How To Clean Your Vitamix (3 Quick & Easy Steps)
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If you have invested in a Vitamix blender, you are likely very pleased with its versatility, but you may still have the sting of the cost in the back of your mind. Doing everything you can to extend the life of your blender is, therefore, likely a top priority.
One of the most important ways to keep your blender running at a top-level is to clean it regularly. This will not only keep it performing well, but it can also extend the life of your blender. Many Vitamix owners have reported that cleaning their machine after each use has caused it to last up to 15 years without issue.
Luckily, cleaning your Vitamix is easy and takes less time than washing your hands. In the article below, we will walk you through the quick three-step process of giving your blender its daily bath. We will also share some other effective ways of getting rid of stubborn odors and stains.
The Importance of Cleaning Your Vitamix Blender
As we mentioned above, cleaning your Vitamix on the regular is important for its performance and its overall lifespan. Equally, important, however, is to make sure you are cleaning it immediately after each use. We know, this may sound like a bit much, right? What’s the harm of letting it sit for a few hours or even until the next day?
We understand that everyone’s life is busy, and making a smoothie as you are running out the door is not uncommon. Taking a couple of minutes to clean your blender is important, though.
- Harder to Clean: The longer food is allowed to sit in the container, the harder it is to remove. What would usually be a quick rinse, now becomes a scrubbing session that can be tough.
- Performance: Not cleaning the container right away can also lead to performance issues after some time. The ingredients can cause the blades to dull, and not chop as effectively.
- Leaks: It is also true that leaving some food particles in the blender can cause leaks in the container. This is especially true of coarse and acidic ingredients.
- Stains and Odors: Finally, some ingredients such as garlic and turmeric are notorious for leaving behind bad smells and discoloration on the container. Cleaning it right away will help elevate these issues.
With a quick three-step process, you can eliminate these issues altogether. Giving your Vitamix a quick clean right after you use it will keep it running smoother, looking better, and lasting longer.
What Not to Do When Cleaning Your Vitamix
Now that we have gone over the importance of cleaning your blender right away, we also wanted to touch base on a few things you should not do to also protect your appliance. The first, and most important, is to not put it in the dishwasher.
Dishwasher
It is important to note that your Vitamix likely says that it’s dishwasher safe.
- Stress on The Container: First, the hot temperatures of your dishwasher can put stress on the container. Though it would take a long time for it to warp out of shape, it’s more likely that it will develop leaks.
- Dull Blades: Running the container through the dishwasher can also damage the blades. It can make them dully, plus if the container warps, the blades will be less effective.
- Bearings and Gears: As the bulk of the blade’s bearings and gears are housed in the container, going through a dish cycle can throw these mechanisms off which will cause issues with your blender’s performance.
- Water-efficiency: Lastly, if you use your Vitamix regularly, chances are you don’t run your dishwasher nearly as often as you use your Vitamix. Running it through every time you use it can spike your water consumption, not to mention, your energy bills.
Use the Blade Scraper
There will be times when you have some leftover ingredients below the blade. Two things you want to resist doing are trying to remove the mixture with your hands and trying to remove the blades. Sticking your hands down by the blade can cause some serious cuts even if you are using a sponge or other cleaning device.
You also want to stay away from trying to remove the blades when there is residue underneath. Instead, you want to use your blade scraper, which we will talk more about later.
Other Considerations
When and if you decide to take apart your Vitamix for a thorough cleaning, you want to make sure the unit is unplugged so accidents do not occur. Also, you never want to submerge the base in water. To get rid of any drips or excess food, you can clean the base with a damp cloth or sponge. Above all, never put the base in the dishwasher.
3 Quick Steps to Clean Your Vitamix
At this point, you know why it’s important to clean your blender’s container after each use, and you know what you should not do. What we have not gone over is what you should do, however. This simple three-step process will take you about 60 seconds after each use, which as we mentioned, is quicker than washing your hands!
