Soaking Kitchen Tools In Oxy Clean - Thoughts?

[tonalynn]

My mother has generously decided to send me her old Kitchen Aid mixer, as she hasn't used it in many years. She is sending me several of the attachments including the dough hook, the mixing blade, and the grain mill.

 

Although it has been used many times with regular wheat-containing ingredients, she has decided to send it anyway, saying that she soaked all the attachments in Oxy-Clean and I should do it again when they arrive.

 

Her reasoning is that since gluten is a protein and Oxy-Clean basically "eats" protein molecules, soaking the attachments in it should clean the gluten right out of them.

 

Has anyone tried this? Had experience with it? It makes sense to me, but I'd like the opinion of the more "seasoned" celiacs on here.

 

Thanks!

[JustCricket]

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[bartfull]

Um, Cricket, I don't think any of those things will "kill" the protein. Only 600 degrees for 30 minutes or more will do that.

 

BUT these things, after a good soaking to soften any dough residue that may still be on them, can be cleaned with good old soap and water, and that's all you really need.

 

Not sure what a grain mill attatchment is or looks like, but unless it has tiny holes (such as a strainer has), it should be cleanable. The dough hook and mixing blade - no problem.

[Adalaide]

I personally would never go anywhere near a used KitchenAid grain mill. The dough hook and paddle are enamel coated, and simply washing them in soap and water should be fine as long as you clean the little spot at the top where they attach to the mixer. Since the whisk is stainless steel, and doesn't have any funky places for anything to get caught up in it like a hand whisk, I would do the same. The bowl is either glass or stainless steel, no biggie, just wash it. Also, all of these are easily replaced for a relatively low price compared to a mixer. Give the mixer a good cleaning, paying special attention to where the paddle goes on and the spring there.

 

If you are comfortable taking the top off the mixer yourself, do so and use one of those cans of air you use to clean the inside of a computer to blow out any flour dust. If not, you can just turn it on and run it a bit, it'll blow out, and use the can of air to blow into the vents. I'd be comfortable enough with that. You just want to make sure after years of use it doesn't blow a puff of dust out of it's guts when it gets turned on. Again, no biggie and almost easily cleaned.

 

As for the grain mill. I do not have one yet for my KitchenAid. (It is the topmost priority on my attachment list!) I do not know what it looks like or how easily it comes apart, how well you can get at all of it's guts. If it seems like you can get at everything that your food will touch, go for a good scrubbing and you'll be fine. If not, ebay it and replace it. It isn't the sort of thing that loses value and you'll quickly find someone willing to snatch one up at even a small savings over the store price and you can grab a new one.

 

If anything seems difficult to get to, go grab a pack of pipe cleaners at your local craft shop. They were originally cleaning tools and still work great for that purpose.

[tonalynn]

JustCricket - I loved your post..."hit it with everything!" That made me smile.

 

I know that my mother hasn't used it in a number of years, and before agreeing to send it to me, she took it to the repair shop to have it looked at and they said it's in good shape. Knowing my mother, she's cleaned the heck out of it, and has kept it well maintained all these years, so I seriously doubt it has built up gunk it in anywhere.

 

Here is a link to the grain mill and what it looks like from the KitchenAid website: Open Original Shared Link

 

The maintenance manual says it can be taken apart and brushed clean, or washed with soap and water.

 

I hope to be able to use it, as it's $150 to replace it, and I want to spend that on other attachments, like the ice cream maker - or save up for the pasta attachments!

[Adalaide]

Oh I've seen the grain mill 100000000000000 times. From the outside. I always look at it and sigh whenever I'm in Bed, Bath & Beyond... or any other store that sells it. I'm curious about what the inside looks like, that's my concern. If it's all weird, it may take pipe cleaners to get into little spots, assuming you can get to all of the parts. I do know the slicer grater is super easy to take apart and get at all of the surfaces to clean, so hopefully the grain mill will be just as easy to take completely apart to get at every last part.

[tonalynn]

Adalaide, if you go to kitchenaid's website under Shop, and you look up the details of the grain mill, under the Warranty tab there is a .PDF file for care and maintenance and it shows how to take the grain mill apart and what the parts look like. It looks like a nifty little attachment! I'm looking forward to getting my mom's care package, as this will be the first time I've ever used a KitchenAid mixer - hopefully even someone as culinarily challenged as I am will be able to make some decent gluten-free options with it!

[kareng]

I have used white vinegar on my Kitchen aid when we used it for gluten. It seems to loosen up the stickiness of flour.

[Adalaide]

I never thought to look in the manual. It looks super easy to take apart to clean!

 

Also, I'm sure my husband will be thrilled to find out they have a macaroni pasta maker. That I can't. Live. Without. (Must be new, I've never seen it before.)

[JustCricket]

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[Adalaide]

There is a difference between porous cast iron, and non-porous enamel and stainless steel of KitchenAid appliances and attachments. There is no need to be unnecessarily alarmist. With non-porous surfaces, such as those being discussed, a simple and thorough cleaning will be more than enough. These would of course not be adequate for cast iron due to it's nature.

 

Do NOT bake your KitchenAid attachments in the oven at or above 600 degrees (which would mean the cleaning cycle). You will almost definitely ruin them, or at least have a mess beyond reasonably easy cleaning on your hands. If you are even considering this, contact KitchenAid first. I'm sure they'll tell you that your items may not survive intact.

[JustCricket]

I've removed my posts, as I do not wish to see my post used for argument fodder, and don't have time or energy to keep clarifying.

 

If anyone wants to know what to do with their tools, please do a web search and decide for yourself. Geez.