Your Blender Probably Isn't As Clean As You Think It Is

Blenders are found in almost every kitchen, where they're used for whipping up smoothies, making purees, or mixing ingredients together. However, if they're not cleaned properly, they can also be breeding grounds for bacteria — and even bugs. This is, unfortunately, what TikToker @NikiDetrich found out when she went to use her blender only to discover maggots infesting it.

In her video, Detrich explains that she usually rinsed out her blender with hot water immediately after using it and only cleaned it with soap every three uses or so. Now, this is certainly a mistake that's easy to make. After all, it looks clean after a rinse and hot water should remove any germs, right? Yeah, no. When they're not cleaned properly, blenders can be downright nasty. In fact, they can be among one of the dirtiest things in your kitchen! 

The National Sanitation Foundation conducted a study on many kitchen appliances in 2013 and found mold, yeast, E. coli, and Salmonella on blender gaskets — the rubber rings that form a seal below the pitcher (and the same area where Detrich discovered her unwelcomed pests). Ultimately, the study proved blenders can be extremely dangerous when cleaned improperly, and it's something people should start taking seriously. Blenders are definitely not something you can rinse and forget about unless, of course, you want your next superfood smoothie to contain some extra protein and a dash of food poisoning. Thankfully, cleaning a blender properly is much easier than you'd think. 

Properly cleaning a blender is the only way to prevent it from becoming a playground for potentially dangerous bacteria and bugs. Fortunately, the process doesn't have to be complicated. For the most part, you can let your blender do the work and only put in some effort yourself during a deep clean.

The first thing you should do is add hot water and a drop of dish soap to your pitcher, place the lid on, and let it run for around 10 seconds. The soap and hot water mixture, agitated by the blender, will clean every nook and cranny without you needing to use any elbow grease. However, this won't clean the notoriously filthy gasket. For that part, you'll have to get your hands dirty. To thoroughly clean your blender, you'll need to disassemble it. Some can be pretty straightforward to take apart, but it's a good idea to refer to your user manual if you still have it. Then, all of the removable parts should be washed with hot, soapy water. To be clear, never submerge your whole blender base in water; that is a surefire way to ensure it will never work again! 

It's recommended to deep clean your blender after every three to four uses or if you've blended something particularly messy. Not only will this help prolong the life of your appliance, but you can feel a lot better drinking your next smoothie and knowing it doesn't contain any unwanted ingredients.