Vitamix has been in the blending business for nearly 90 years. In fact, it was one of the first companies to offer their product in a 30 minute direct response infomercial in 1949. The motor of the Vitamix turns the ultra-sharp blades at speeds high enough to cook foods by friction, making both ice cream and hot soups in the Vitamix blender container. Although Vitamix recommends against removing the blades unless necessary, removal may be required to thoroughly clean them.
Step 1
Lift the Vitamix blender container off the Vitamix base. Remove the lid off the container and turn the container upside down, resting it on a flat work surface.
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Step 2
Look at the bottom of the container and locate the large, round, silver retainer nut. Notice the circular nut has a wide lip, or lobe with two slots approximately one inch in width located in the lobe directly across from each other.
Step 3
Lay the shaft of a screwdriver horizontally across one of the lob slots on the retainer nut. The middle of the screwdriver shaft should rest against the drive spline in the center of the retainer nut, and the tip of the screwdriver should rest just pass the spline.
Step 4
Hold the Vitamix container securely as you rotate the screwdriver counterclockwise. As you rotate the screwdriver while it is horizontal, its shaft turns the retainer nut, using the drive spline for leverage.
Step 5
Continue to turn the retainer nut by hand until you can remove it from the blender container. Turn the blender container right-side up and place a thick cloth over the Vitamix blender blades inside the bottom of the container. Grasp the blades with the cloth and lift them straight up from the container.
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