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How To Clean a Ninja Blender The Right Way

Ninja blenders are excellent when it comes to adding extra nutrients to your diet in the quickest, simplest way possible. The only tricky part about using a ninja blender is cleaning it up after each use.

Here’s how to clean a Ninja blender:

1. Disassemble the device. 
2. Wash each component. 
3. Let each piece dry 
4. Reassemble the blender

In the rest of this article, I’ll further explain how to break down your ninja blender into individual components so that all of the fruit, veggies, and whatever else you’re throwing in your bender all get cleaned out entirely. You don’t want to be blending up a strawberry banana smoothie only to notice a bit of green from that kale smoothie you made yesterday, so read on to learn more about how to clean your Ninja blender properly.

1. Disassemble the Blender

This is essential to getting your blender truly clean, whether you want to wash it by hand or in the dishwasher. Luckily, the disassembly process is straightforward for any model of ninja blender, and they all break down similarly.

And I’ve got more good news; you’ve probably already done part of the disassembly while enjoying your smoothie. You probably already have the top taken off and the blender cup or pitcher detached from the motor.

If you haven’t done this already, you can remove the blender cup or pitcher from the motor by simply turning it counterclockwise and pulling it up and off of the motor. You detach the top of the blender by pressing the release button and pulling it off using the handle if yours has one.

You now have three separate pieces, a motor/base, a blending cup or pitcher, and a lid. The way these three components look will vary based on what model Ninja blender you have. For example, a Ninja Bullet will have the base/motor, the cup (probably now empty after you’ve enjoyed your smoothie), and the lid. 

One thing that will look different on a Ninja Bullet is that the blades of the blender may be located on the cup’s lid as opposed to the bottom of the pitcher. However, these visual disparities don’t make a difference in terms of cleaning. 

It’s good enough to clean the Ninja while it’s broken down to this point, but if you’re googling ‘how to clean my ninja blender’, you’re probably looking for more than “good enough”. I’ll give you some tips on how to break down your blender further for a more thorough cleaning.

Advanced Breakdown

The handle of your ninja blender pitcher can collect some gunk over time. This can lead to a foul smell and a bad-looking handle. Luckily, you can detach it and clean inside the handle to keep it looking pristine.

If you turn the pitcher upside down, you will see two Phillips head screws holding part of the handle together. You can unscrew these (KEEP THEM CLOSE BY) and then take the black piece of the handle off.

The handle does not slide out, though. It needs to be pried off gently. You will hear the clicks when you remove it and the same when you put it back on after cleaning the blender.

You can also remove the blade from the pitcher similarly by unscrewing 3 Phillips head screws on the bottom of the pitcher. Removing the blade should be done with extreme care.

The blades are very sharp, and you could badly cut yourself if not handled very carefully. Use a thick rag to handle the blade if you have one. And at the risk of sounding repetitive, I want to mention again that keeping track of the Philips head screws you took out before is essential. 

Taking off the back of the handle so the inside can be cleaned and removing the blade may seem extreme to some. Still, these extra steps will make your blender look much better, and you can rest assured that you got a thorough clean because you cleaned the blade individually.

Now that everything is broken down, you’re ready to start cleaning. The breakdown is the first step in the cleaning process, and doing it correctly will set you up for success in terms of getting your blender clean and keeping it that way.

2. Wash Each Component

You may be tempted to toss the entire thing in the dishwasher and forget about it, but I’ll explain how to clean each piece of your Ninja blender, whether or not each element is dishwasher safe, and the best way to clean it.

Different models of Ninja blenders will have different needs due to varying qualities and sizes, but they all break down into three basic pieces: a lid, a pitcher or a cup, and the motor or base.

Cleaning your Ninja blender is easiest if you do it directly after using it. If you pour the smoothie into your cup and run out the door in the morning, getting the stains out will be much harder if they are left to sit while you’re at work all day.

Nobody has time to fully break down their blender every morning, but at the very least, you should rinse out the pitcher or cup after you use your Ninja blender even if you can’t clean it right after you use it.

The Base or Motor

The base/motor should never be submerged in water or liquid. This is an electronic part, and immersing it in any liquid will damage it. When you need to clean the base, you should use a damp rag or towel and wipe it down.

The base doesn’t get too dirty during the blending process, so it is perfectly fine to give it a quick wipe-down after each use. You can use disinfectant wipes on buttons and the base itself so long as the wipes are not too damp.

If you have any spills that end up on the base, wipe them up with dry towels immediately to prevent any damage, and then clean the spill with a damp cloth once you have it under control.

The Pitcher and Blade Assembly

The pitcher for your Ninja blender is dishwasher-safe, and so are the blade and blade assembly.

However, if you wash the pitcher in the dishwasher, the blade should be taken off and placed on the top rack of the dishwasher.

Washing the pitcher in the dishwasher after breaking it down will provide a thorough and hygienic clean. This is partly because you must take the blade out to put it in the dishwasher.

You can take the extra step of hand washing the blade and pitcher after they come out of the dishwasher to get into all those nooks and crannies where anything especially grimy could be hiding. This may seem excessive, but it is hands-down the best way to clean your Ninja blender. 

Personally, I tend to wash my blender by hand straight after use in hot soapy water. Any gunk comes off easily and I feel the blender will last longer without the high heat of the dishwasher.

The Lid

The lid is probably the easiest piece to clean. It’s dishwasher safe, no matter what model you have. Just make sure it goes on the top rack. Hand washing the lid is extremely easy as well.

Simply rinsing the lid with hot water and then scrubbing lightly with a small amount of dish soap is a sufficient way to clean the lid of your blender. It’s a component that does get dirty but doesn’t contain as many nooks for germs and ghosts of smoothies past to hide.

However, I’ll say again, the best, most hygienic cleaning comes from running the lid through the dishwasher once and then hand-washing it to get any residue the dishwasher might have left behind.

3. Let Each Piece Dry

Letting each component air dry is essential when it comes to a thorough cleaning process. You don’t want any watery residue left when you plug in your blender next time you want to make a healthy breakfast smoothie (that is, unless you want to experience an electric shock).

4. Reassemble the Blender

Your work is nearly done! Now, all that’s left to do is to assemble the fully-dried components to get the Ninja blender working again. By this point, the device should be sparkly clean and ready to use, so you should be able to make any smoothie, sauce, or other type of pressed liquid that your heart desires.

Final Thoughts

To clean your Ninja blender, you always need to disassemble it beforehand. You can do a basic disassembly or go deeper and remove even the minuscule components for a deeper clean. The lids, pitchers or cups, and blades are all dishwasher safe. A post-dishwasher hand wash will give you the best results.