Cleaning problems

[Karen Joy]

Hi, I know there may be a lot of topics related to cleaning already but I just wanted some help about cleaning.  I just got my TM three days ago and the first thing I made was shrimp couscous with bisque.  The shrimp smell just wouldn't come off from the lid!  I tried brushing, soaking and even put it in turbo with temp but the smell is still there.  Also, yesterday, i made chicken risotto.  I used some water and flour mixture in the end to thicken up the sauce but, it got stuck in the blades.

I feel like I spend more time cleaning the insides of the bowl (mainly the blades assembly part which is very difficult) than cooking.  Am afraid that if I have to whip up egg whites (which requires very clean bowl and utensils), I might fail because there are just some hard to reach nooks and crannies..

Any ideas for a speedy cleaning? Oh, and also, how can one dry the bowl quickly?

[judydawn]

I rarely have to spend any time at all cleaning my bowl Karen Joy.  Always make sure your food is moving around, sometimes on  speed, food will catch.  I always use speed 1, sometimes speed 2. When adding a thickening agent, I pour it around the blades and give it a little stir with a spatula, not on top of the blades because the heat can cause it to stick to them and not do the job you intended. This thread from ILB may help answer some of your questions.

[faffa_70]

KarenJoy, have you been shown how to do the self clean?

another tip is when you have scraped out the bowl to place the lid back on put the dial to locked lid position and hit turbo, this will fling it all to the side of the bowl from the blades so you can scrape it out. The self clean is then usually enough.

If I am doing egg whites I clean my bowl using the self clean method but with hot water and a splash of white vinegar 

The other cleaning threads are probably worth your read as there are lots of other tips in there from everyone - but cleaning your bowl should be quick and easy 

[Karen Joy]

Hi Judy and Katheryn,

Thanks for the encouragement.  I did pour the water-flour mixture on the blades while the blades are turning at  ..so, that probably caused it stick on the top of the blade.  Next time, I will just have to stop the mixing and add it on the side (not very close to the bowls inner sides either). 

Will go one reading here..:-)

[Rogizoja]

I know this might sound like a stupid question, but do you remove the seal from the lid when you clean? Recently I did a post-sale demo for a lady who had had her TMX for a couple of weeks. I did the self-clean and then when I removed the seal to rinse it off she said "I didn't know you could do that, must remember in future"!!! If you don't remove the seal, food residue can get stuck under it and that will retain a smell.

To clean the blades I find the easiest thing to do is remove the blade assembly from the bowl and then use a baby-bottle brush to give it a good cleaning - works a treat.

To dry the bowl quickly, give it a quick swirl out with hot water (from the kettle), dry with a clean tea towel, then leave for 30 seconds or so - any residual moisture should quickly evaporate.  I do this if I'm going to grind rice, sugar etc. and have just used TMX.

And finally, don't forget to keep seal and lid separate when not in use; lets them dry completely - no moisture, no bugs.

[meganjane]

I'm wondering why you used a cornflour paste to thicken risotto? Normally, the rice absorbs all the liquid. You may need to check your recipe and use less liquid next time.

As far as cleaning, what everyone else has said.

[Katya]

A tip I read somewhere was that you could put a clean tea towel into the bowl and run it on  at speed 1 to dry it in a hurry

[judydawn]

KarenJoy, MJ is right about not needing to thicken risotto - do you place it in your thermosaver for 5-10 minutes or leave it in the TM bowl to rest & thicken naturally before serving? 

[TM_Ted]

Hi Karen Joy, if you go to http://www.cookwithjanie.com/recipes/Speedy Cleaning.shtml you will find a quick video that you may find helpful.

It really is that easy. If you want to mix some Pavlova's however, I have found you need to do the vinegar wash to completely clean the bowl.

[Katya]

That video is really helpful Ted, but I don't think Janie's method works so well when there is stuff stuck on the bottom....  That's when bicarb, gumption or vinegar and elbow grease really come into their own 

 

[Frozzie]

KarenJoy, MJ is right about not needing to thicken risotto - do you place it in your thermosaver for 5-10 minutes or leave it in the TM bowl to rest & thicken naturally before serving? 

no thermoservers in France JD but she may hae something similar!

[Frozzie]

I havent had problems with resisting smell..had smel but once cleaned well it was fine and my consulant said to me either wipe down with vinegar or lemon juice..pure on the lid (taking off the seal) and if stil resists put some water and either vinegar or lemon jice and cook for 5 to 10 to give it a good clean...how did you clean it with the vinegar?

ps hope you had a nice time at the weekend 

another tip is once the dinner is ready and served and needs to be cleaned more than a quick auto clean ie some scrubbing needed i just fill with hot water from the tap with some dishwashing liquid and let it soak until we finish to eat then i find its easier to clean in those situations..like suggested a baby bottle cleaning brush that youc an buy in the baby isle of any of our supermarkets is good for getting in under the blades and often its quicker to pull the blades out, scrub with baby brush, rinse then put back in and dry.  I also give the lid and mc etc a quick rinse, not clean but just to get off any foodstuffs immediately ready to be washed properly after eating and avoids food smells setting in!   You just need to find what works for you! 

[cottchick]

Good advice from everyone and I learned a few things and I thought I knew it all about cleaning the tmx!

With the baby brush, get one that is designed just for the teats - its really little and fits under each blade. I find if I clean it (or at least rinse it) straight away its not a problem. Or I leave water with detergent in it (really hot) and come back to it later.

I have done the teatowel dry and its ok but would not be sufficient for something that required a bone dry machine.

Finally, I think I hav e just got better at knowing how to clean it best depending on whats been in it with time. You just get to know it better as the months roll on!

[Karen Joy]

I know this might sound like a stupid question, but do you remove the seal from the lid when you clean? Recently I did a post-sale demo for a lady who had had her TMX for a couple of weeks. I did the self-clean and then when I removed the seal to rinse it off she said "I didn't know you could do that, must remember in future"!!! If you don't remove the seal, food residue can get stuck under it and that will retain a smell.

To clean the blades I find the easiest thing to do is remove the blade assembly from the bowl and then use a baby-bottle brush to give it a good cleaning - works a treat.

To dry the bowl quickly, give it a quick swirl out with hot water (from the kettle), dry with a clean tea towel, then leave for 30 seconds or so - any residual moisture should quickly evaporate.  I do this if I'm going to grind rice, sugar etc. and have just used TMX.

And finally, don't forget to keep seal and lid separate when not in use; lets them dry completely - no moisture, no bugs.

Hi Rogizoja, thanks for the advice.  Actually, I do remove it everytime I clean the lid.  that's what surprised me because the smell is still there even if I clean the parts separately.

[Karen Joy]

I'm wondering why you used a cornflour paste to thicken risotto? Normally, the rice absorbs all the liquid. You may need to check your recipe and use less liquid next time.

As far as cleaning, what everyone else has said.

Hi MJ, I usually put the cornflour paste when I find my risotto a little bit watery..or if I added too much water...so, yes, I guess I have to pour the paste somewhere else (not on the blades)