Whether you use your Vitamix to whip up homemade nut butter, healthy vegetable soup, or a freshly blended milkshake, it’s arguably the most useful tool in any foodie’s arsenal.
Like the much-loved Instapot Instant Ace Plus, the Vitamix 7500 uses stainless steel blades to cut through fibrous foods like root vegetables with ease. The blades are so sharp they can pulverize ice and frozen fruit into a smooth, creamy smoothie in a matter of seconds.
Best of all, a Vitamix is easy to use; all you have to do is follow the manufacturer’s directions.
However, there’s one instance where you shouldn’t follow directions: when it’s time to clean a Vitamix. We’ll take you through the best way to clean your Vitamix — and point out what you shouldn’t do.
Don’t Use the Dishwasher
Despite being dishwasher safe, there are a few reasons why you shouldn’t chuck your Vitamix into the dishwasher and let a machine do the work for you:
- Even stainless steel blades can become dull over time, especially when they’re subjected to a harsh detergent and the extreme temperatures of a dishwasher.
- If you wash your Vitamix with other items in the dishwasher, one of your utensils could potentially scratch the carafe, leaving an unattractive, cloudy effect. Putting your blender in the dishwasher can make it look worse than it did before you washed it.
- Washing a heavy-duty blender in your dishwasher can not only damage your Vitamix, but it can chip away at the coating on your dishwasher racks, leaving it vulnerable to rust and discoloration.
Washing your Vitamix by hand is the best option if you want to prolong its lifespan — not to mention your dishwasher’s lifespan. Fortunately, cleaning a Vitamix is a quick and simple process no matter which method you use.
Let’s look at a few ways to clean a Vitamix properly.
How to Use the Clean Setting
If your Vitamix has a pre-programmed Clean setting, then you only have to complete a few easy steps, and your blender does most of the work for you. Here’s how to use the Clean setting:
- Rinse out your carafe thoroughly in warm water after use.
- Add a couple of drops of your favorite dish soap in the carafe, and then fill it halfway with warm water.
- Place the lid back on your Vitamix — with the lid plug in — and make sure it locks into place.
- Press the Clean setting button to start the cleaning process. It will automatically turn off once it’s finished.
- Pour out the soapy water and rinse your carafe thoroughly to make sure there’s no soapy residue left inside.
- Turn your carafe upside down and allow your Vitamix to air dry.
As you can see, the process is simple, but you might be asking yourself, “Why can’t I use hot water? Isn’t that more effective?”
Not really, and because hot water is thinner than warm or lukewarm water, it creates pressure inside a sealed container. If the water is too hot, the pressure can actually blow the lid off your Vitamix, splashing hot, soapy water everywhere.
Please use warm water. It’s safer for you, your blender, and your kitchen.
How to Clean a Vitamix Without a Clean Setting
Don’t worry if your Vitamix doesn’t have a Clean setting. It’s still ridiculously easy to clean out your blender. Following these simple tips will have it sparkling clean in just a few minutes.
Here’s how to do it:
- Rinse out your Vitamix thoroughly with warm water after each use.
- Add a couple drops of dish soap into the carafe, and then fill it halfway with warm water.
- Put the lid plug in, and lock the lid into place.
- Start your Vitamix on the lowest speed setting and gradually increase the speed to High.
- Run your Vitamix on the High setting for 30-60 seconds.
- Lower the speed setting back to one, and then turn your machine off before removing the lid.
- Pour out the soapy water and rinse the carafe thoroughly to make sure there’s no residue left inside.
- Turn your carafe upside down, and leave it to air dry.
And you’re done. Cleaning a Vitamix isn’t hard or time-consuming, and it’s much better for your blender and your dishwasher.
How to Clean a Cloudy Vitamix
If your Vitamix carafe looks cloudy, there might be a few reasons why. Mineral-rich foods like fruits and vegetables contain iron and magnesium, which can lead to a cloudy film on your Vitamix.
Another cause of having a cloudy Vitamix is hard water. Just like fruits and vegetables, hard water is abundant in iron and magnesium.
