 *Photo: Unsplash*
A spiralizer turns zucchini, beets, carrots, and cucumbers into vegetable noodles — but cleaning one feels like trying to untangle a fistful of wet vegetable fibres from a razor-sharp spiral blade while also somehow not losing a finger. This guide covers how to clean every type of spiralizer properly and safely, from the countertop crank models common in Montreal CSA-box households to the KitchenAid stand mixer attachment.
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The Cardinal Rule: Never Touch the Blade Bare
Before anything else: never touch a spiralizer blade with bare fingers. The spiral cutting edge is shaped like a corkscrew with a sharp outer edge that runs the full length of the spiral, and the flat or julienne blades are razor-sharp across the entire disc. Spiralizer injuries happen at the sink — reaching into soapy water for the blade you cannot see, or grabbing the blade housing with a fist to pull it off the suction cup base. Always use a brush to clean around the blade, never fingers or a sponge. Use tongs or hold by the outer rim only.
This applies even to handheld spiralizers, where the exposed blade teeth are at fingertip height when held for cleaning.
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The Three Types of Spiralizer in Montreal Kitchens
1. Countertop Crank Spiralizers (OXO, Paderno, Brieftons)
The most common type in Montreal households. A suction cup base holds the unit to the counter; a crank handle turns the vegetable into the spiral blade. Models sold in Montreal:
- OXO Good Grips Spiralizer 3-Blade (Zone Culinaire downtown and CDN, Williams-Sonoma Carrefour Laval and Place Montréal Trust, Amazon.ca, ~$45–65): three interchangeable blades in a cassette drawer — flat spaghetti, thick ribbon, and fine shred. The blade cassette slides out for cleaning.
- Paderno 4-Blade World Cuisine Spiralizer (Canadian Tire across Montreal, Costco Anjou and Laval, Walmart, Amazon.ca, ~$30–50): four individual blade discs stored in a tray. Widely sold at Costco during peak season.
- Brieftons 7-Blade Spiralizer (Amazon.ca, ~$25–40): seven blades in a drawer cassette. Popular with Montreal health-food households because of blade variety.
2. Handheld Spiralizers
Small, one-piece units where the vegetable is pressed against a fixed spiral blade and twisted by hand. The OXO Handheld Spiralizer (~$15–25 at Canadian Tire, Walmart, and most grocery stores with a small kitchen section) is the most common in Montreal. These are the hardest to clean because the blade is permanently fixed and there is no way to disassemble it.
3. KitchenAid Spiralizer Attachment (KSM1APC)
The spiralizer attachment for KitchenAid stand mixers (Zone Culinaire, Williams-Sonoma, ~$70–90) includes a peeling blade, coring blade, three spiralizer blades, and a peel-and-core plate that attach to the power hub of the stand mixer. The stand mixer turns the blade; you guide the vegetable. Components include the drive coupler, spiral blade, peel plate, coring blade, and two end skewers. Each component detaches for washing.
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Cleaning a Countertop Crank Spiralizer
After Every Use
The key is to clean while the vegetable fibres are still wet and soft. Dried spiralized zucchini or beet fibre hardens into a stiff mesh around the blade that requires soaking to remove.
Step 1: Crank out any remaining vegetable. Run the crank a few extra turns to push out any vegetable stub still clamped in the teeth, which can dry and mold.
Step 2: Remove the blade. On OXO and Brieftons, slide the blade cassette out of the slot. On Paderno, lift each individual blade disc off the central peg. Hold by the outer plastic rim, never the cutting edges.
Step 3: Rinse the blade immediately. Hold the blade by the plastic rim under warm running water, using a soft bottle brush or the cleaning brush included with your spiralizer to dislodge fibres from the spiral slots. Push through the spiral from the inside — this is the most effective direction. A toothbrush also works for fine shred blades.
Step 4: Rinse the body. Rinse the main body, the crank arm, and the food holder prongs under warm water with dish soap. Use a bottle brush on the blade cassette slot and any internal grooves.
Step 5: Clean the suction cup. The suction cup accumulates counter grime and vegetable juice. Wipe with a damp soapy cloth. A clean, dry suction cup grips better — wipe it dry before the next use.
Step 6: Air dry fully. Stand the spiralizer on its side or prop it so airflow reaches all surfaces. In Montreal summer (70–80% relative humidity, June–August), a spiralizer stored wet with fibres still in the blade slots will develop mold within 24–48 hours. Allow at least 2–3 hours of air drying.
Dishwasher Safety
- OXO 3-Blade: blade cassette top-rack safe, main body top-rack safe. Check the manual — OXO states the blades are top-rack dishwasher safe.
- Paderno 4-Blade: individual blade discs top-rack safe, main body top-rack safe.
