5 Easy Tricks On How To Clean Vitamix And Cloudy Containers

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As a Vitamix owner, how many times a day do you use your blender? Does the pitcher have a smoky layer that isn’t coming off after normal washing? What about a pungent onion smell that you don’t want in your milkshake? If you’re experiencing some of these issues, this post is all about how to clean Vitamix.

But, since you know how to wash your blender with water, I’m going to share some tips that can help you clean your appliance to:

  1. Prolong its lifetime and maintain healthy living
  2. Remove nut butter stuck under the blade
  3. Remove dough residue on the walls of the container
  4. Remove the cloudy layer formed on the blending container
  5. Get rid of lingering odors before they mess your delicate recipe

But before we come to that, let’s highlight some dos and don’ts when performing the normal Vitamix cleanup.

What to Do and Not Do under Normal Vitamix Cleanup

First of all, the normal cleaning should be obvious if you already know how to use a Vitamix blender. You’ll find the basic maintenance tips in the instruction booklet that comes with the appliance.

Regardless, there are two main ways you can do the normal cleaning of your blender. They include:

  • Self-cleaning: allowing your blender to clean itself by blending a mixture of warm water and some dish soap
  • Hand-washing: separate the container, tamper, lid, and lid plug. Then, wash thoroughly in warm soapy water, rinse clean, and drain before putting in storage. Overall, this is the best option if you’re using your blender for acai bowls and other sticky recipes.

Note, you can also clean your Vitamix blender in the dishwasher machine. The ascent models, including Vitamix A2500 and A3500, have even the label for “dishwasher cleaning cycle, something the maker didn’t approve before.

For example, the product manuals of Vitamix E310 and 5300 have a bold statement warning not to put the container, lid, or lid plug in the dishwasher.

But, anyway, the four important dos when cleaning your Vitamix include:

  • Always wash your Vitamix after each processing before the remains stick
  • Use warm soapy water to easily lift away greasy grime and reduce cleanup time
  • If using the dishwasher, arrange the Vitamix container and components on the top shelf
  • Do use a soft pot scrubber or sponge to clean out the remaining residue

Meanwhile, the three key don’ts you should remember when cleaning your Vitamix are:

  • Don’t use abrasive cleaning tools on your Vitamix to avoid leaving permanent scratches
  • Don’t put your Vitamix base into water or dishwasher as it could get damaged or cause electric shock
  • Don’t wash your Vitamix container and components on the bottom dishwasher shelf as it could cause thermal degradation.

The 5 Best Methods of How to Clean Vitamix

1. How to Clean Vitamix Blender to Prolong its Lifetime

In short, the idea here is to show you how to clean Vitamix to prolong its lifetime- or otherwise enhance durability. As we all know, though, the Ohio manufacturer usually creates its products to last, which is why they give extended warranty support.

If it’s a basic blender like Vitamix E320, you can get a 7-year free warranty that covers all parts and performance. Then, sophisticated smart models like the Vitamix V1200 will have a longer, 10-year full warranty.

But then, how well your machine continues to perform or last will depend on how you take care of it. For a model, your blending container (usually plastic) will degrade faster if you often clean in the dishwasher. This will happen from the extreme temperature (especially at the bottom racks) and potentially harmful detergent that will put stress on the materials.

Therefore, in my opinion, the only sure way you can prolong your Vitamix life is with the self-clean feature. Or else by hand-washing with some lukewarm water and a few drops of dish soap.

More on that, I would recommend you get into the habit of cleaning your blender after every processing. That way, it becomes easier to clean and also prevents other issues like stains and odors.

2. How To Clean Vitamix Blender To Remove Nut Butter Under The Blade

If you have ever tried, Vitamix can produce some real sweat and smooth butter from nut seeds. However, the blend is notoriously sticky, which can be difficult to clean by the blender’s self-clean feature or program. Also, some nut butter can get stuck under the blade, and it’ll only get wasted if you don’t have the under blade scraper.

But here is the trick, instead of wasting that butter, why not make a chocolate milkshake for the kids or yourself. It will take less than ten minutes to prepare, plus you won’t need any ice cream. Just some tablespoons of sugar, cocoa powder, milk, plus ice cubes and you’ll have your milkshake.

After that, the blending container will now have less nut butter remains to clean. Thus, you can now manually clean with ease and in less time. To do that:

  • Rinse the container with tap water to reduce the milkshake residue
  • Put some warm water and dish soap into the blending container.
  • Use a scrub sponge or brush to clean out the butter sticking on the walls or under the blade
  • Rinse with running fresh running water.

