Forum smelly lid seal

Hi Thermo friends

I found the best solution for my smelly lid. 

I got a seperate lid, and leave it just for desserts.

there....solution solved!!!

Cooked with tumeric today......oops!! Washed, white vinegar soaked then put thru dishwasher. Still smelly!  Then I found the Lemon Cleaning for TM. Go to ThermoFun website and look under hints and tips.  Worked a treat and makes the house smell divine.

Hi all

I have had my Thermomix for 3 weeks and am retired so I have all the time in the world to use it and I have.

It is my belief that the smelly lid starts with the vegetable stock that naturally is the first thing we cook in it with our consultants.

Mine still has a smell after plenty of use I always leave the MC out of the machine when it is not being used just to add a little more air flow.

I am not overlay fussed as I have made plenty of sweet and savoury and the flavour of everything has been wonderful no garlic or onion flavours in my cheesecake.

So my suggestion would be to just forget about it and use your machine for everything....

Query....does the new lid have the same smell issue or do you only use the new one for sweet stuff and old for savoury?  Just wondering if the smell issue is due to a dodgy batch of plastic or lids or similar.

I still have smelly lid, I don't bother cooking sweet stuff in it.....just ruins the batch, so pointless to try.   It's unfortunate as it's the biggest detractor and the one thing stopping me from promoting to friends and family.  

I had exactly the same problem after making the stock and several curries and risotto with garlic and onion. Like others I've tried the suggestions and even put it through my mums dishwasher to see if that helped. It did slightly but I think there needs to be a solution for those of us without dishwashers as well. I mentioned this frustration to my consultant and she contacted the service department and they sent me a complimentary lid and seal. 

Maybe try to get onto another consultant in your area if your current one hasn't been helpful, mine is great and only new to it herself! 

I 'think' the bowl needs to 'season'. I've had mine for a month now and the first week it smelt strongly of onion and garlic.  I tried both hand washing and the dishwasher.  Now I don't have any strong smell issues.   I always wash immediately and store with the lid off.  I happily cook sweet and savoury with no taste transfer.

I used my TM to make a large amount of garlic dip. The second time I used it was to make lemon butter! OMG I threw it out! I kept washing the bowl and especially the lid pulled out the ring and focused on the entire inside of the lid soaping it. Then sprayed with spray and wipe a couple of times & that made a big difference.

I Made another batch of lemon butter again, YUM, and turned out perfect. It's a shame it took so much elbow grease to clean it. I'm considering buying a separate bowl just for dessert.

I have the same issue. I always wash my thermomix in soapy water straight away after use and store the lid and seal separate and off the bowl. Nothing I have tried removes the smell, I can walk past the thermomix and smell last nights meal.  I also hesitate to make something sweet after anything savoury as I dont want my cakes tasting like onion or garlic.  Dont see why I should have to purchase separate parts for what is already an expensive machine.

Anyone got any solutions?

Thanks for the input. I have just recently own one, but having an issue with the smell. I am not game enough to make my own milk or custard.

Have you come to a solution?

I have recieved my Thermomix on Saturday and also had the demo of the stock. I noticed a onion smell to both the lid and bowl. Thought it may go away. I also had made a soup and risotto that require onion and garlic. I haven't been able to get the smell out and I am not game enough to make milk or custard or anything like that fearing that the smell will linger onto it. By reading the other posts a lot of people are having the same problem. Can anyone help. I am not impressed.

I have the same issue.... Nothing I tried worked to get rig of the smell. 

My my solution is to get a spare ring and keep it for deicate and sweet flavours.

just hope I never mix them up or I will be back to square one!!

I've tried the freezer but I haven't seen any improvement. 

I noticed that some people have popped their wash/dried lid seals into the freezer overnight and that has helped get rid of the smells. Has anyone tried this recently?

I've had my machine for a couple of weeks and nothing seems to work, nor combination of vinegar, dishwashing liquid, baking soda or lemon juice.  I've tried scrubbing and soaking, I leave the machine with lid off and seal free to air dry but it's only getting worse.