One effective method of dealing with hard water is to use a water filter, but if you want to improve the look of your Vitamix right away, it might be time for a deep clean. There are a couple of methods you can use.
The Soak Method
One of the easiest ways to deep clean your Vitamix is following the steps of your regular cleaning process with a few twists.
Before you run through the usual steps, fill your Vitamix with a combination of white vinegar and warm, soapy water, and let it soak for a few hours.
Then complete the usual steps, either running your machine on the Clean setting or gradually increasing the speed on your Vitamix. Pour the water out, rinse thoroughly, and check the cleanliness of your blender.
If it looks nice and clean, then you’re done. However, if your Vitamix still doesn’t look as clean as you’d like, there’s another way to deep clean it without using potentially caustic chemicals.
The Baking Soda Method
Baking soda gently exfoliates the inside of your carafe without leaving scratches, which cause additional cloudiness. Using a baking soda paste is an easy, effective way to deep clean your Vitamix.
Here’s how to do it:
- Add a few tablespoons of baking soda into a bowl with warm water, mixing until it forms a thick paste.
- Take a damp microfiber cloth — please don’t use a rough towel, as it could leave scratches — and dip it into the baking soda paste.
- Rub the inside of your container with the baking soda paste using small, circular motions to remove the filmy mineral buildup.
- Complete your normal cleaning process afterward, leaving your Vitamix to air dry.
That should take care of any cloudiness, but if your Vitamix still looks cloudy, it’s not your fault. Sometimes blending frozen fruits and vegetables or ice can create microscopic scratches inside your blender.
If this happens, investing in a replacement carafe might be a good option. You can keep the already-scratched carafe on hand for when you want to blend harder foods and use the new one for softer things.
How to Get Rid of Odors
If you’ve ever whipped up a batch of flavorful spaghetti sauce in your Vitamix, you might have noticed a lingering garlicky aroma. While garlic is delicious in savory foods, it’s not great if your peanut butter milkshake comes out smelling like an Italian restaurant.
So how do you get rid of lingering smells? It’s not as difficult as it sounds. Just follow our tips, and your Vitamix will smell as good as new in no time.
Here’s how you get rid of pungent odors:
- Rinse your Vitamix thoroughly in warm water, both inside and outside.
- Fill the carafe with two parts warm water and one part white vinegar, lock the lid in place, and allow it to soak overnight.
- The next day, rinse out the water and vinegar mixture and complete your usual cleaning process.
- Allow your Vitamix to air dry upside down.
That should take care of any lingering smells. If you have lingering stains from ingredients like curry powder or turmeric, using the baking soda method will usually remove them.
For more persistent stains, another good tip is to leave your Vitamix outside in the sunlight for the day. The sun’s powerful UV rays are capable of bleaching your carafe back to its original, pristine state.
How to Clean Oily Foods
If you’ve ever made your own nut butter or used peanut butter in a smoothie, you know oily foods tend to stick to the blades of your Vitamix.
A great way to get rid of the oily, stuck-on residue is soaking your Vitamix in warm water and dish soap, which is made to cut through grease, before you’ve completed the cleaning process.
Once your Vitamix has had the chance to soak for a couple of hours, use a soft-bristled brush to clean the inside of your blender. Pay special attention to the blades, as it’s easy for food to become trapped beneath them.
After running through your usual cleaning method, your Vitamix should be spotlessly clean. But sometimes food gets really caked on there, so you might need to soak your carafe and use the scrub brush again.
Also, don’t forget to wipe down the base of your machine after you use your Vitamix, as splatters from liquid can become dried out and hardened, making it more difficult to clean later.
Conclusion
We’ve all heard the phrase “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” and that’s especially true when it comes to keeping your blender clean.
You don’t have to perform a deep clean each time, but a thorough rinse and clean cycle is a must. Cleaning under the blades when you use sticky ingredients and soaking your carafe in white vinegar will prevent cloudiness, staining, and odors, prolonging the life of your Vitamix.