1. Water and Soap
Once you have emptied your container, you want to fill it halfway with warm water. Next, add a little dish detergent to the warm water. You don’t need to go overboard with the soap. A few drops are adequate.
2. Run the Cycle
The next step is to run the cycle. This can depend on what type of Vitamix you own. Some models have a clean cycle. In that case, all you have to do is hit the button. If your blender doesn’t have a cleaning cycle, you can put it on high for about 30 seconds.
3. Rinse
Once you have run the cleaning cycle, empty the soapy water, rinse it with warm water, and let the container air dry. Placing it open end down on a paper towel of dry dish rag will catch any leftover water.
That’s it! That’s all there is to cleaning your Vitamix blender after each use. Of course, there are some other issues, such as odors and stains, that can appear over time. Not to worry, however, we have you covered there, as well.
Cleaning a Cloudy Container
Due to the minerals in your water and ingredients, you may notice that your container has become cloudy. Though it won’t necessarily hurt you, it makes for an unattractive Vitamix. Thankfully, there is something you can do about it. If you find yourself with a less than crystal clear container, follow these steps below to get it back to looking brand new.
- Baking Soda: First, you want to add about three tablespoons of baking soda to your container.
- Warm Water: Just like a cleaning cycle, you also want to fill the container halfway with warm water.
- Let Sit: In this case, you don’t want to turn on your blender. Instead, you can put the lid on and shake it to mix the baking soda with the water. You want to let it sit upright for a few hours then turn it over and allow it to sit overnight.
- Scrub: Once you allow the mixture to sit overnight, you want to empty the contents. Use a soft pot scrubber on the inside walls of the container to bring it back to its original state.
Removing Bad Odors
If you use a lot of garlic and onions in your recipes, you will likely find an unpleasant odor stuck to your Vitamix after time. Getting rid of the smell is also a simple process and similar to getting rid of cloudiness.
Instead of using baking soda, you want to use distilled white vinegar. Let the vinegar and warm water sit overnight. Follow that by emptying the container and doing a normal cleaning cycle. You can also use a soft scrub brush if the odors are really stubborn.
Removing Stains
Stains are less likely to appear than cloudiness or odors. That being said, if you use a lot of turmeric in your recipes, you will likely see some yellowing on the container. The best way to get rid of these stains is the easiest process yet.
After doing a normal cleaning cycle, leave your container out in the sun. You want to find a location that gets the most direct sunlight possible. The UV rays from the sun will naturally bleach away any yellowing that is leftover from your turmeric-laced creations.
Keep in mind, it may take a few turns in the sun before you completely see the stains removed, but it will fade them more each day. What you want to stay away from is using bleach or other chemicals to get rid of any discoloring. It can cause issues with your Vitamix, plus any leftover residue can pose serious health risks.
Removing Sticky Ingredients
One of the more common problems is removing sticky recipes from the walls of your blender and under the blades. Things such as hummus, doughs, batters, and nut butters can leave a lot of sticky, gummy, and hard to get off, residue all over your blender. As we mentioned above, though, it’s important to use your blade scraper versus your hands to get at anything left under the blades.
You can also use a wall brush to scrape ingredients off the sides. This is usually better done before doing a cleaning cycle. You can find specific wall brushes for blenders, but you can use any type of rubber or soft plastic bristle brush to help you get rid of the thick mess.
When it comes to nut butter, you can also swap the soap and water of a cleaning cycle for smoothie ingredients instead. Nut butter, such as almond butter, is packed with protein and other beneficial nutrients. Using your smoothie’s ingredients as a cleaning cycle will add some of the butter to your drink, plus help get it out from under your blades.
Conclusion
Keeping your Vitamix clean is important, but easy to do with the right know-how. Giving it a quick cleaning cycle after each use can extend the life of your blender, and keep it running at top-notch for years to come. Even better, all it takes is a simple three-step process that takes less than a minute.
We hope these cleaning tips have helped you get the most out of your Vitamix, and have helped you with some of the more stubborn problems that can occur after prolonged use of your blender.
Featured Image Credit: GregReese, Pixabay
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