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Cleaning your food processor promptly keeps food from drying onto the work bowl, blade, and hard-to-reach crevices, saving you time and effort. But with so many removable parts, including razor-sharp blades, a few tips can make cleaning more efficient and safer.
These cleaning tips draw on my expertise from the Good Housekeeping Institute Home Care & Cleaning Lab, as well as Kitchen & Cooking Lab Director Nicole Papantoniou’s deep knowledge of food processors.
1. Decide how you’ll wash the removable parts
Many food processors’ work bowls, lids, pushers, and blades or discs are dishwasher-safe, but check your owner’s manual first. Some components may be safe only for the top rack, while other brands recommend skipping the dishwasher altogether.
If you’re washing by hand:
- Before disassembling the food processor, add warm water and a few drops of dish soap to the work bowl with the blade still installed.
- Secure the lid and briefly run the food processor to help clean the bowl and blade. This works best on lighter messes. Thick, sticky foods, like peanut butter, will still require some scrubbing.
- If you’re using a dishwasher, you can skip this pre-cleaning step.
2. Unplug and disassemble the food processor
- Unplug the food processor and remove the work bowl from the base.
- Separate the pusher, lid, work bowl, and blade or disc.
- Take extra care when removing the blade. Instead of grabbing the blade, use the plastic handle, center hub, or finger holes if your model has them.
- If your food processor’s lid has a silicone gasket, don’t remove it unless the manufacturer recommends otherwise.
3. Wash the removable parts
If you’re using the dishwasher:
- Load dishwasher-safe components according to the manufacturer’s directions. Some specify using only the top rack. If the fit is tight, check whether your dishwasher’s top rack is adjustable. Many top racks can shift downward to accommodate larger items.
- Place blades or discs securely in the dishwasher so they don’t shift or fall through the racks, and let other household members know sharp parts are inside.
- After washing, inspect the gasket and any other tight crevices for remaining food. If anything is left over, touch up by hand.
If you’re washing by hand:
- After pre-cleaning, rinse all removable components. Then inspect them for any remaining food.
- Wash away anything that’s left with warm water, dish soap, and the cleaning tool of your choice. We recommend using a bottle cleaning brush. It will keep your fingers away from the sharp edges, and the bristles are great at removing debris from tight crevices.
- If you choose another tool, swipe it away from rather than into the cutting edge to prevent slicing up your sponge or cloth.
- Hold the blade by its plastic handle, hub, or finger holes as you work, and never leave it submerged in a sink full of soapy water, where someone could reach in without seeing it.
4. Wipe down the base
Because the motor and electrical components are housed inside the base, never submerge it or spray it directly with cleaner. Instead, moisten a cloth with water and dish soap or multipurpose cleaner, then use it to wipe the exterior. Take care to keep excess moisture away from the controls.
5. Dry and reassemble
- Allow all components to dry completely before reassembling and storing your food processor.
- Pay particular attention to the blades or discs. Drying them thoroughly before storage can help prevent corrosion.
- Once everything is clean and dry, reassemble the food processor or store its components according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
How often should you clean a food processor?
Clean the work bowl, blade or disc, lid, and other parts that touch food after every use. It’s best to clean them right away rather than letting food residue dry on the surfaces.
The base doesn’t necessarily need a thorough wipe-down every time you use it, but clean up spills and splatters as they occur. This prevents food residue from drying and building up around the controls and other areas, where it’s unsightly and harder to remove.
Why trust Good Housekeeping?
Noah Pinsonnault is a reviews analyst in the Home Care & Cleaning Lab, where he tests cleaning products and researches the best methods for tackling everyday cleaning tasks. When writing this guide, he consulted Nicole Papantoniou, director of the Kitchen & Cooking Lab, who oversees testing of food processors and other kitchen appliances at the Good Housekeeping Institute.
Noah works as a product reviews analyst in the Home Care & Cleaning Lab where he helps design and perform tests on various product categories. He draws on scientific expertise garnered during his time as an environmental researcher, where he managed environmental monitoring equipment, analyzed water samples in a lab and developed protocols for restoration projects. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in environmental science from the University of Wisconsin-Superior.
Nicole (she/her) is the senior director of the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen & Cooking Lab. She oversees all content and testing related to kitchen products, food, and recipes. She has worked at GH since 2019, and is a trained cook, published recipe developer, and seasoned product tester with nearly 15 years of experience. She has worked in test kitchens for national magazines and kitchen appliances brands, where she also helped develop products for the home cook. She earned a degree in journalism from SUNY New Paltz, graduated with a Grand Diplome in Classic Culinary Arts from the French Culinary Institute, and studied culinary nutrition at the Natural Gourmet Institute (both now part of the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City.)
