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I am not a huge fan of cleaning, but then again, who is? Like everyone, I do it because I have to, not because I enjoy it. I’m sure many of us would far prefer to be the cook at dinner rather than the cleaner.
Don’t get me wrong, I love a sparkling clean house but I will moan and groan in the process. Having said that, there is one thing I look forward to cleaning, and that is my KitchenAid mixer. That sounds a bit sad, I know, but nothing makes me happier than setting up my spotless KitchenAid as the centerpiece in my kitchen for all to see and admire.
If you are someone who hasn’t cleaned their KitchenAid since they bought it, you’ll be surprised at how much gunk gathers all around the crevices, at the base and the attachments.
Here, I want to share some tips and tricks I have learned along the way that keeps my stand mixer sparkling. Here’s my step-by-step process of how to clean a KitchenAid mixer.
How to clean a KitchenAid Mixer
A deep clean of your stand mixer is a big job and one you won’t do very often. After each baking session, I will clean it with an antibacterial wipe just to get all the dirt off it and then wipe it down with a clean towel.
I tend to deep clean my KitchenAid mixer once every few months. If you are someone who very rarely uses your mixer, then you might only have to deep clean it once a year. But, for those who use and abuse their stand mixer, deep cleaning the grime off your mixer every few weeks will ensure it stays clean and in turn, this will make your mixer last much longer.
This guide is on how to clean a tilt-head stand mixer. If you have a bowl-lift, these tips will still work for the most part.
To clean your KitchenAid stand mixer you will need a few things:
- Microfiber cloth
- Paper towels
- Scrub brush
- Toothpick
- Spray bottle with cleaning solution (I use a mixture of water, baking soda and vinegar)
- Cloths to lay the mixer on
Know you have the right tools handy, let’s clean that bad boy! If you are the sort of person who would prefer to watch, as opposed to reading, here’s an in-depth video you can follow along with.
Step 1: Unplug your mixer
First things first, make sure your stand mixer is unplugged. You’ll be moving the switches back and forth to clean in between them so you don’t want your mixer to be spinning close to your fingers.
Step 2: Clean the hub compartment
I always start with cleaning the multi-purpose hub compartment. Unscrew the cover to the hub attachment and clean the interior and the cover plate. Screw back in.
Step 3: Clean the rim of the bowl clamping plate
Next, unscrew the base cover plate, if you are using a tilt-head machine. You’ll be surprised at how much gunk gathers on the base of your stand mixer. If too much dirt builds up here, it will have a knock-on effect on how well your mixer bowl attaches, so it’s pretty important to keeps this clean. Once removed, transfer the plate onto a paper towel, spray it with some cleaning solution and give it a good scrub. Don’t forget to clean the base as well before you screw the plate back on.
Step 4: Clean the trim band that goes around the top of the mixer
There are two ways you can clean the band. I tend to just take a toothpick and carefully pick through the crevice, removing any grime that’s collected.
You can go one step further and remove the band completely. To do this you will need to unscrew it and remove the back casing that houses the motor. If you do this, be extra careful when wiping the band as you don’t want to accidentally bend it. Give the back casing a wipe too before placing it back.
Step 5: Clean under the motorhead
To clean the area where you install the attachments get a damp paper towel or microfiber cloth and clean the shaft. You can also get your scrub brush and really get deep where the attachment clips in.
If you want to go one step further, you can remove the band just above the shaft. This section collects a lot of flour and powdered sugar so removing it once in a while to clean it will be very beneficial.
Step 6: Clean the body of the mixer
Get your microfiber cloth or paper towel and spray the body of the stand mixer with the cleaning solution. Gently polish the back of the mixer, the mixer head, and the neck of the mixer.
Grab your cloth, lay it down and tip your stand mixer on the side. This will make it easier to clean the bottom of your stand mixer.
If you are really wanting to take your KitchenAid mixer apart and clean every nuke and cranny, this video really helped me when I started out cleaning my KitchenAid stand mixer.
How to clean KitchenAid attachments
As well as cleaning your mixer, it’s important to keep those attachments clean too. With your KitchenAid stand mixer you will have 3 standard attachments; the flat beater, a wire whip and a dough hook.
The best way to clean your standard attachments is by hand with warm water and soap. I find this is the most effective way to really get into the edges and give them a proper scrub.
I simply get a sponge with some soap and clean them under running hot water. If I have had a huge baking session and my attachments look like they’ve seen better days, I take a basin, fill it with warm water and soap and let the attachments soak for 10 minutes.
Stainless steel and nylon-coated attachments can be washed in the dishwasher. KitchenAid made all its standard attachments dishwasher-friendly after 2018. So, if your mixer is an older model, I would hand wash them to be sure.
If your attachments are made from burnished metal or aluminum, you should definitely avoid the dishwasher as you run the risk of oxidizing your KitchenAid attachments. Because this is such a common issue, I have written a separate guide on how to fix oxidized KitchenAid attachments.
For other attachments like the splash guard, I usually give a wipe with a clean cloth if it only has a light dusting of flour on it. If it looks like it’s been well used, I will pop it in the dishwasher for ease but it can definitely be cleaned with soap and water.
If you are someone who has pasta rollers and meat grinders, the best way to clean them is with a dry cloth and some toothpicks. A lot of these attachments have small openings and crevices. With a pasta roller, let it air dry before removing any dry dough. If you still can’t remove the dried dough, a toothpick will come in very handy.
As per the KitchenAid’s website, it is not recommended to wash the pasta rollers with water or put them in the dishwasher. The best way to clean your pasta roller is with a dry cloth.
Always dry the attachments completely before storing them.
How to clean KitchenAid mixer bowl
When KitchenAid decided in 2018 to make the attachments dishwasher friendly, this decision also extended to their mixing bowls. The bowls are probably the easiest to clean as all KitchenAid bowls are dishwasher safe. And yes, that means all the bowls. Regardless of whether you have a stainless steel bowl, ceramic or glass, they can all be put in the dishwasher.
The dishwasher comes in very handy for cleaning bowls as it can be a bit messy trying to clean them by hand, especially after a big baking job.
If you clean them by hand, the best way to do this is with a sponge and soap with warm water. If you find that your bowl is getting a little stained or rusty, you can make a baking soda and vinegar paste. Take some baking soda and add some vinegar, mixing until you get a paste-like consistency. Rub it on the areas that look rusty or stained or let it sit for a few hours before wiping it clean.
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Cleaning your KitchenAid mixer and attachments is very important in preserving your mixer and making it last longer. By taking some extra time to look after it and clean it properly after each use, your KitchenAid will thank you for it and in return, it will last forever!
Every few months, take some time to do a proper deep clean. It only takes around 30 minutes and it will keep your stand mixer looking brand new.
