How to Clean a Blender: Jar, Blades, Gasket and Base

How to clean a blender per each manual: soap-and-water self clean, under the blades, the gasket, the base, and when bleach or a dishwasher is OK.

By Maksud · Published Oct 4, 2026

To clean a blender, fill the jar about halfway with warm water and a couple of drops of dish soap, lock the lid and run it on High for 30 to 60 seconds, then rinse and drain. That is the routine in Vitamix’s 5200 owner’s manual, which says to start at speed 1 and ramp up to High. Breville adds: rinse the jar as soon as possible after use. Unplug before you clean the blade or the base.

How to self clean a blender with soap and water

Every manual I read gives a version of this, but the amounts differ:

1. Unplug the blender and rinse out what’s left, as soon as you can after blending. Breville’s manual says this keeps food from drying on the blades and jug.
2. Add warm water. Vitamix says half full. The Breville BBL620 instruction book says 2 cups. The nutribullet Blender Combo user guide says fill to the MAX line for stubborn clean-ups.
3. Add a little dish soap. Vitamix says a couple of drops, and nutribullet says 1 to 2 drops. Breville’s care section says a few drops for sticky residue, though its AUTO CLEAN section says 1/2 teaspoon.
4. Lock the lid and run it. Vitamix says High for 30 to 60 seconds, and nutribullet says 20 to 30 seconds. On the BBL620 you press AUTO CLEAN instead.
5. Pour it out, rinse, and brush anything still stuck. Breville suggests warm soapy water with a soft cloth or bottle brush.

Go easy on the soap. Tom’s Guide warns that too much soap foams over.

Tom’s Guide also suggests hot water “from the kettle or tap” and 15 to 20 seconds on high. That goes further than the manuals.

Vitamix and Breville both say warm water. nutribullet’s stubborn clean-up calls for room-temperature water at 70°F (21°C) or less. Breville’s manual says not to process hot or boiling liquids and not to expose the jug to extremes of hot or cold, and Breville’s cleaning blog says boiling water may warp plastic containers or weaken seals.

Use warm tap water, not boiling. For why heat matters in a sealed jar, see can you put hot liquid in a blender.

Blender cleaning rules by model: what each manual says

These are the cleaning rules from the manuals, next to what independent reviewers found. I couldn’t open Ninja’s own owner’s guides for the BN701, BL610 or DB351, so the Ninja rows only carry what TechGearLab and CNET published.

The scores come from TechGearLab’s BN701 review, its nutribullet Combo review (whose comparison table also lists the BL610), its Vitamix 5200 review and CNET’s best blenders list.

How to clean under blender blades

The blades are sharp, so don’t use your fingers. Use a handled brush or sponge, with the blender unplugged.

Blades you can lift out (Ninja stacked blade)

CNET says the BL610’s removable blade makes cleaning easier than traditional blender designs, so leftover ingredients don’t hide under it, but warns that it’s sharp. TechGearLab calls the BN701’s lid, pitcher and blades dishwasher safe and easy to wash by hand. Check your Ninja owner’s guide for how to lift the blade out and which dishwasher rack to use.

Blades that stay in the jar (Vitamix, nutribullet, Breville)

None of the three manuals’ care sections tells you to take the blade out of the jar. Run the soap-and-water clean first, then brush under the blades. Breville suggests a soft cloth or bottle brush.

The nutribullet guide says to clean its Easy-Twist Extractor Blade right after use, to use a small brush or sponge for stuck food, and not to remove any of its components. It says removing them can cause permanent damage and leaks. Dry the blade completely after every use.

The pitcher’s blade is harder. TechGearLab says the Combo pitcher’s blade base is supposed to be removable, but no tester could get it off, and gunk tends to build up under the blades.

Last step: look for damage. nutribullet says to check the bottom of the blade for cracks and the pitcher threads for cracking or crazing, and to replace damaged parts right away. If a part looks cracked, run a blender recall check too.

