How to Get Tar Out of Juicer: Tested 2026 Methods

Immediate Action (first 5 minutes)

I'll be honest right out of the gate. Finding tar in your juicer is a stressful situation. First, we need to define exactly what kind of tar we are talking about here. If you somehow got petroleum-based roofing tar or driveway sealant into your kitchen, stop reading right now. Throw the plastic and rubber parts in the trash immediately. Petroleum products are highly toxic and will permanently ruin food-grade plastics, making them unsafe for future food prep.

But if you are dealing with plant-based tar—like thick pine resin from a wildcrafting project or sticky cannabis resin from pressing fresh herbs—you can absolutely save your machine. In my experience cleaning high-end kitchen appliances for over a decade, plant resins harden incredibly fast. They bond to the microscopic stainless steel mesh of your filter screen and turn into a cement-like shell.

Within the first 5 minutes, unplug the machine. Do not run cold water over the parts. Cold water just shocks the resin, locking it deep into the micro-mesh of your Breville Juice Fountain filter. Grab a dry paper towel and physically wipe away any loose, wet chunks. You want to remove as much bulk material as possible before it cures. This isn't the easiest mess to tackle, but acting fast saves you hours of scrubbing later.

What You'll Need (tools/products)

You can't just use standard dish soap for this. Plant tar is highly hydrophobic, meaning it actively repels water. You need specific solvents and tools to break down the terpene chains without leaving toxic residue behind. Here is my exact kit for tackling stubborn resin buildup on models like the Omega NC900 or the Tribest Slowstar.

Item	Recommended Brand	Estimated Cost	Why I Recommend It
99% Isopropyl Alcohol	Swan or Amazon Brand	$4 - $6	Dissolves terpenes instantly without water-logging the resin.
Food-Grade Mineral Oil	Howard or Swan	$12 - $15	Safe for food contact and breaks down sticky sap bonds.
Dish Spray	Dawn Powerwash	$5 - $7	Emulsifies the alcohol and oil so they rinse away cleanly.
Detail Brushes	OXO Good Grips	$8 - $10	Stiff nylon bristles reach into the micro-mesh without scratching.

I'll be honest, buying 99% alcohol is worth the extra trip to the pharmacy. The standard 70% rubbing alcohol contains too much water. That 30% water content just causes the pine tar to clump up into a gummy mess. Spend the extra two dollars on the 99% version.

Step-by-Step Removal

After hosting a wellness retreat where a guest decided to juice pine bark for a 'natural detox', I had to clean a $400 juicer clogged with pure sap. This exact 5-step process saved the machine. It takes about 35 minutes from start to finish.

Step 1: Complete Disassembly

Take the juicer completely apart. Remove the pulp ejection port, the auger, the screen, and the silicone gaskets. Do not leave the rubber O-rings on the plastic housing. Tar seeps under those rings and will slowly leach into your future juices if you don't remove them. Lay all the parts out on a dry towel in a well-ventilated area.

Step 2: The Alcohol Solvent Soak

Place the heavily tarred parts (usually the mesh screen and the auger) into a 9x13 inch Pyrex glass baking dish. Pour enough 99% isopropyl alcohol over the parts to submerge them completely. Let them soak for exactly 15 minutes at room temperature (around 70°F). You will actually see the alcohol turning yellow or brown as it pulls the terpenes out of the resin. Don't rush this step. The solvent needs time to break the chemical bonds.

Step 3: Mechanical Agitation

Put on a pair of nitrile gloves. Take your OXO detail brush and scrub the mesh screen while it is still submerged in the alcohol. Use short, circular motions. I recommend this because scrubbing in the liquid prevents the dissolved tar from just smearing around. For the auger, use a microfiber cloth soaked in the alcohol to wipe down the spiral grooves. You'll feel the sticky resistance fade away.

