Forum Thermomix

Questions Doubts and Requests => Tips and Tricks => Topic started by: kaoss on October 30, 2009, 01:32:30 pm

Title: tarnished blades
Post by: kaoss on October 30, 2009, 01:32:30 pm
Seeking the widsom of the wider thermomix community.

I have two bowl and blades sets. One of my sets of blades is tarnished. They have turned a dark grey colour. I've scrubed with bicard, I've scrubed with salt and vinegar, I've steam cleaned, I've boiled vinegar but nothing seems to make a difference. It is just the blades that are tarnished, not the piece underneath.

Any ideas? I mean they still work just fine, but they don't look great. It's making me sad ;)
Title: Re: tarnished blades
Post by: faffa_70 on October 30, 2009, 02:00:08 pm
Kaoss, thank you thank you thank you.... I have been meaning to post this about my blades for weeks and keep forgetting as I get on here and read everything instead  :-))

I have tried everything that you have as well and DH & I have only this week decided that whilst they still do the job we are not going to worry about it.

I do keep meaning to ask my group leader though and keep forgetting that too....yes there is a trending pattern here lol

Will be interested to see if anyone else has the same thing. Can I ask how old yours are. Mine are about 16 months old.
Title: Re: tarnished blades
Post by: kaoss on October 30, 2009, 02:08:07 pm
Mine are about 6 months old....
Title: Re: tarnished blades
Post by: baf65 on October 31, 2009, 01:07:12 am
yep i have the same thing as well....my machine is a year old....i get varying degrees of greyness! 
Title: Re: tarnished blades
Post by: cookie1 on October 31, 2009, 07:50:56 am
Sort of on the same subject. What is the best way to clean the bowl please? Mine has a mark roughly where the water line is when you use the varoma. It is brown. I guess bicarb would be ok?
Title: Re: tarnished blades
Post by: faffa_70 on October 31, 2009, 10:31:19 am
I usually find wiping it out with white vinegar on a cloth will do it, otherwise I would try the carb soda or both together  ;)
Title: Re: tarnished blades
Post by: bron on October 31, 2009, 03:45:22 pm
Have you tried maybe rubbing with steel wool? After all they are stainless steel!
Title: Re: tarnished blades
Post by: JulieO on October 31, 2009, 09:20:28 pm
Yes, I use those little steel wool soap pads.  Brings it all up shiny and doesn't scratch.  :)
Title: Re: tarnished blades
Post by: faffa_70 on November 01, 2009, 12:42:34 am
I have tried them - and the blades are still black. I would love to get them back mainly so they are shiny for demo's!  :-))
Title: Re: tarnished blades
Post by: baf65 on November 01, 2009, 04:47:55 am
thinking back to school and those 'science' experiments we used to do.,...i wonder if tomato ketchup or coca cola would 'untarnish' the blades, i remember trying that on old 2 pence coins and it brought them up super shiny???
Title: Re: tarnished blades
Post by: cookie1 on November 01, 2009, 06:11:38 am
Thanks for the help folks.
Baf65, you may have a point.
Title: Re: tarnished blades
Post by: faffa_70 on November 01, 2009, 06:33:09 am
Hmm Baf you just might be onto something there, the kids would wonder what on earth has happened if I put coke in my shopping trolley  :o :o :o Could be a good thing to show them why it has never been in there  ;)
Title: Re: tarnished blades
Post by: CreamPuff63 on November 01, 2009, 06:41:41 am
Just looked this up, so I have never tried it, but at least you won't do any damage by giving it a go. I saw on one web site to avoid using steel pads as the fibres can break off and rust and then the SS gives the appearance that it is rusting:

Vinegar is great for cleaning stainless steel. To clean and polish stainless steel, simply moisten a cloth with undiluted white or cider vinegar and wipe clean. Can also be used to remove heat stains on stainless steel cutlery.
Title: Re: tarnished blades
Post by: Nay-nay on November 01, 2009, 10:01:01 am
According to Shannon Lush 'The Queen of Clean' The best way to clean Stainless Steel is with bicarb and vinegar. Also she mentions Gumption in her book 'Spotless' but if anyone can catch her on the radio and ask her specifically about Solingen Steel going black I'm positive she will have a solution! Her radio program on the link below. ;)

http://www.shannonlush.com/
Title: Re: tarnished blades
Post by: CreamPuff63 on November 01, 2009, 01:46:24 pm
Oh thats right its solingen steel, not stainless  ???
Title: Re: tarnished blades
Post by: cookie1 on November 02, 2009, 03:11:16 am
She used to be on the radio over here and I really enjoyed listening but sadly she isn't anymore. Hopefully someone can find out for us with so many TMXes out there.
Title: Re: tarnished blades
Post by: Nay-nay on November 02, 2009, 03:25:23 am
Yeah and make sure if you do ring don't mention it is a Thermomix - may not be such a good ad -  ;) ;D Could just say it is the cutting blades out of a food processor that also can cook - (she may need to know it gets hot)???
Title: Re: tarnished blades
Post by: brazen20au on November 02, 2009, 04:12:00 am
those of you who are having it happen (not i, after 2 years), are you using it to boil water a lot? (ie: varoma or steamer). sounds like what happens when you poach eggs a lot in a regular pan. my mum used to add vinegar to the water to prevent it.
Title: Re: tarnished blades
Post by: JulieO on November 02, 2009, 04:34:26 am
I wondered whether it was from a dishwasher, you know how some metal objects can tarnish if put in there?
Title: Re: tarnished blades
Post by: faffa_70 on November 02, 2009, 11:50:49 am
always using it to steam  ;D ;D

blades have been in the dishwasher a couple of times as well  ??? ???
Title: Re: tarnished blades
Post by: JulieO on November 03, 2009, 06:26:41 am
Only other thing I can think of, is when steaming, if the water level goes below the blades, it may cause them to discolour?
Title: Re: tarnished blades
Post by: Nay-nay on November 03, 2009, 09:08:16 am
I read something today about cucumber:
"Looking for a 'green' way to clean your faucets, sinks or stainless steel?  Take a slice of cucumber and rub it on the surface you want to clean, not only will it remove years of tarnish and bring back the shine, but is won't leave streaks and won't harm you fingers or fingernails while you clean."
Could this be true?? ???
Title: Re: tarnished blades
Post by: faffa_70 on November 03, 2009, 09:39:01 am
I don't know. Will it work on the blades though since they aren't stainless?
Title: Re: tarnished blades
Post by: cookie1 on November 04, 2009, 02:51:42 am
I'll have to try the cucumber thing.
Title: Re: tarnished blades
Post by: Thermomixer on November 04, 2009, 03:49:01 am
Wonder if Steve from HQ would be able to help?  He uses gumption for some cleaning.  Just wonder how harsh the Stainless Steel cleaners might be?

You can dismantle the blades, so may be best to do that to give them a good clean away from the spindle and important bits.
Title: Re: tarnished blades
Post by: faffa_70 on November 04, 2009, 06:13:07 am
I think I am just going to get another bowl and blade set and keep that mainly for demos! That solves my problem then, it is a tax deduction AND I have a spare set as well as a set that is less used and shinier for demo's. Well that is my justification for spending the money lol
Title: Re: tarnished blades
Post by: cookie1 on November 05, 2009, 02:54:26 am
I tried the cucumber thing on my sink yesterday and sadly it didn't work for me. :'(