Blenders are easily one of the most useful appliances to have. But every once in a while you will catch yourself wondering why does my blender smell? Does this mean that it needs more washing?
So, Why Does My Blender Smell? The fact is that this is more common than you would think it is. Many blender bottles are made of BPA plastics, that are more susceptible to harboring odors and smells, particularly if not cleaned on a daily basis. Vegetables like onion, garlic, etc can have a strong odor. When blended, they can cause the blender to retain its smell. Over time as the blender is used more and more, various types of such strong smells mix with one another and cause the blender to have a funky smell.
What’s worse than a smelly blender? – A smelly blender that makes other food smell bad. The smells can sometimes rub off on delicate food items and ruin their scent or taste. Because of the blending of a variety of meals and liquids inside a blender container, smells may develop that are difficult to remove by just washing. A smelly blender does not always mean an unclean blender. The smells can linger even if the blender is well washed. It just means that to remove the smell completely you need to take a few extra steps.
Table of Contents
Ways To Get Rid Of The Bad Smell
- Vanilla Extract
- Coffee Grounds
- Lemon And Baking Soda
- Vinegar And Baking Soda
- Dish-Detergent Powder
Why Does My Blender Smell?
Particles Of Food Stuck In The Blades
Many times blender users do not realize that an unpleasant smell emitting from the blender is due to food particles that are still stuck in the blender. Every time I’m using it, food particles get stuck in the blades and they need to be taken apart and thoroughly washed before being used again. Now, this isn’t necessarily the blender’s fault. But usually, it seems like there are always tiny little bits of carrot or onion that somehow get left behind.
This can happen when chunks or pieces of food don’t circulate properly around the blade while falling into gaps between its spinning edges. When you’re done making your blended concoction, you’ll probably give the blender jar a good rinse and not think another thing about it — but what if dry rice particles were left behind? Because that could spell trouble for your next smoothie.
if you have an older blender or one that hasn’t been maintained well over time then dried food can really start to build up and form chunks inside your blender blade—and these chunks will get more and more difficult to get rid of. Hence it’s best not to let dried food particles linger in your blender at all because they could not only wind up mixing with wet ingredients for your next drink, but also make a mess in your blender motor in ways you can’t even see.
Poor Cleaning/Drying
The longer food particles stay in your blender, the more likely they are to dry up and become stuck between its blades. If left overnight – especially if there’s a lot of food residue trapped under them – the blender might even start smelling bad after just a few hours! So make sure to take out all parts of your blender and wash them up immediately after you use it.
When your blender is free of any fragments of food or soap suds, make sure that it’s air-dried well before storing. “Dry” can be defined as “not too wet and not too dry.” Try setting it in a cool place away from sunlight where air circulates freely. Allowing it to get moistened by leftover water droplets will only allow microbes like molds and bacteria to thrive inside your blender – which can cause some serious blender problems!
Using The Blender For Multiple Purposes
Using the blender for different things can cause blender smells to linger. It may be a good idea to have separate jars for different types of food, especially if you are going to blend hot or sticky substances in them.
*Note: Be sure not to use blender jar lids as scoops!*
Chopping Food With Strong Scents or Flavors
Blender can absorb highly flavored foods and their odors through small pores on its surface just like a sponge absorbs water. This way the blender may gradually acquire an unpleasant odor making your kitchen smelly.
Using Foul Blender Parts
Using blender blades that are dull from neglecting cleaning will result in blender smells, as well as blender blades that don’t chop up foods properly and leave chunks behind. In order to avoid having this problem, make it a habit to clean your blender immediately after use. Wash the blender jar thoroughly before reusing it too!
The Blades Have Become Oily
When the blender is continuously used for mixing different types of foods, bits, and pieces of oils from these various kinds of foods are deposited on the blades. Over time, these oils will accumulate, making blender blades sticky and oily.
The Blades Are Broken
Sharp blender’s blades usually have a metal rod running through them as a handle which also doubles up as a blade guard, but if blender’s blades break this rod will easily become exposed. Nonetheless, food particles and stains from juices make their way to the blender’s base jamming it. Over time blender will start making an awful sound while operating and emits a dull burning smell which comes from the motor overheating due to lack of lubrication caused by jammed food particles in the blender’s base rendering your blender useless until you replace its damaged parts.