Step 4: The Emulsion Wash

Now you need to remove the alcohol and dissolved tar. Take the parts to the sink and spray them generously with Dawn Powerwash. The surfactants in the Powerwash will grab onto the oil-soluble tar molecules and make them water-soluble. Scrub everything with a standard sponge for about 2 minutes. Rinse with warm water at roughly 100°F. The water should run completely clear.

Step 5: Drying and Reassembly

Shake off the excess water and place the parts on a clean, dry dish towel. Let them air dry for at least 45 minutes. Moisture trapped in the micro-mesh can cause rust spots on cheaper stainless steel screens. Once bone dry, reassemble the machine and run a single apple through it to clear out any microscopic debris. Discard that first batch of juice.

Alternative Methods

Sometimes the alcohol soak doesn't get everything, especially if the tar has been sitting for weeks. If you're dealing with a massive buildup, try these backup methods. I've tested both on my own equipment.

The Freezer Shock Technique

Plant tar becomes incredibly brittle at low temperatures. Place your tar-covered juicer screen inside a ziplock bag and put it in the freezer for 45 minutes. Set your freezer to 0°F if possible. Once the resin is frozen solid, take the screen out and flex the plastic housing slightly. The brittle tar will crack and flake off the mesh. Use a dull butter knife to gently pop the larger chunks off. This works brilliantly for thick, hardened sap blobs that alcohol can't penetrate quickly.

The Warm Oil Bath

If you don't want to use alcohol, food-grade mineral oil is your next best option. Heat about 2 cups of mineral oil in a saucepan until it reaches exactly 140°F. Use a kitchen thermometer to check this. Carefully submerge the tarred parts in the warm oil for 20 minutes. The heat softens the resin while the oil dissolves the sticky bonds. It's highly effective, but I'll be honest, this takes elbow grease to wash the oil off afterward. You'll need to use the Dawn Powerwash twice to get the parts from greasy to squeaky clean.

Prevention Tips

Cleaning tar out of a juicer is a massive headache. Avoiding it in the first place is much easier. If you have friends who constantly ask you to juice weird roots, bark, and wild herbs, set some ground rules.

• Pre-grind resinous materials: Never put whole pine needles or sticky herbs directly into the chute. Use a dedicated coffee grinder to break them down first, then mix the powder with high-water fruits like cucumbers.
• Use a dedicated machine: If you regularly make fresh-pressed cannabis extracts or wild pine sap tonics, buy a cheap $40 masticating juicer just for that purpose. Keep your expensive Breville 800JEXL strictly for standard fruits and vegetables.
• Oil the auger beforehand: Before juicing sticky herbs, lightly coat the plastic auger with food-grade mineral oil. This creates a non-stick barrier that prevents the tar from bonding directly to the plastic.
• Clean immediately: Never let a juicer sit unwashed after processing resinous plants. The terpenes will oxidize and harden into a shell within 20 minutes.

FAQ

Can I use Goo Gone to clean my juicer screen?

No, you should never use standard Goo Gone on food preparation equipment. It contains petroleum distillates that are toxic if ingested and will permanently ruin the plastic components. Stick to food-safe solvents like 99% isopropyl alcohol or food-grade mineral oil.

Will 99% isopropyl alcohol melt the plastic parts?

Brief exposure to 99% isopropyl alcohol will not melt high-quality juicer plastics like Tritan or Ultem. However, leaving the parts to soak for several hours can cause the plastic to become cloudy and brittle over time. Keep your soak times under 20 minutes to protect your investment.

What if the tar is actual asphalt or roofing tar?

If your juicer somehow came into contact with petroleum-based asphalt or roofing tar, you must throw away all plastic, silicone, and mesh components. Petroleum toxins bind permanently to porous food-grade plastics and cannot be safely washed out. You can only salvage the heavy metal motor base by wiping it down with a commercial degreaser.

Why did my dishwasher make the tar worse?

Dishwashers use high heat and water, which is the exact wrong combination for plant resins. The 140°F heat melts the tar, while the water forces it deeper into the microscopic holes of the mesh screen before it cools and hardens again. Always hand-wash juicer parts that have been exposed to sticky saps.