How do you clean immersion blenders?

You clean an immersion (stick or hand) blender by detaching the blending shaft or attachment from the motor body and washing just the shaft, while only wiping the motor body, which must never be immersed because it holds the electrics. The quickest method is to self-clean it: part-fill a jug or glass with warm soapy water and run the blender in it for a few seconds so it flushes food off the blade, then rinse. Either way, clean it promptly after use before food dries onto the blade and in the guard, which is the main thing that makes it fiddly. Done right away, an immersion blender is quick and easy to clean. Our Best Immersion Blenders compares five of them.

The two parts: shaft and motor body

An immersion blender has two main parts that are cleaned very differently. The blending shaft (or wand) is the long attachment with the blade and blade guard at the end that goes into the food, and this is the part that gets dirty and gets washed. The motor body is the handheld top part containing the motor, switch and electrics, usually detachable from the shaft, and this part must never go in water, only wiped, like any electrical appliance.

On most immersion blenders the shaft detaches from the motor body (often with a twist or button), which is key to cleaning, because it lets you wash the food-contact shaft at the sink while keeping the motor dry. Understanding this split, wash the detachable shaft, only wipe the motor, is the foundation of cleaning an immersion blender safely, and it is why you always separate the parts (and unplug the blender) before cleaning, so water only goes where it should.

The quick self-clean method

The easiest and most popular way to clean an immersion blender is the self-clean method, which uses the blender’s own blade to clean itself. With the shaft attached, part-fill a tall jug, glass or the blending beaker with warm water and a drop of dish soap, submerge the blade, and run the blender for several seconds so it whizzes the soapy water around the blade and guard, flushing off the food, then tip it out and blend clean water the same way to rinse. This cleans the blade and guard quickly without you having to get near the sharp blade.

This method is ideal done immediately after blending, while the food is still fresh and wet, as it flushes the residue off before it can dry on, and it reaches into the blade guard where food lodges. After self-cleaning, you can detach the shaft and give it a further rinse or wipe if needed, and dry it. The self-clean trick is quick, safe (keeping your fingers away from the blade) and effective for everyday cleaning, which is why it is the go-to method for immersion blenders and why cleaning one is generally easy.

Washing the shaft properly

For a more thorough clean, or when food has stuck on, detach the blending shaft from the motor body and wash the shaft itself. Most shafts can be washed under the tap or in warm soapy water, cleaning the blade, inside the blade guard and the shaft, taking care around the sharp blade by using a brush or cloth rather than fingers. Some immersion blender shafts are dishwasher safe, which is convenient, but check the maker’s guidance, as not all are, and the self-clean plus a rinse is often enough anyway.

Pay attention to the blade guard and the area around the blade, where food collects and can stick, and to any attachments like a whisk or chopper bowl, which detach and are washed separately (again keeping their motor-driven or electrical parts dry if applicable). If food has dried on, soaking the shaft in warm soapy water loosens it. Rinse the shaft and dry it, especially before reattaching to the motor, so no water transfers. Washing the detached shaft properly handles anything the quick self-clean does not.

The motor body and keeping it easy

The motor body is never washed or immersed, only wiped, because it contains the motor and electrics. With the blender unplugged and the shaft detached, wipe the motor body with a damp cloth to remove any splashes, keeping water away from the switch, the vents and the socket where the shaft attaches, then dry it. This is quick and is the only special-handling step, the same rule as for any electrical appliance, and it keeps the blender safe.

To keep cleaning easy, the key is to clean promptly: do the self-clean or wash the shaft right after blending, while the food is still wet and before it dries onto the blade and in the guard, which is what makes an immersion blender fiddly if left. Dry the shaft before reattaching it, and store the parts clean and dry. Done this way, cleaning an immersion blender is a quick, easy job, detach and wash or self-clean the shaft, wipe the motor, keep it out of water, which is far less effort than cleaning a full blender jug, and only becomes harder if food is left to dry hard on the blade.

The short answer

Clean an immersion blender by unplugging it and separating its two parts, which are cleaned very differently: the detachable blending shaft with the blade is washed, while the motor body with the electrics is never immersed, only wiped. The quickest everyday method is to self-clean, part-fill a jug with warm soapy water, run the blender in it for a few seconds to flush food off the blade and guard, then blend clean water to rinse, done right after use while the food is still wet. For a thorough clean or stuck-on food, detach the shaft and wash it under the tap or in warm soapy water, cleaning the blade and inside the guard with a brush rather than your fingers and checking if it is dishwasher safe, soaking it if food has dried on, then drying it. Wipe the motor body with a damp cloth, keeping water from the switch and vents, and dry it. Clean promptly so food does not dry on, and an immersion blender is quick and easy to clean.