How to clean the blender gasket

The gasket is the rubber seal around the blade, and it’s the part most cleaning routines skip. In 2013, NSF International had 20 families swab 14 kitchen items. As CBS News reported, the blender gasket was one of the six germiest. It tested positive for Salmonella and E. coli, and it was one of six items with especially concerning levels of mold.

NSF microbiologist Lisa Yakas told CBS that many people don’t realize they need to take the blender apart and remove the gasket before cleaning. She said the biggest oversight is not following the manufacturer’s cleaning instructions.

The brands disagree with each other on this. nutribullet’s cleaning blog says never to remove the gasket, because repeated removal can loosen the seal. Its Combo guide also says not to remove extractor-blade components. Breville’s cleaning blog says to separate the jar, lid, gasket and blades from the base for a deep clean, but its own BBL620 manual never mentions removing a gasket.

My rule: remove the gasket only if your manual shows it as removable. If it’s fixed, brush the groove in place after the self clean and let it dry completely.

Stuck-on residue, stains and food smells

Breville’s BBL620 manual says garlic, fish and carrots can leave an odor or stain. Its fix: soak the jug and lid for 5 minutes in warm soapy water, then wash with mild detergent and warm water, rinse, dry, and store the jug with the lid off.

Breville also warns that oils in citrus rind can damage the jug, so clean it right after blending rind.

Tom’s Guide offers two household tips for stubborn residue. You can run 1/4 cup warm water with 3/4 cup white vinegar, or 1/4 cup warm water with 1/4 cup baking soda, for 15 to 30 seconds on high. These are unmeasured tips, not manufacturer instructions.

A burning or electrical smell is a motor problem, not a cleaning one. See why a blender smells like burning.

Sanitizing: bleach is in one manual, not the others

Of the three manuals, only the Vitamix 5200’s gives a sanitizing method. After a normal clean, fill the container half full with water and 1 1/2 teaspoons of liquid bleach. Lock the lid and run it on High for 30 to 60 seconds. Let it stand another 1 1/2 minutes, pour it out and air-dry. The manual says “Do not rinse after sanitizing.”

nutribullet says never to use the dishwasher’s sanitize cycle on its cups or pitcher, because “heat this high can warp the plastic.” The Vitamix warranty doesn’t cover cosmetic changes such as discoloration, the effects of abrasives or cleaners, or food build-up.

How to clean the motor base and controls

All three manuals say to unplug it before cleaning and never to put the base in water.

• Vitamix: wipe with a soft cloth or sponge dampened with mild detergent and warm water. You can remove the centering pad to clean it. Use a moistened cotton swab in the switch grooves, and dry any excess water right away.
• nutribullet: wipe with a sponge or cloth dampened with warm soapy water. A small brush is allowed on the actuator area, and the guide says never to clean that area while the unit is plugged in.
• Breville: wipe with a soft damp cloth, dry it, and wipe food off the power cord. Don’t use abrasive pads or cleaners on the base or the jug.

How to dry and store a blender after cleaning

TechGearLab says neither the BN701 pitcher nor the nutribullet Combo pitcher dries well on its base, so use a dish rack. The brands disagree on the lid: Breville says to keep the lid off so air can circulate, while nutribullet says to store the Combo pitcher upright with the lid on top. Tom’s Guide suggests letting the blade air-dry instead of drying near it with a towel.

Which blender parts can go in the dishwasher?

It depends on the model. Vitamix says no for the 5200 container, lid and plug. Breville allows the BBL620 jug on the bottom shelf, but warns that regular dishwasher use can shorten the life of parts, even though the same manual says Tritan products stay clear and durable after hundreds of dishwasher cycles. nutribullet allows the pitcher and top-rack cups, but never on the sanitize cycle. For the full answer, see is a blender jar dishwasher safe.

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• Vitamix 5200 vs Ninja BN701
• Blender recall check
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