Here's what to do if an accessory (dough hook, whisk, or paddle - also called a flat beater) is stuck on the beater shaft of your mixer.
Is there food stuck in the opening?
Food particles can build up inside the beater cavity and stick to the beater shaft, making it difficult to either remove the beater or to put it on the beater shaft. If washing the beater in the dishwasher, make sure to insert it point down so that food particles cannot go into the opening.
Beaters should not be stored on your mixer when not in use because ingredients can get into the beater cavity and harden, which can also make them difficult to remove.
However, if a beater is stuck, there are some things you can do.
Tips for removing a stuck beater
There are a couple of tricks that can help remove a stuck beater.
Use a warm compress:
- Compress a wet, warm towel around the beater shaft for 10 minutes.
- Re-warm it after the 10 minutes, put it on again, and let it sit for another 1-2 minutes. This will re-warm the aluminum, causing it to expand. After this time, try to wiggle and remove the beater.
Mineral oil
If the beater does not come off with the warm compress, try applying a small amount of mineral oil to the beater shaft, above the beater and in the slot where the beater attaches to the beater shaft pin. Allow the oil to sit on the beater shaft for several minutes, and then remove the beater. If you don't have any mineral oil, you can use a vegetable oil cooking spray instead. If you use vegetable oil, make sure to clean the beater shaft very thoroughly after the beater is removed because it can become very sticky over time.
Once you've removed the beater
Once the beater is off, soak the beater in hot, soapy water and clean out the beater cavity thoroughly. Use a wooden skewer to remove any build-up of food particles or oxidation residue. You may also want to apply a little mineral oil to the beater cavity before putting it back on the beater shaft.