You've Been Cleaning Your Blender Wrong This Entire Time
A humble-looking blender is one of those criminally underrated kitchen appliances. After all, a blender can whip up everything from fruit smoothies and soups to salsas and sauces. It can quickly make pretty much any food requiring a liquid or fine consistency, saving you from the frustrating and time-consuming hassle of stirring, whisking, and mashing. And the best part is that buying a good, long-lasting blender doesn't have to break the bank.
Although there are numerous reasons to acknowledge the significance of blenders in our hectic lives, they also get their fair share of hatred. Okay, hatred might be a strong word, but there's no denying that most people don't like the loud sound a blender makes or the fact that cleaning a blender can get more annoying than Janice's laugh in "Friends." Cleaning a blender is no child's play; you have to scrub tons of nooks and crannies and negotiate sharp blades. Even using a long-handled scrub brush won't guarantee thorough cleaning. Moreover, you can't use a dishwasher, as it could deteriorate the blades' sharpness over time (per Food Network).
While you can take the whole blender apart to clean every piece, do you really have the time and patience to do it? Unless you're Monica Geller, that is (okay, this is the last "Friends" reference). The good news is that there's an easy, no-fuss hack to cleaning a blender. Most importantly, it'll take less than a minute to get the job done.
Clean your blender by 'blending' it
For starters, it's best to clean the blender right after you've used it. This means not making a smoothie in the morning and letting the blender sit on the kitchen counter all day long. To clean your blender, fill it halfway with warm water. Next, add a few drops of dish soap and close the lid. Run the blender on high for 30 seconds or one to two minutes (per Taste of Home).
The soapy water whirling around your blender will make the blender wash itself. Isn't it amazing? It's one of those kitchen cleaning hacks that'll make you wonder why you didn't think of it before.
If the blender looks dull or has a visible buildup, you can add a few drops of lemon or vinegar, per The Kitchn. And if it can't get rid of sticky ingredients, use some baking soda. However, you'd need to fill the blender with water and baking soda first. Turn it on for a few seconds and dump the contents into the sink. Follow it up with the warm water and soap cleaning steps for better results.