How to Clean a Vitamix Container with Pungent Smells and Cloudy Walls

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Nobody doesn’t know how to clean a Vitamix container, right? Wrooong! When you visit some of the Vitamix or general blending community forums, you’ll come across various inquiries on the topic. Some need suggestions to clean the bottom of the container, others it’s lingering or funky odors, and most want to get rid of the cloudy film buildup. So, what does this mean to you?

Well, as a Vitamix owner, it will be good if you gather all the suggestions on how to handle the various blemishes. At the end of the day, you’ll be able to retain your blending container clean and good-looking. Then, you’ll be able to use your Vitamix blender more effectively, plus also have the courage to brag about to friends.

In any case, this article has put together various suggestions you can use to clean common blemishes in  Vitamix containers.  But before then…

What’s the Easiest Vitamix Container to Clean?

As for now, Vitamix has three different designs of blending containers for your blender. The standard 64-ounce, 32-ounce, and the 48-ounce jar in your Vitamix E310 is the first design on the list. And it features a fixed blade at the bottom and a lid with only a removable plug/ cap.

So, the container/s will be much faster to clean compared to a blender like a Ninja BL770 or BN801 that’s a blade stem with crevices that needs scrubbing.

Conversely, the newly-released Vitamix food processor attachment have up to eight different components. Thus, the design will also take a little longer to disassemble and also clean. But the components (excluding the self-detect base) are dishwasher safe if you don’t want to wash by hands.

Apart from the standard and food processor container, Vitamix has 20-ounce cups and 8-ounce bowls. The containers are best on the Vitamix V1200 and the Ascent smart blenders, but you can also use them with the classic models on a PCA (personal cup adapter).

Meanwhile, the single-serve cups and bowls usually process the ingredients with a removable blade unit. So, the Vitamix container design is the easiest to clean, both by hands and dishwasher cycle.

How to Clean Vitamix Container

First of all, a Vitamix can clean its container, literally. The method, self-cleaning, involves blending a mixture of warm, soapy water on the highest speed “10”. After 30-60 seconds, you pour out the dirty water, then rinse the container thoroughly with cold running water.

Even so, the self-cleaning feature is most effective when done immediately after blending your smoothie, soup, or other recipes. And also, before you have added the soapy mixture, you’ll need to first rinse the container to get rid of the excess blend remains.

It’s worth noting that blenders like Vitamix 750 and 780 have a dedicated cleaning program. So, you can power on and leave it to auto-switch itself off after blustering the soapy mixture inside the container for sixty seconds.

Other methods you can use to clean your Vitamix container:

How to Clean a Vitamix Container

Hand-washing

If you have been blending a gunky recipe like butter, running a self-cleaning cycle in your Vitamix might not be enough. Some stubborn remains will still be stuck on the sides and under the blade. So, you’ll also need a notorious cleaning method like hand-washing to rid the container of all the food residue.

If you have a dish brush, you can use it with warm water to brush all the sticky walls and bottom of the container. Do the same for the lid/s while also scrubbing along the rim. Then, pour out the dirty water and rinse everything thoroughly using cold running water.

Oh, never forget to dry your Vitamix containers before storing them.

Using the Dishwasher Cycle

Although very pricey, Vitamix usually sends out their blenders with a Copolyester blending container. Of course, the material is a tough Eastman Tritan kind, but it’s still plastic. So, personally, I don’t do or recommend using the magic chore machine with your Vitamix. Why?

Well, for one, the extreme heat and dishwasher detergent can weaken the construction of your containers over time. Thus, compromising the intended lifetime.

Secondly, you obviously will be cleaning your Vitamix container with the rest of the dirty utensils in the dishwasher. So, there’s the risk of scratching the outside of the container when the items are cluttered and strike against each other.

Thirdly, a dishwasher will take between one and four hours to complete a cleaning cycle. The highest number is for when the dishes are very dirty- like your blending container clamped up with dry or sticky blend residue. So, you might have to wait before you can blend your post-workout snack after the gym.

To sum up,  using the dishwasher cycle to clean your Vitamix container will be most effective if you don’t intend to use the blender anytime soon. If that’s no concern, you can proceed, but do follow the recommended guidelines for the correct temperature setting, racks, and detergents.

Spring Cleaning a Vitamix Container

At times, you can clean, wash, and rinse your Vitamix pitcher, yet it still appears dirty. In other cases, the container can retain a pungent smell from your previous recipe or, worse, a stale odor from an old blend.

If either of these happens, don’t be alarmed. The visible whitish “dirt” and the stench are reversible using the appropriate deep-cleaning technique, as shown below.

Clean Off  the Cloudy Film in the Vitamix Container

As was mentioned in the beginning, a cloudy container is a common issue with Vitamix containers. It usually occurs from the long durability of the system, then minerals from foods and hard water start forming micro-thin layers on the inner walls.

Over time, what started as a nearly invisible layer of minerals become a dense whitish film, which now gives your container a cloudy appearance.

Fortunately, the clouding of the Vitamix container doesn’t impact the performance of the blender in any way. Unfortunately, though, you won’t be able to see the content inside the blending jar clearly. And in the process, you might wind up ruining a delicate recipe, like salsa or Taco coleslaw after over-blending.

Even so, that cloudy film doesn’t mean your Vitamix container is permanently stained or scratched. If you have some white vinegar in the house, you can dissolve every last of it and leave the piece sparkling new. To do that, you just need to:

  1. Add a cup of the vinegar to the cloudy Vitamix container
  2. Next, half-fill with clean, warm water and let it soak for some hours or overnight
  3. Now pour the content out, then clean any remaining residue with a soft cloth
  4. Finally, rinse your Vitamix container and dry it off before storage.

Note, you can prevent your Vitamix container from clouding up by thoroughly cleaning immediately after use, especially after blending mineral-rich fruits and vegetables.

Moreover, you can soak your container in a warm solution of Denture tablets, Alka seltzer, or even alcohol if you don’t have the vinegar. If you only have baking soda, you can also make a paste, then manually rub it on the cloudy areas with a paper towel or cloth.

Clean off Lingering/ Stale Odor in the Vitamix Container

Lingering Smells like garlic/ onions and stale ones from a previous recipe can change the flavor of your smoothies within seconds. However, you can solve the issue by soaking your Vitamix container in a warm vinegar solution, as shown above. And in case you don’t have the vinegar, soak in baking soda for a few hours before washing.

You can view the video for a better understanding.

Final Thoughts:

Clean eating is usually the objective of almost every Vitamix owner. But to achieve that clean eating lifestyle, you also need to ensure your blender is sparklingly clean before every use.

However, that doesn’t mean you leave your blending containers sticky and smelly after making your butter, smoothie, or other recipes. Have the habit of cleaning immediately after blending, and you’ll be able to avoid issues like cloudy containers.

Remember, it’s also crucial to regularly sanitize all your Vitamix containers to prevent bacteria for foodborne illnesses. Vitamix recommends blending a solution of water and liquid breach, but forget we’re talking about surfaces that come into contact with food. So, only use bleach that’s safe for consumption. Or else make your own solution with safe compounds like hydrogen peroxide and lemon juice.