I accept that dishwashers may get rid of the smell, but I don't own one. My consultant was stumped when I mentioned this and couldn't provide a solution. I'd appreciate a handwash solution, or a review of the plastic used. I understand that the older machines with BPA in the mix don't have this issue.  I'm all for non-BPA plastics but if they don't work, they don't work.

Same here. When we made stock on my delivery demo, the lid /seal has retained the strong smell. It tainted the rice milk I made and I had to chuck it out. I'm not thrilled about it.

I am glad I found this thread. My Thermie seal has done the same. I will try all of the suggestions here. I have stopped putting my Thermie back together after washing in the mean time.

Hi Last Straw,

Sorry to hear about that. We recommend storing the lid unlocked from the Thermomix when it is not in use. We have no issues with the lid holding smells - and we do use our Thermomix a lot in our test kitchen.

If you do notice that the plastic parts have retained a strong smell, rub them with a cut lemon and then putting them through the wash. This can reduce the smell greatly. Also the vinegar wash at the front of your Everyday Cookbook will help, just make sure that the lid and seal are left to soak for a while before you rinse.

My seal has smelt of garlic since I had my initial demo. My consultant is aware of the issue and gave advice on cleaning, all of which I'd already done with no positive result. Reading all these comments it seems that this is an ongoing issue of which Thermomix is fully aware. I would love to know why follow up customer service is so inconsisten, some customers receive a replacement seal whilst others don't. I didn't, even though the seal got it's smell before I'd even had the chance to use my Thermomix!

Hi fyyona,

Thanks for your post. It appears that your Consultant has retired. We will PM you.

I have spoken to my consultant about this and she suggested bicarb paste which didn't work. I asked her about purchasing a new seal which I am a bit hessitant to to do, but she suggested I order from the thermomix site, which means an extra $7 postage. Its interesting to read that someone elses consultant gave them a new seal. Ongoing follow up seems inconsistent

Hi tmmc20,

We have found that by washing the lid immediately after use and storing the lid unlocked from the Thermomix we have no issues with the lid holding smells.

If you do notice that the plastic parts have retained a strong smell, rub them with a cut lemon and then putting them through the wash. This can reduce the smell greatly. Also the vinegar wash at the front of your Everyday Cookbook will help, just make sure that the lid and seal get some loving and are left to soak for a while before you rinse.

I got my tmx three days ago and made the requisite stock.  Last night I made a Tuna pasta dish for dinner and noticed the strong garlic smell.   Tonight I made muffins and am really hoping I havent wasted my ingredients as even after washing the seal in cold waste it is still really smelly of garlic.   Really has taken the excitement away from owning such a supposedly wonderful machine. 

Yes. Mine is also now green, almost fluro green.

I had a win today, I was sterilising some jars in Milton solution, some tablets I had left over from when my girls were babies, and put the lid seal in the solution, left for 20 mins and all the stale spicy smells almost disappeared, so I'll be restocking on Milton tablets and using this method from now on after cooking up strong smelling savory dishes.  

And yes I agree to air the lid and seal separately too after each wash.

Ana 

Hi there

Completely agree with Head Office re storing the lid off. Have just posted the following in the "Feedback" section under the same topic.

I have heard of many remedies to try and fix this problem but the absolute best thing that I can recommend is to air your machine.  I remove the seal from my lid and store my Thermomix with the lid off and the seal out of the lid all the time.  It has made a huge difference and although the seal still smells a little if I stick my nose right up against it, the smell doesn't permiate the room.

If you have small children and are worried about them touching the blades without have the lid on, then store the bowl and blade up high so they can't reach it.

The smell won't transfer to other dishes so no worries there.

Hope this helps everyone.

Fiona

Thanks head office, will give lemon a go, always wash straight away ready for its next use.  Hope lemon does the job.

Hi everyone, thank you for your concerns. We have found that by washing the lid immediately after use and storing the lid unlocked from the Thermomix we have no issues with the lid holding smells – and our test kitchen uses the Thermomix a lot! 

