How to deep clean your Vitamix container

Good question, Vitamix owner! As you know, Vitamix Blenders clean themselves.

A few cups of hot water and a drop of soap are usually enough to clean your Vitamix. That’s probably how it was demonstrated for you.

But maybe you use peanut butter or onions or flaxseed or turmeric or other mineral-rich ingredients leaving your container less than its original shiny self.

In this article, we’ll show you how handle the following tough-to-clean Vitamix container situations.

• Cloudy container
• Turmeric stains
• Odors
• Residue under the blade

And at the end, we have a go-forward plan and bonus tips like the PB&J trick.

Let’s begin.

How to clean a cloudy Vitamix container

Dealing with some serious mineral buildup resulting in a cloudy container? Try this:

Baking soda paste rub. With a bit of persistence, this method works well and is non-toxic.

Put a bit of baking soda in a small bowl and use a slightly damp paper towel to rub the inside of your container in a circular motion. Be sure to run a regular cleaning cycle after. Watch:

Once the clouds are removed, the best way to make sure your container doesn’t get cloudy again is to follow one of our 7 Care and Maintenance Secrets for a Long-Lasting Vitamix:

Towel-dry your container after cleaning it. 

That way, there won’t be any left over water to leave mineral deposits behind.

Dealing with a persistently cloudy container

If the baking soda paste rub didn’t work, you may have another cause for the cloudy container: Scratches.

You see, some hard ingredients, when thrown around during a blend, can leave small scratches on the inside of the container.

If the container is otherwise working okay, it’s safe to use. Otherwise, you may want to consider a new container.

How to remove turmeric stains from your Vitamix container

Nothing is less sightly than a yellowed Vitamix container. Turmeric is incredibly good for you, but also a very annoying ingredient to clean up after.

Here’s the trick:

Leave your container in the sunlight for an afternoon. The sun’s UV rays will naturally bleach your container back to its original glory.

Yes, it’s that simple.

And if you’d like to mitigate the impact of turmeric stains on your container, consider this: Hot blends rich in fats (nuts) will stain more than cold blends using turmeric. See turmeric lattes as the perfect example.

Got it?

Let’s move on to thicker blends making your container dirty.

How to eliminate odors from your Vitamix container

Lingering odors in your Vitamix container are common when you use ingredients like onion or garlic. Yes, those aromas are nice on their own.

But you do not want them infiltrating your green juice.

So if your Vitamix container still smells funky, use the vinegar soak method.

1. Sponge down the outside of the container. There’s usually some buildup there.
2. Soak your container overnight in vinegar. Use a mixture of 2 parts hot water to 1 part white vinegar. In the morning, rinse.
3. Run a cleaning cycle. Container halfway filled warm water plus a bit of soap.

This should eliminate odors in your Vitamix container and restore your Vitamix to its previous splendor.

If you like to do spice blends and other aromatics, you might want to consider a Stainless Steel Container.

Vitamix Stainless Steel Container

$199.95

Want to blend in a non-reactive environment? Get the Stainless Steel Container — it’s also great for blender ice creams.

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How to clean residue under the Vitamix blade

For residue stuck under a Vitamix blade, consider an old toothbrush with a baking soda scrub as discussed above.

A vinegar soak might loosen things up a bit.

If the residue persists and it’s unsettling, you may want to consider a new container.

Going forward, consider a really good clean after each use.

How to clean your Vitamix after each use

The more you clean your Vitamix, the easier it is to clean.

So get into the habit of it.

Run a cleaning cycle after each use. Here’s the method:

1. Wall brush. If you used sticky ingredients, take five seconds and brush all the inside and outside walls. It helps to do this with warm water running. At this point, your Vitamix is 80% clean.

2. Soapy water. Fill halfway with hot water and a couple drops of soap.

3. Run cleaning cycle.

• Program-enabled Vitamix: Start the cleaning cycle.
• Standard Vitamix: Blend on low and then high for 10-30 seconds.

4. Rinse and towel dry.

Altogether, this regular cleaning routine takes 60 seconds.

If you get into the habit of doing it every time you blend, you should not have to deal with stains, buildup, or odors in your Vitamix container.