- Brieftons: top-rack safe for blades and body per the included instructions.
- All models: use NORMAL or LIGHT cycle only — HIGH HEAT can warp the plastic suction cup base and the blade cassette housing, causing the suction cup to lose grip and the cassette to no longer slide smoothly.
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Cleaning a Handheld Spiralizer
This is the hardest spiralizer to clean because the blade cannot be removed. The best approach:
1. Rinse immediately under warm running water after use. 2. Use the cleaning brush included with most handheld spiralizers, or a toothbrush. Insert from the back of the blade and push fibres forward, out through the spiral. 3. Never reach fingers into the spiral opening. Use a bottle brush or toothbrush only. 4. Most handheld spiralizers are top-rack dishwasher safe — place with the blade opening facing down so water can flush through the spiral during the wash cycle.
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Cleaning the KitchenAid Spiralizer Attachment
Each component is dishwasher safe (top rack). Hand-washing is recommended for the spiral blades to preserve blade sharpness. Steps:
1. Unplug the stand mixer before removing the attachment. 2. Remove the food skewers — hand-wash with dish soap and a bottle brush. 3. Remove the spiral blade — hold by the plastic hub, never the cutting edge. Rinse immediately. Use the cleaning brush or a bottle brush to push through the spiral. 4. Remove the coring blade and peel plate — hand-wash with dish soap. 5. Wipe the drive coupler with a damp cloth. Never submerge in water — it contains the metal hub that connects to the stand mixer power hub. 6. Wipe the food pusher and end caps with a soapy damp cloth.
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The Biggest Challenge: Removing Stuck Vegetable Fibres
Zucchini is the most common Montreal spiralizer vegetable because Quebec grows abundant summer zucchini in CSA boxes from farms in Saint-Rémi, Napierville, and Sainte-Clotilde, available from July through September at Marché Jean-Talon and Marché Atwater. But zucchini has extremely high water content, and its fibres become stringy and clingy, wrapping around every tooth of the spiral blade and drying into a stiff mesh within 30 minutes.
Protocol for stuck fibres: If fibres have already dried in the blade, fill a bowl with warm water and dish soap and submerge the blade (holding by the plastic rim) for 10–15 minutes. The fibres will rehydrate and release. Then use a bottle brush from the back of the spiral to push them out.
What not to do: Never use a fork or metal implement to fish fibres out of the blade slots — you will cut yourself, and you may damage the blade edge.
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Beet Staining on the Plastic Body
Greek households in Parc-Extension and Villeray and Korean households in Côte-des-Neiges spiralize beets (betterave) frequently — and beet pigment (betanin) stains white and clear plastic immediately.
Immediate action: Rinse the spiralizer under cold water within 5 minutes of processing beet. Betanin staining on plastic is much easier to prevent than to remove once set.
For set staining: Baking soda paste applied for 20 minutes, then scrubbed with the soft side of a sponge, removes most surface betanin. For severe pink staining on clear plastic, place the clean (food-free) part in direct sunlight for 2–4 hours — UV radiation breaks down betanin pigment and significantly lightens or eliminates the pink-red stain, the same technique that works for turmeric-stained food processor bowls.
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Montreal Hard Water Calcium Deposits
Montreal tap water at 90–150 mg/L calcium carbonate deposits white scale inside the spiral blade slots and on the clear plastic body over time. Monthly treatment: soak the removable blade in a 50/50 white vinegar and water solution for 15 minutes, then rinse. The citric acid in vinegar dissolves calcium carbonate without damaging the stainless steel blade. For the plastic body: wipe with a diluted vinegar cloth, rinse, and dry.
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Onion and Garlic Odour Removal
Korean daikon and onion spirals, Vietnamese cucumber and green onion for noodle bowls, and Greek onion spirals all leave a persistent odour in the plastic housing. Soak all plastic components in a baking soda solution (1 tablespoon per litre of warm water) for 20 minutes, rinse, and air dry. Running through the dishwasher with a full cycle also effectively removes the odour.
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Cleaning Frequency Guide
| Action | Frequency | |---|---| | Rinse blade and body | Immediately after every use | | Full soak and brush clean | After every use (or immediately if fibres dry) | | White vinegar calcium soak | Monthly | | Baking soda odour soak | As needed (after onion/garlic/beet) | | Dishwasher run | Weekly or per use if preferred |
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Montreal Product Sourcing
| Product | Use | Where to buy | Cost | |---|---|---|---| | OXO Good Grips 3-Blade Spiralizer | Countertop crank | Zone Culinaire, Williams-Sonoma, Amazon.ca | ~$45–65 | | Paderno 4-Blade Spiralizer | Countertop crank | Canadian Tire, Costco, Walmart | ~$30–50 | | OXO Handheld Spiralizer | Handheld | Canadian Tire, Walmart, grocery housewares | ~$15–25 | | KitchenAid Spiralizer Attachment | Stand mixer | Zone Culinaire, Williams-Sonoma | ~$70–90 | | Bottle brush (long) | Blade slot cleaning | Dollarama, Canadian Tire | ~$2–3 | | Soft toothbrush | Fine shred blade teeth | Dollarama | ~$1 | | White vinegar (5%) | Calcium scale removal | IGA, Maxi, Dollarama | ~$2.50/L | | Baking soda | Odour removal, stain treatment | Maxi, Costco | ~$3/kg | | Dawn dish soap | Vegetable fat residue | IGA, Maxi, Metro | ~$3 |
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Q: Are spiralizer blades dishwasher safe?