Storing Spare Parts Inside The Blender
If you’re one of those people who prefer storing blender spare parts like pitcher, blender blades, or blender lid in the blender when the blender is not in use, make sure to throw out this habit right away. You might think that it’s convenient for storage purposes but doing so could cause certain blender problems eventually – because leaving blender containers within your blender can increase its chances of getting moistened by leftover liquid and becoming a breeding ground for various microbes like molds and bacteria! Don’t take any chance with your blender!
A Deeper Issue
Blending equipment has a very strong odor, which can be smelt when the blender is being used. Blenders are often not cleaned regularly which causes blender odor to remain behind in blender parts even after blending fruit or vegetables. If your blender is still creating a bad blender smell even after cleaning the blender container thoroughly with dish soap and baking soda paste, then this tells you that the blender motor itself might need a thorough cleaning or overall maintenance of some sort.
This can be done by taking apart blender parts and looking for any dirt particles inside of the blender’s blade compartment before inserting a new blender blade which will help make your blender smell fresh all over again.
More About Smelly Blenders
Myths About Food Stuck In Your Blender
Myth: The Blender Stinks!
The blender usually doesn’t stink but rather, what was created using that blender smells stale and makes the blender smell bad. For example, if you blend onions in your blender use after use, eventually they will make your blender smell like onions. Not washing blender parts after creating smoothies also makes the blender start smelling if you’ve made some blended liquids in the blender without washing it out first. Most people will wash out their blender by rinsing it with water but if some raw food remains stuck on the blender, bacteria start growing and that’s what causes the odor to start building up in your blender.
Myth: The Blender Stinks Like Old Food
That one is just a myth! The blender doesn’t have an old food scent, rather, it usually smells of something that was processed or made using that blender. For example, if you blend will smell like onions even when you turn that blender on and off.
Myth: It’s Not Possible To Get The Smell Out!
You can get rid of the blender smell by washing blender parts, especially the blender jar thoroughly. Below are some ways which will help you clean your blender thoroughly and also make it smell as good as new when you use it again.
Ways You Can Clean Your Blender
Vanilla Extract
Although it may come as a surprise, vanilla extract can help in eradicating odors from a blender bottle. In order to do this, take a piece of newspaper and lightly sprinkle it with water. Add a few drops of vanilla extract. Place a crumpled-up newspaper inside the blender bottle. Place the lid on and allow it to sit for roughly 24 hours. When you open the lid and take the newspaper out of the bottle, you will see that the terrible odor has vanished and has been replaced with a pleasant aroma. You could also use paper towels instead of newspapers.
Coffee Grounds
Another fantastic approach to clean a smelly blender bottle is to make use of coffee grounds. Yes, everything you have to do for this is places some dampened coffee grounds inside the blender bottle and place the cover on top. Allow it to sit for at least one night. When you remove the coffee grounds the next morning, you will notice a freshness in the bottle, as well as the absence of any unwanted odors.
Lemon And Baking Soda
Squeeze a lemon into the blender jar, make sure to discard the rind, and add 2 tablespoons of baking soda and one cup of water to the jar. Blend the mixture on high for about 30 seconds, then take out the jar from its base. Scrub the interior of the jar with a gentle sponge and then thoroughly rinse and dry.
Vinegar And Baking Soda
Instead of using lemon juice, you can also use 3/4th cup of white vinegar, 1/4th cup of baking soda, and roughly 1/4th cup water. Add this to the blender jar and blend them for approximately 30 seconds at high speed. Take out the jar from its base and clean the interior using a soft sponge or cloth, then rinse and dry it thoroughly.
Baking soda and vinegar are two of the most effective cleaning agents for a smelly blender bottle. Most blender bottles are made using BPA plastics, which have a tendency of retaining odors and smells, particularly if it is not cleaned on a daily basis. So, all you have to do is fill the bottle using vinegar and baking soda, then let it sit overnight. Make sure that the flip cap is left open. Take the mixture out of the bottle and thoroughly rinse it the next morning. You will notice that the odor has vanished and the bottle has become cleaner.
Dish-Detergent Powder
Fill the blender jar halfway using hot water and a couple of tablespoons of dish detergent powder. Allow this to sit for a few hours before dumping out the majority of the contents. With the help of a soft sponge, agitate the remaining mixture around the base and then rinse and dry well.
About The Base
It’s also a fairly simple task that you won’t have to do very often. Wipe the base thoroughly with an all-purpose cleaner (dish soap and water work great). Just use your cleaning toothbrush to remove the dirt and wipe away to get anything tough off of the base or even in a little buttonhole.
