TL;DR
The lid is the part that gets dirty and the part almost nobody washes. Water thrown off the greens carries grit and leaf fragments up into the lid, and the gear or pull-cord mechanism inside holds it. Take the lid apart if the design allows, rinse it under running water rather than soaking it, and dry every piece separately.
Where the dirt actually goes
A salad spinner works by throwing water off greens at speed. That water does not stay in the basket -- it sprays outward and upward, hits the bowl wall, and reaches the underside of the lid.
Along with the water goes whatever was on the greens: grit, sand, small leaf fragments, and sometimes insects from garden produce.
The lid is the problem because it contains a mechanism. A crank, a pump plunger, or a pull cord all sit in a housing with gears, springs, or a spindle, and none of those parts can be scrubbed.
Assemblies with hidden mechanisms are a recurring category in our guide to cleaning kitchen tools without damaging them, and a salad spinner is one of the most-used examples in a home kitchen.
How do you clean a salad spinner?
Separate the bowl, basket, and lid, and wash the bowl and basket in hot soapy water with a brush. Rinse the lid under running water without submerging it, working the mechanism as you rinse so it flushes. Dry all three pieces separately before reassembling.
Split the lid if it opens
Some salad spinner lids come apart. Look for a twist collar, a screw, or a release tab on the underside; the manual will say. If yours opens, that is the difference between a clean spinner and one that looks clean.
With the lid split, wash the underside plate and the outer cap in hot soapy water and a brush. Clean the gear or spindle assembly with a brush and a damp cloth rather than submerging it, then dry it thoroughly before reassembling.
If the lid does not open, rinse it under hot running water while turning the crank or working the pump, so the moving parts carry water through the housing.
Do not submerge a sealed lid mechanism in a sink of soapy water. Water that gets into the housing is very slow to come out, and it is what causes the smell people notice on an old spinner.
The basket and its grit
The basket is a perforated or slotted bowl, and the same rule applies as to any perforated tool: brush from the inside and rinse from the outside.
Grit was thrown outward through the holes, so brushing from the inside pushes it out along the same path. Rinsing from the outside then flushes it clear. Rinsing from the inside packs it back into the hole rims.
That is the same technique described in how to clean a colander and strainer.
Pay attention to the basket's base ring and to the drive boss in the center, where the lid mechanism engages. Both collect leaf fragments.
The bowl, the base, and the non-slip ring
The outer bowl is the easiest piece -- hot soapy water and a brush, inside and out.
Two spots get missed. The first is the rim, where the lid seats; there is usually a groove or lip there that holds water and debris. Brush it.
The second is the non-slip base ring on the underside, which pops off on many models. Underneath it is a recess that traps water and residue and is a classic spot for dark spots. Pull the ring off, wash both, dry both, refit when dry. Bowls generally have this problem, as covered in how to clean mixing bowls.
Dry each piece separately before reassembling, standing the basket and bowl inverted and the lid on edge so water leaves the mechanism. A spinner put away damp is a sealed plastic container with water and organic residue inside it, which is where a musty smell and dark spots begin. Discoloration that will not wash off is usually staining, but cracked plastic in that spot cannot be cleaned reliably and the part should be replaced. Source: FDA Food Code guidance on cleanable food-contact surfaces.
Dishwasher rules
Bowls and baskets are usually dishwasher safe on the top rack. Check for a marking -- thin plastic warps near a lower heating element, and a warped basket wobbles and stops spinning true.
Lids are the exception on most models. Many manufacturers say the lid is top-rack safe, and many others say to hand wash it. Follow the manual for yours: a sealed gear housing full of hot water and detergent is difficult to dry and is where lubrication gets washed out of the mechanism.
If a lid becomes stiff or noisy after washing, water and residue in the housing are the likely cause. Rinse and work it under hot running water, then dry it inverted for several hours. Do not lubricate it with cooking oil, which goes rancid; a small amount of food-grade mineral oil is the only appropriate choice.
For a similar assembly with a suction base and a mechanism, see how to clean a spiralizer. Our house cleaning services page covers the wider kitchen.
FAQ
How do you clean a salad spinner lid?
Split the lid if the design allows, and wash the outer cap and underside plate in hot soapy water with a brush, cleaning the gear assembly with a brush and damp cloth rather than submerging it. If the lid is sealed, rinse it under running water while working the mechanism, then drain and dry it inverted.
Can a salad spinner go in the dishwasher?
Bowls and baskets are usually top-rack safe -- check for a marking, since thin plastic warps near the lower heating element. Lids vary by model: some are top-rack safe and many require hand washing, because a sealed gear housing is hard to dry and loses its lubrication.
Why does my salad spinner smell?
Because it was reassembled damp. A closed plastic container with water and organic residue inside develops a musty smell, and water trapped in a lid mechanism is especially slow to leave. Dry each piece separately and store the spinner with the lid off or unlatched.
How do you get grit out of a salad spinner basket?
Brush from the inside and rinse from the outside, so grit exits through the holes along the same path it took. Rinsing from the inside packs it back into the hole rims. Pay attention to the base ring and the drive boss in the center, where leaf fragments collect.
Why is my salad spinner lid stiff after washing?
Usually water and residue left in the gear housing, sometimes with the original lubrication washed out. Rinse the mechanism under hot running water while working it, then dry it inverted for several hours. A small amount of food-grade mineral oil restores the action; never use cooking oil.
What is under the base ring on a salad spinner bowl?
A molded recess that traps water and food residue, which is one of the most common places for dark spots to appear. On most models the non-slip ring pops off. Remove it, wash both the ring and the recess, dry both fully, and refit the ring only when dry.
Kitchen gear with moving parts needs a little more thought than a plate. If you would rather hand the whole space off, every home is different, so the real number depends on size, condition, and what you want covered. Get a quote and we will walk you through it.