If you do notice the plastic parts have retained a strong smell, rubbing them with a cut lemon and then putting them through the wash can reduce the smell greatly. Also the vinegar wash at the front of your Everyday Cookbook will help, just make sure that the lid and seal get some loving and are left to soak for a while before you rinse.

Oh dear I too have odour probs. Will follow this thread to see if anyone comes up with any solutions. Haven't noticed taste transfer, but the smell isn't good. 

Same problem as everyone else, had thermie 4 weeks and the whole lid smells of savory strong ingredients from cooking risottos and curry.

tried everything to clean it and seal is currently in freezer again until it's next use tonight for dinner, but smell definately transfers to other foods. My spatula and butterfly also has the smell.

please help, could this batch of plastics be faulty? 

My my measuring cup also has lots of cracks, and my consultant advised recent batch is faulty and she will replace.

thanks

ana 

I too have had same problem, got mine last weekend and tonight made Bolognaise ... And although only blasted one clove of garlic and Ive tried everything above bar the vanilla and freezer and nothings worked ... The freezer is not an acceptable solution as I want to be able to make 2/3 things in a row without having to leave overnight very disappointed

needless to say have had to through out the desser as the flavour very definately transferred - yuk!!

help please Thermomix Australia !! 

You can soak the seal separately in a sink with the same vinegar/dishwashing liquid solution.  Perhaps that would do it. 

I am glad I found this.

I had my TM delivered last week, and when the demo stock was done, the seal stank, tried leavin it out of the machine in the fresh air but no luck.

Might try the wash first but was strange that on the demo with the item being made it had made the seal stink Technically I had not even used the machine

But I have now, made bread and pizza dough in it

Hi all!  I am a new Thermomix user (1 month)  and had the same problem. Tried the vinegar but no difference.  What worked (yes!!! ) was Vanilla Essence (real vanilla) twice.  I just wiped some of it on the seal and washed it off in soapy water next day. It smelled of vanilla and masked the other smell.

I wash all parts of Thermomix by hand, dry and let it air.  Haven't had the problem since. To be fair there was never any smell or taste transfer to food.

All smells seemed to have gone now.  No problems!!!  Hope this will help.

Happy Cooking !!!! 

Yes I do that too.  Thats how I leave it when not is use.   After  I use the TM for spicey  food I wash I the bowl and lid in dishwasher and then store it  like that.

I am having exactly the same issue   I tend to avoid using the tmx for savory foods because of this - a shame because that means I'm not using my machine to it's fullest potential. This morning I was in a hurry and had to use it to make my husband's lunch - Sri Lankan curry with strong spices, onion, garlic and ginger. Now I have putrid smelling seal and jug despite washing and airing   

I had the same problem regarding the smelly lid , and I have only had my thermomix for a week.  I put the lid and seal through the dishwasher and it came out smelly nice and "clean"

The seal has to be made from very flexible material to give a fabulous seal when blending all those high speed powders and liquids which may also be very hot! The downside is that it will always absorb some odour from strong foods. However strong savoury odours don't seem to transfer to other foods as it's only a couple of millimetres of silicone that is exposed up on the rim - and we don't actually mix cakes etc up on the rim.

If there was continuous flavour transfer we would all be tasting those strong flavours at the Demo in the Sorbet, bread Custard etc.

Maybe give your Consultant a call and ask to purchase a spare seal to use for all non-odour foods - they are just $15. I've had x1 customer who did this since I became a Consultant in 2008 and it resolved her concerns.

Yep!!........ me too

Have only used my TM twice (only had it 2 days!). Last night made Tomato & Chorizo Fettucine, tonight Butter Chicken- both meals very yummy, but.......... you guessed it....... seal smelt of onion and garlic from last night, until now, and now it reeks of butter chicken!!

I had already noted this thread, so last night the seal slept in the freezer- still the onion smell this morning....... I figured it wouldn't make any difference to the butter chicken, so went ahead with that tonight, Very carefully washed it in cold water straight after I was finished (so as to not set the smell), and since that this poor seal has been subjected to hot soapy water, lemon juice, vinegar and carb soda.

