Kenwood Chef - Warning and a helpful hint

[Mad Cook]

I have inherited my mother's big Kenwood Chef mixer - about 30 years old and still going strong. Only used it once or twice and washed the K Beater attachment in the sink. However, last time I used it I washed it in dishwasher. When I got it out to use it for last week's big bake-in I picked up the K beater and found my hands covered with a black deposit. I put it in the dish washer which didn't help. More black deposits on hands. Resorted to Google. Apparently, it was the dishwasher and its detergent that had caused it. Tried scrubbing it with ordinary washing up liquid then Brillo pads. Nothing worked. Thought I'd have to buy a new one. However, back to Google.

Recommendation: soak item in 1/3 white vinegar + 2/3 hot water for 10 minutes. Ended up soaking overnight as the situation was bad and then a good (non-dishwasher) wash in hot soapy water. It's done the trick. Nice clean beater. No black deposits.

So if you ever have this problem with your mixer or any other aluminium items that you have inadvertently dish washer-ed this would seem to be the cure.

I'd noticed recently that a lot of aluminium pans have a recommendation to wash by hand. Now I know why.

 

[Andy M.]

I learned that the hard way as well. The attachments for my KA mixer are all raw aluminum. The dough hook is a darker grey than the others as it took a ride in the DW. There is an enzyme in the soap that does it.

 

[bakechef]

That enzyme is what makes it clean dishes so well, but really messes with aluminum!

Good to know about the vinegar, I have an aluminum pan that my mom put in the dish washer and it gives off that residue, I'll give this a shot.

 

[CarolPa]

How lucky I am that I don't have a dish washer. No ruined utensils.

 

[FrankZ]

How lucky I am that I don't have a dish washer. No ruined utensils.

We are lucky too then...

 

[RPCookin]

I learned that the hard way as well. The attachments for my KA mixer are all raw aluminum. The dough hook is a darker grey than the others as it took a ride in the DW. There is an enzyme in the soap that does it.

Same as for my KA. I guess I just got lucky to have never put any of my beaters in the dishwasher prior to learning this. I have always been in the habit of having a tub of dishwater in one side of the sink when I cook, so I just automatically hand wash stuff as I go during wait times in the cooking/prep process. I hate ending up with a stack of dirty bowls and measuring implements so that clean up becomes a chore at the end.

With just the two of us, we don't fill the dishwasher fast enough to run it more than a couple of times a week, and I use some of those cooking utensils every meal.