finish your pot of coffee and/or you dig out grounds from the coffee maker or drain mesh guard, what do you actually do with them? According to Hope For The Day, one of the most common ways is to use it as a garden fertilizer. It’s natural, great for plants that need extra TLC, and is not too abrasive to be effective throughout your entire garden!
You can also compost your coffee grounds and keep them as a facial scrub ingredient! There’s no shortage of creative ways to reuse coffee grounds!
If you’ve got a blockage from coffee grounds in your coffee maker or pipe, baking soda is the best choice to dissolve them effectively and safely. This chemically breaks it down, and it works better the vinegar or anything acidic. While you can use a plunger or something more chemical-based for drains, you’ll want to stick with only natural or approved cleaners for clogged coffeemakers!
Share this with avid coffee drinkers and help them keep their machines and pipes as clear as possible!