Alternatively, you can run a cleaning cycle for your Vitamix to clean itself. But again, some tough nut butter might still be clinging onto the walls of the blending container. So, you still might need to use a sponge or scrub brush.

3. How To Clean Vitamix Blender To Remove Dough Residue On The Walls

When kneading the dough with your Vitamix, you can have residue stuck on the walls of the container, just like butter. So, the solution is as simple as hand-washing with a scrubber sponge or brush and soapy warm water.

How To Clean Vitamix
Vitamix Spatula

In case you were preparing Hummus instead of dough or butter, the method is still similar. And if you don’t want to waste any blend, you can get a Vitamix spatula to scrape the last of it.

4. How To Clean Vitamix Blender To Remove Cloudy Film

If you don’t know how to clean Vitamix cloudy containers, this solution is for you. It’s simple to do and also we’ll be using materials I’m sure you already have in a cabinet somewhere.

Before we come to that, though, it’s worth mentioning that the white film clouding your Vitamix container is nothing more than a temporary stain. It usually forms on the walls of a plastic container after blending dark greens or other mineral-rich vegetables and fruits a lot.

But again, you can prevent your Vitamix from getting cloudy by cleaning it before the residue sits in. That’s by cleaning it regularly, after every use.

In case the problem still happens, you can resolve it with a cleaning agent. And since we’re cleaning the area that comes in direct contact with food, you’ll need to use an organic but effective cleaner. A few of the options you can try include:

  • White vinegar:

This is a food-safe substance from natural, organic compounds. So, you can clean your Vitamix container and experience no side effects.

To remove the discoloration, you’ll need to soak your blending jar with a solution of water and white vinegar (at one cup: one tablespoon). After two hours or overnight, empty the solution, then clean your jar thoroughly, rinse, and drain.

  • Baking soda paste:

Other than baking cakes and cookies, baking soda can also be effective in removing the white film on your Vitamix. You just need to rub it on the regions with the cloudy film, then clean, rinse, and dry your container.

  • Denture Tablets:

Just as the name, these tablets are usually for cleaning and removing discoloration from dentures (false teeth). So, they’re non-toxic and should leave your Vitamix crystal clear.

To clean, put two or three tablets (depending on container size) in some hot water and pour the mixture into your cloudy jar. After sitting for two hours or overnight, wash with fresh water, then rinse and dry it.

  • ALKA SELTZER:

The aspirin tablets happen to have a combination of sodium bicarbonate and anhydrous citric acid. So, you can also use them to clean your cloudy Vitamix blender. You just need to put two or three tablets in warm water and transfer the mixture into your Vitamix container. After soaking for two hours or overnight, wash your container with fresh water, then rinse and dry it.

  • Alcohol:

While it might sound ridiculous, Alcohol can also remove discoloration from food dyes. Therefore, we can say using the blender for cocktails should delay the clouding issue for you. If it’s already occurred, you can deal with it by soaking your stained container with an alcohol solution for a few hours. After that, you can now wash and rinse with fresh water.

Last but not least, you can use a lemon + salt mixture to remove the white layering in your cloudy Vitamix. Yes, the method isn’t always effective when dealing with serious mineral buildup, but it could work for your case.

It’s also worth noting that these six solutions can also work when dealing with other types of stains too. This includes stains from turmeric, tomato paste, and the rest of the foods.

5. How to Clean Vitamix to get rid of Pungent Odors

While they may be okay on their own, odors from items like garlic and onions can change the flavor of your smoothies. If you tend to have this issue and you notice it takes time to go away, you can use the vinegar method above. Not only will the solution eliminate the odor but also sanitize and remove the stains that might be forming.

Alternatively, you could soak your container in baking soda for about one or two hours before washing.

To Conclude:

When you decide to invest in a Vitamix, the goal is so you can blend without having to think of buying another blender. Luckily, the manufacturer usually puts together its products with high-grade components and rich craftsmanship. So, you could still be using your blender even after three decades.

Nonetheless, you must take good care of your Vitamix if you want to make the most of it. You have to keep it clean all the time and you won’t need to worry about issues like a cloudy container or food poisoning.

But again, the article has covered five different ways on how to clean your Vitamix. So, you still have a solution in handy in case you encounter any of the problems in question.