Struggling With Kitchen Prep

[SkyBlue4]

I am preparing my kitchen to be gluten free and I am just sick with the knowledge that I have to get rid of some of my favorite (and most expensive) kitchen items... like my bread machine  .

 

Now I'm wondering if I should also get rid of my KitchenAid Mixer. It has a metal bowl but I wonder about the machine itself. There are some nooks and crannies on the machine and I wonder if I clean it up enough to be safe to use. Is it too risky? What do you think?  

[kareng]

I think it is cleanable.  I use vinegar and water.  I spray it into the nooks and crannies.  It seems to dissolve the hard stuff so it can run out.  I would try that a few times,  Maybe a toothpick or a big pin in the cracks.  The mixing attachments might be harder.  You might be able to get new ones.  Or maybe soak them in hot water and vinegar, swish around, soak some more, wipe, etc,

[SkyBlue4]

I think it is cleanable.  I use vinegar and water.  I spray it into the nooks and crannies.  It seems to dissolve the hard stuff so it can run out.  I would try that a few times,  Maybe a toothpick or a big pin in the cracks.  The mixing attachments might be harder.  You might be able to get new ones.  Or maybe soak them in hot water and vinegar, swish around, soak some more, wipe, etc,

Vinegar may do the trick? I will certainly give it a try. Thanks! I cannot believe my luck- I just got the darn machine before being diagnosed!

[moosemalibu]

I washed my kitchen aid mixer really well. If you are handy with tools you can take a few pieces off and clean underneath. Like the metal band. I would die if I lost my baby blue KA mixer.

[kareng]

Vinegar may do the trick? I will certainly give it a try. Thanks! I cannot believe my luck- I just got the darn machine before being diagnosed!

 

That's exactly what happened to me!  Our 23 year old KA mixer's  motor burned out and we had bought a new one a few months before.

 

Just a note - vinegar doesn't "kill" or break gluten down, it just helps to loosen it up so you can wipe and rinse it off.

[howlnmad]

The wifey still uses her mixer and hasn't had a problem. We did give up the bread maker but mainly because it was non-stick and we weren't willing to risk it.

[answerseeker]

I'm going to ask Santa Hubby for a new one for Chistmas. I tried to clean it but whenever I make something with it I get the gurgles after. I think I'm still getting a tiny bit of cc from it. Before diagnosis I used it all the time and I remember flour getting everywhere when I mixed with it.

[LauraTX]

I didn't replace my kitchenaid mixer, but I did give away my bread maker.  Also wood, plastic colanders, baking pans, anything that stuff would get crusty on.  I kept all my glass cookware though because when I clean something, no spots are acceptable. If you are the kind of person that leaves baked on stuff on cookware, things of that nature I would replace.  Since you said you got your KA mixer recently, I would assume it hasn't had time to get really grimy and crusty so you should be able to clean it with confidence.  I also took the chance to re-prganize my pantry and cabinets and wiped them all down really well because of crumbs and such.  

 

If you have an expensive appliance that you think you need to replace, you can probably sell it on craigslist to help offset the cost of a new one.  For my birthday after my diagnosis, a few family gave me gift cards because they knew I would have to replace a bunch of things, also with Christmas coming up, don't be ashamed to spread the word about your need for kitchen items

[kareng]

I.  I also took the chance to re-prganize my pantry and cabinets and wiped them all down really well because of crumbs and such.  

 

 

 

 

This reminds me - take everything out of the kitchen drawers, wash them and the drawers.  Drawers tend to get left open a crack and collect crumbs.

 

I buy red spoons, hot pads, red duct tape, red colander, red measuring cups, etc.  Red has become the color of gluten-free in our house.  Red isn't my favorite color but its easy to get red cooking utensils right now.  Also, if you travel and get a place with a kitchen, its easy to see that the red utensils are yours to pack up at the end of the trip.   For things I can't get in red - like muffin tins (I don't like the red silicone ones) I keep in a separate cabinet from the gluten ones used for frozen pizzas and pretzels.  I use the red duct tape to put a big piece on the top of my PB jar and butter tub.