I was at a show this morning and someone asked me about how to clean the pump of the kitchen spritzer. She said hers was moldy after a while. Besides just using soap and water any ideas?
Thanks for posting this! I saw it a while back but of course it was no where to be found when I needed it!
Here it is Pumpin’ & Spritzin’ with Ease The following information can help you maximize the effectiveness of two of our very popular products—The Suds Pump™ and the Kitchen Spritzer™. With a solid understanding regarding use and care of Pump and the Spritzer, you’ll be able to avoid the sticking or clogging of the mechanism that can occur due to the thickening of oil and soap when they are exposed to the air. Follow these steps to keep you Suds Pump pumpin’ and your Kitchen Spritzer spritzin’ . . . Using the Suds Pump™ • Always mix the soap and water. To do this, fill as directed and turn the Suds Pump up and down a few times. • If using a concentrated soap, use less soap as directed on the soap bottle label. For example, if the label suggests using 1/3 the amount of recommended soap, then only fill ½ of the way up to the soap fill line on the Suds Pump bottle. Fill the water all the way to the water fill line. • Use the cap! To prevent soap from drying out in the pump mechanism, always keep the cap secure on the pump. • When ready to fill, empty the contents and clean as directed… Cleaning the Suds Pump™ The Suds Pump has seven parts that need to be pulled apart for cleaning. We recommend you do this over a surface that has edges, so that no parts are lost. 1.Remove the cap and unscrew the bottle from the pump/collar. 2.Remove the long, thin 3 ½“ tube from the pump by gently pulling on it. 3.Pull the clear cup piece that fits into the pump to/collar by slowly twisting downward. The ball bearing will come out at this point. Do not misplace the ball bearing. 4.Finally, pull gently on the spring, and an addition plastic tube with a spring will pull away. This leaves you with the white pump and collar. 5.Soak all parts in extremely hot (not boiling) water. Let all parts dry completely—overnight, if possible. To reassemble, follow above steps in reverse. Using the Kitchen Spritzer™ • Be sure to store your Spritzer away from extreme heat. Remember, even your refrigerator gives off heat, so keep the Spritzer away from the outside surface of your refrigerator! Heat will change and thicken the oil, making it tacky or sticky. • Only fill to the LOW line on the bottle – think “more air than oil”. The biggest mistake new Spritzer owners make, is overfilling the bottle. This makes the mechanism sluggish and you can never build up enough air pressure. • The pumping action pressurizes the air in the bottole, and brings oil up into the tube. When finished spraying the oil, loosen the collar which will release the pressure created by pumping. The oil will then flow back into the bottle. Retighten and cap to store between uses. If the pump stays pressurized and oil remains in the mechanism too long, it can cause sticking, and exposes that oil in the tube to the outside air. •Change the oil in you Spritzer approximately every two months. Prior to refilling, clean your Spritzer completely using the steps below. Cleaning the Kitchen Spritzer™ The Kitchen Spritzer has five parts that need to be pulled apart for cleaning. 1.Remove the cap and pull out the white inner tube. 2.Unscrew the collar and spray nozzle from the bottle. 3.Remove the collar from the spray nozzle portion. The remaining tube and collar assembly should not be pulled apart. 4.Soak all five parts in a solution of very hot (not boiling) water and vinegar. Use a ratio of 1 cup water and 1 tablespoon of distilled white vinegar. Let all parts dry completely before reassembling.
ALSO - remember to fully remove air from the Spritzer each time you use it - don't put it away pressurized or two bad things happen: 1- it constantly pressures the seal gasket which fails sooner than it should, and 2-it keeps oil up inside the small release tube, where it can go rancid sooner than it otherwise would. To release air pressure, just unscrew it. Kind of like "burping" a Tu-------competitor's storage container lids, this is a level of care that will make your Spritzer last longer.
A little off topic- but, can truffle oil be used in the kitchen spritzer? I'm not really familiar with truffle oil or its viscosity. If someone could let me know, I'd appreciate it!