Juicer is the piece of equipment which sooner or later is to be purchased and added to our array of kitchen appliances. Used for extracting juice from different kinds of fruits and veggies, the juicers tend to be quite messy to use and clean afterwards.
The ease of cleaning your juicer is one of the most important parts to find out about after you made a purchase or even prior to it. The main reason is that the hygiene should not be ignored and since you are dealing with food, high level of hygiene will ensure that you are successfully preventing any food related diseases. In fact, the best way to ensure this is to buy a detachable juicer or the one that is really easy to clean without missing any spots where debris can be accumulated. After all, easy to clean juicers are not that hard to come by, so why not consider this small, but important aspect before making a purchase decision (if it’s not too late, of course).
On top of that, your final decision about the juicer you want to buy will depend on how much money you would like to spend and what kind of warranty comes with it. Do not forget to check out the customer reviews which will give you a real-life perspective on the model you are considering to purchase.
How to clean a juicer?
In order to clean your juicer you will need: a spatula, soft cloths, dish soap, nail brush/toothbrush and a soft brush. Steps to Clean the Juicer:
- Unplug the juicer;
- Take your juicer apart completely;
- Dump the container (which catches the pulp) and scrape it out with a spatula;
- Rinse every piece of your juicer under running water;
- Use the small brush to clean the small areas, such as the crannies and nooks;
- Fill the sink with water with a bit of dish soap dissolved in it;
- Soak each piece of your juicer for a couple of minutes and wash it with a soft cloth or a brush. This will help even if there are stains on your juicer. In fact, with the best citrus juicers like Proctor Silex 66331 soaking it in warm water, followed by rinsing it would be the only thing you need to do.
- Mesh strainer is known for accumulating a build up with juice debris and pulp. Don’t let the juice particles dry in the screen or they will be hard to remove. You might also consider choosing a juicer with a kind of mesh that is easier to clean, as in juicers such as TRIBEST GSE-5000, the mesh is pretty fine and takes some work to clean;
- Wipe down the machine by wet sponge or a soft cloth;
- Let all the pieces dry completely. The best way to achieve that is to put them on a drying rack or a towel;
- With hard, magnum and/or calcium rich water, the basket (especially, a plastic one) may stain when simply left on a drying rack. So, if you really want to have a spotless juicer, wipe the basket dry with a soft cloth or a paper towel;
- Reassemble your juicer.
Also, Youtuber Elizabeth Rider has the whole process covered in her vlog, so if you would rather take a look at the video:
Additional Tips for Cleaning Your Juicer
- Juicers which are regularly used, might become tiresome to clean very fast. And this is often a reason why so many of them end up stashed at the back of the cupboard among other appliances. When buying a juicer, research about how to clean it and consider how much time you will need to invest before choosing that particular model.
- Timely cleaning makes a huge difference. The pulp and juice which is still fresh, will be easily washed away with warm water. But the pulp and juice that is let to dry will become stuck to the walls and it will be much more difficult to remove it. Majority of juicers only take a couple minutes to clean properly. We like HANDY PANTRY HJ HURRICANE as it literally takes under a minute to wash it.
- If you forgot to clean the juicer and let the gunk to build up, try to use a fine grade of sand to scrape it off out of the smaller holes in the juicer. As for bigger areas, dry rice might work too.
- Double check whether the care instructions allow putting any parts of the equipment into the dishwasher. Some removable parts will tolerate it well, but others might not take the mechanical washing methods too well. It is important to remember, that if the model only allows hand washing, the warranty will be voided in case the parts have ended up in the dishwasher. Another option is to purchase a juicer like BREVILLE JE98XL with the snap-off, dishwasher safe components. Take a look at the video to see how easy it is to clean:
- If you use your juicer few times a day, you will only need to clean it after the last use. In the meantime, soak the parts in water or use the plastic wrap and put them in the fridge.
- Never put the base of the juicer in the water.
Wrap Up
A juicer is an important piece of equipment in every kitchen and especially for those who enjoy living a healthy life by juicing their own natural juice. This is the reason why you need to pay a lot of attention when you are trying to determine what kind of juicer you need, considering your lifestyle, preferences and the amount of money you are willing to spend. Still, even if you have already purchased a juicer without considering the cleaning parts, this quick guide and attention to daily hygiene (most importantly!) should help you keep your juices healthy and your kitchen clean.
Feel free to share your experience with MyKitchenAdvisor! We’ll read your comments gladly!
