4 Tips to Maintain Your Juicer So It Lives Longer

When you buy yourself a juicer, all eager to start a new way of life with a healthier diet, you want that appliance to run smoothly for as long as possible. Many diets fail because they require too much preparation, are too expensive or time consuming. However, when you embark on the wheatgrass juice diet, things are pretty simple. 

If you buy a good juicer, getting a glass of fresh wheatgrass juice every morning is a quick thing, provided, of course, that you take good care of your appliance. One of the things you don’t always find in many wheatgrass juicer reviews is how to keep your appliance in perfect shape. 

So, here are a few tips on maintaining your wheatgrass juicer so that you can rely on it for many years. 

Don’t use another plunger

There’s a reason every juicer comes with its own plunger. While similar in function, all these appliances have different feeding chutes and require a plunger that is adequate in size. For instance, a juicer especially made to handle wheatgrass, and maybe other leafy greens, like kale, has a longer feeding chute than a centrifugal juicer more suitable for oranges or apples. 

The bad news is that it’s easy to misplace the plunger and you might be tempted to use some other kitchen utensil. Don’t ever do that! You need to apply constant pressure on the wheatgrass, all of it, so you can squeeze every last drop of goodness. If you push the wheatgrass down with a wooden spoon your juice won’t be as good.

More importantly, by using other implements, especially metal ones, you risk damaging the internal parts, especially the auger which is the vital part of your juicer. Also, inserting a metal utensil in a juicer can result in serious injury to your hand or face.  

Check if the parts are dishwasher safe

Most parts of a juicer are indeed dishwasher safe, but don’t go on assumptions. Take a minute to read the instructions manual and see which part can go into the dishwasher and which needs to be cleaned in the sink. The good news is that even if you do need to wash parts of the juicer by hand it’s a quick job. Barely the time you need for the juice to settle down in your stomach. 

Clean the juicer as soon as you’re done with it

Once you’re done with the squeezing part and you’re eyeing that fresh glass of wheatgrass juice, you’ll naturally want to sit down and enjoy it. That’s understandable, and, yes, your new appliance can wait that long. 

The problem is that you’re supposed to drink your wheatgrass juice on an empty stomach, first thing in the morning and we all know how mornings are. Even if you are in a hurry, take a couple of minutes to clean the juicer before leaving. 

If you leave it till you get back, all the mess inside will become all sticky and hard to remove. It might also damage the internal parts, not to mention that all the scrubbing and fighting to dislodge the gunk can severely shorten your juicer’s lifespan.  

Use the right cleaning utensils

The secret to prolonging your wheatgrass juicer’s lifespan is to always use soft cleaning tools. If you clean it soon after you’re done with it for the day, that’s all you’ll need, anyway. First of all, you’ll need a soft sponge or cloth, which you probably have in your kitchen. 

 

However, for the trickier parts you’ll also need soft brushes, something like a toothbrush maybe. Also, try to get a soft scraping tool, like a rubber spatula, to dislodge hardened pulp. Never use the tip of a kitchen knife to clean your wheatgrass juicer if you don’t want to wake up one morning to discover the juicer isn’t working anymore.