A food processor is a very useful and versatile kitchen appliance. It can save you a tremendous amount of time compared to chopping, slicing, and dicing by hand. To keep your food processor working well for as long as possible it is important to clean and maintain your food processor properly. Your food processor can save you a lot of time so spend a few of those saved minutes to clean your machine immediately after using it.
The first thing you want to do before you start to clean your food processor is to make sure it is unplugged. You don’t want the machine to accidentally turn on when you are trying to disassemble the attachments and you don’t want to have it plugged in if you are washing it because electricity and water is a dangerous combination.
After you have unplugged the unit, disassemble all of the components and then wash them with warm soapy water the way you would wash any of your dishes. Many components today are dishwasher safe and that makes them a lot easier to clean. There should be instructions in the manual that came with your food processor but it is normally a good idea to put any dishwasher safe components on the top rack of your dishwasher.
For the base of the food processor you can simply wipe it down with a clean rag or paper towel. If there is any stubborn, stuck on food particles or if there is a smell coming from your food processor you can wash it with a little bit of baking soda. Baking soda is great at absorbing odors and it is also a mild abrasive that can help remove items that are stuck on.
You want to avoid letting anything get dried and stuck on in the first place. That is why it is important to wash your food processor immediately after using it. Cleaning it right away will be a lot easier and most things will come right off you if don’t give them a chance to get dried on. It’s also a good idea to wash the components right away rather than letting them sit in the sink and soak because even stainless steel components can rust if they are not washed and dried immediately.
After you wash all of the attachments and components it is important to dry them immediately and then you want to store them properly as well. Make sure that the lid is sealed tightly so that you won’t let any dust, dirt or grime get into the food processor when it is not in use. Store it in a clean, dry space and it will be ready for you the next time you are ready to use it.
