Electric kitchen mixers started out as a luxury in kitchens. However, today, they have become a necessity for anyone who loves to bake. In fact, it could possibly be the most used among the many small kitchen appliances.
From mixing cupcake and cake batters to kneading homemade healthy breads to even mashing potatoes, mixers do more than their share in the kitchen to make our lives easier. But while it is extremely easy to use, it can be tricky to clean. You are lucky if your mixer comes with dishwasher safe parts but if not, you have to effectively clean them out manually to ensure that it will serve you better longer.
There basically are two types of mixers – the hand mixer and the stand mixer. The hand mixer, which is ideal for small and quick mixing jobs, requires proper maintenance just the same. If you are going to search the internet on how to clean hand mixers, the results would be pretty simple. You have to remove all the attachments and wash those separately with mild soap and water.
However, there is a quick and easy kitchen trick here especially for those icings and thick sticky batters. With the beating attachments still attached, get a bowl of clean water and put the mixer inside it. Turn the mixer on in the lowest speed setting and watch all the icing and batter come off the beating blades easily. Just remember to do this in the sink and wear an apron as there might be water splatters.
After which, remove the attachments and still wash them separately. Cleaning will definitely be easier. If the attachments are dishwasher safe, go ahead and put them inside it. For the body of the hand mixer where the motor is located, be sure to not put it in contact with water. It is best to use a damp cloth to wipe it dry.
Now, for electric stand mixers, there are a lot more cleaning and maintaining to do simply because there are more parts and the parts are noticeably larger. Check this thorough guide on how to clean electric stand mixers:
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Remove all the attachments
Common attachments include the wire whip, combo whip, dough hooks, flat beater, pouring shield, whisker, and beater. Remove all these and wash them in hot, soapy water in order to remove all the grease from the batter, icing, and everything else you made. Rinse with clean running water afterwards.
A great tip here is to wash all the attachments right away after using them. Through that way, the batter and/or icing has not yet hardened and it would be easier to clean rather than leaving it at the sink and trying to clean them after several hours.
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Remove the mixing bowl
This is probably the easiest part to clean in all the attachments. Make sure that you clean this properly devoid of any grease. Rinse thoroughly to ensure that there would not be any soap left that could pose health risks the next time you use it. Most modern mixing bowls today can be put on the uppermost layer of the dishwasher.
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Wipe dry the surface of the electric mixer
Use a damp cloth or soft sponge dipped in warm soapy water to wipe the body of the electric mixer that houses the motor. Remember, you want to simply wipe away any splatter, if there is any. The cloth or sponge should be damp and not dripping wet. You have to be careful not to get any water into the motor.
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Turn the mixer over
Yes you read it right. You have to turn the mixer over in order to clean underneath the base and below the mixing arm. These parts are actually the most taken for granted parts in an electric stand mixer. Most forget that the attachment ports must be scrubbed properly since food tends to get trapped inside those ports.
The mixer’s buttons should also be cleaned properly as dust and dirt can settle around it in addition to the small bits of food that usually accumulates there. A great tip here is to use a toothpick to easily remove them. Just make sure you do not push the toothpick too hard.
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Dry everything with a gentle cloth
After cleaning every single part of your electric stand mixer, you now want to dry everything up. Use a gentle cloth so as not to scratch anything. After the attachments have completely dried up, put them altogether in a cabinet so as not to lose them. The bowl can be placed back in the stand mixer.
In storing the electric stand mixer, keep it away from stove tops or any other small kitchen appliance that poses a splatter hazard.
Since mixers have now become an indispensable kitchen equipment, you have to take very good care of them. You surely would not want to buy a new one on a yearly basis, would you? Technically, mixers are easy to clean if you know how to do it properly. Take care of your mixers and enjoy its great benefits for a longer period of time.