Am beginning to run out of options here - and it's only 2 days old.

Wanted to make a dessert following the butter chicken, but methinks it might be a waste of ingredients....... think I prefer Indian spice in one course only.

This is kind of taking the edge off the excitement of such a weighty purchase. Thought it was meant to make life easier- really don't have the time to be stuffing around with all this.

All further suggestions gratefully received - or do I stay away from strong flavours when using TM??

And yes, the butterfly turned green post Butter Chicken too..........

Sorry to hear that Natalie - I've not had any issues with all my foods except making yogurt (as there is a long "sit" time in that process).

Did you take your TM bowl apart and fully wash under your blades/seal after the soup and butter making?

I'm having same issue!

Got my thermie yesterday. Made pumpkin soup & the lid & seal stunk!

Didn't think much of it & went ahead and made garlic & herb butter... Made it worse!

Then last night made mango sorbet & it tasted like onions & garlic!!!

Have washed, soaked, vinegared..... It's been airing out all day on bench & still smells!!!!!!!

I followed advice from other users and find I have no hassles with smell or transfer of flavour / smell. The tips I found to work:

1. Put seal in freezer overnight after careful washing and drying it

2. I store my seal out of the lid on top of the bowl and hang the lid from the edge of the bowl by the little hook on it. 

These tips I find work perfectly to keep all smells and lingering flavours at bay.

Cheers

I've had my Thermomix for 4 years now and initially like everyone else I tried all sorts of pastes, cleaning methods and processes and  have discovered that the best control is to take it all apart after finishing food prep, give it a wash and store it with the lid turned upside down and the seal loosely sitting on top so it can air.  It seems to work - we're not noticing any transfer and I keep a spare seal for when I make specialty foods after the curry pastes eg yogurt

My reasoning has been that I wouldn't put my Tupperware containers away sealed up because they would smell awful and retain odour and the  seal appears to be made of a similar material.

It just seems to come down to "air time" and even when there is a bit of a residual smell it doesn't noticeably transfer across as most foods aren't in contact with the seal at all - or for a very short time!

 Hope this assists....

i made the Tikka paste the other day and after washing the butterfly have found has stripped the colour and turned it green in colour has anyone experienced this????????????

Time heals this problem! My lovely Thermomix demonstrator replaced the seal at no charge but I found the original seal lost the odor after a week and this has not been an ongoing issue. Seems to be A problem for new machines. Perhaps the seal needs time to be broken in!

we had the same problem, i find that with most things i need to take out the blades & wash everything with hot soapy water.  Our rep gave us a new seal after we made curry & everything else came out tasting like it so now I save that seal for curry & spices & use the new one for everything else.

I feel your pain - let me know if you discover any magic tricks!!

I'm a new thermomix user (the machine has been in my home 72 hours!) and one of the first things I cooked was pumpkin soup. Unfortunately the chopping/sauteing of onion has left my lid stinking of onion - I managed to get it out of the bowl and seal with bleach, but the lid just reeks! ...and I have a 'thing' about the residual smell and/or taste of onion (so much so that onions have designated chopping boards in my kitchen!).

After reading all your comments I am going to try the dishwasher next time I run it in hope it removes it, or if not I'll give the freezer a go - but yes - I'm seemingly disappointed as it  appears perhaps I won't be using my thermy to do onion/spice prep in the future - and to find that there's many other people in the same boat is a little concerning...

Good luck to you all in banishing the odours!!

I totally agree with you.  Not good enough!

To avoid smells in rubbers and plastics make sure to rinse thoroughly in cold water. Warm / Hot water will actually set smells into your products.

If you already have smells then placing it in the freezer overnight should do the trick.

HTH

Jadey

I am having the same problem. I have had my thermomix for less than a week. I made butter chicken and since then the hot chocolates I make have the same spice flavour. I have cleaned the lid and seal separately, have cleaned the bowl using vinegar and detergent. I am really disappointed that cooking a curry means I know have a smell and flavour that won't go away! Everything else about the thermomix has been excellent and I absolutely love it. I hope that you have a solution for this problem for me.