A: Most spiralizer blades are top-rack dishwasher safe on NORMAL or LIGHT cycle, including the OXO 3-Blade cassette, Paderno individual discs, and Brieftons blade drawer. Use only the top rack — the dishwasher heating element at the bottom of the tub can warp plastic components and dull blade edges. Hand-washing with a bottle brush or the included cleaning brush is preferred to preserve blade sharpness over time. Always check your model's specific manual, since not all spiralizers are rated for dishwasher use.
Q: How do I remove stuck vegetable fibres from a spiralizer blade?
A: Rinse immediately after use — fibres that are still wet release easily under running water with a cleaning brush or toothbrush pushed through the spiral from the back. For dried fibres: submerge the blade (holding by the plastic outer rim) in warm soapy water for 10–15 minutes to rehydrate the fibres, then push them through with a bottle brush. Never use fingers or metal implements inside the spiral. Most Montreal spiralizer injuries happen at the sink from reaching into soapy water for the blade. Always brush around the blade, never touch the cutting edge.
Q: How do I remove beet staining from a spiralizer?
A: Act fast — beet betanin pigment bonds to white and clear plastic within minutes. Rinse immediately under cold water after processing beet. For set staining: apply baking soda paste (baking soda plus a few drops of water) and let sit for 20 minutes, then scrub gently with the soft side of a sponge. For severe pink staining, place the clean (food-free) plastic parts in direct sunlight for 2–4 hours. UV radiation breaks down the betanin pigment and dramatically lightens or eliminates the discolouration — the same technique that removes turmeric staining from food processor bowls. Avoid bleach, which clouds clear plastic.
Q: How do I clean a KitchenAid spiralizer attachment?
A: All components except the drive coupler are top-rack dishwasher safe. Hand-washing is recommended to preserve blade sharpness. Remove the food skewers, spiral blade, coring blade, and peel plate from the attachment arm. Wash each with dish soap and a bottle brush, being careful never to touch the spiral blade cutting edge. Rinse immediately after use — zucchini and beet fibres dry onto the blade within 30 minutes. Wipe the drive coupler (the metal hub that connects to the stand mixer) with a damp cloth only — never submerge it.
Q: How do I clean a handheld spiralizer?
A: Handheld spiralizers cannot be disassembled, which makes cleaning more challenging. Rinse immediately under warm running water after use. Use the included cleaning brush — if yours is missing, a toothbrush works well — and push from the back of the blade opening through to the front, pushing fibres out through the spiral. Never reach fingers into the spiral opening. Most handheld spiralizers are top-rack dishwasher safe; place with the blade opening facing downward so water can flush through the spiral during the wash cycle.
Q: How do I remove the white mineral scale from my spiralizer?
A: Montreal tap water at 90–150 mg/L calcium carbonate deposits a white hazy film on spiralizer blades and plastic bodies over time, especially visible in the narrow spiral slots where water pools and evaporates. Monthly treatment: submerge the spiral blade and any plastic components in a 50/50 white vinegar and water solution for 15 minutes, swirling occasionally. The acetic acid dissolves calcium carbonate without damaging the stainless steel blade. Rinse thoroughly and dry with a microfibre cloth rather than air-drying — immediately drying after washing prevents most scale from forming in the first place.
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Sparkling Stays offers [professional kitchen deep-cleaning services in Montreal](/en/services/deep-cleaning) covering countertop appliances, range hoods, and the spaces behind and beneath appliances. Our [home cleaning service](/en/services/home-cleaning) covers the island of Montreal, Laval, and the South Shore.
For related appliance cleaning guides, see our [salad spinner cleaning guide](/en/blog/how-to-clean-a-salad-spinner-montreal), [food processor cleaning guide](/en/blog/how-to-clean-a-food-processor-montreal), [kitchen deep-clean guide](/en/blog/how-to-deep-clean-a-kitchen-montreal), and [eco-friendly cleaning guide for Montreal](/en/blog/eco-friendly-cleaning-montreal).
