Proven Fixes: How to Get Tar Out of Blender in 2026

Immediate Action (First 5 Minutes)

When you realize you've just blended roofing tar or pine tar instead of a morning smoothie, panic sets in. I've been there. I once used my old Osterizer to mix a small batch of driveway crack filler, and the motor nearly seized. Don't turn the blender back on. If the tar is still wet, running the blades will just smear the sticky black mess deeper into the rubber gasket and the blade housing. Unplug the base immediately.

Put on a pair of 4-mil nitrile gloves. Grab a wooden popsicle stick or a plastic spatula. Scrape out as much of the bulk tar as humanly possible. Toss that scraped tar into a metal coffee can. Never throw wet tar directly into your plastic kitchen trash. It will melt through the bag and ruin your floor. If you're doing this in the kitchen, open a window right now. The fumes from fresh tar are no joke.

What You'll Need (Tools and Products)

You can't just use Dawn dish soap on petroleum-based tar. It won't cut it. I've tested dozens of solvents over the last ten years of contracting work. Here is the exact loadout you need to dissolve this mess without melting the plastic pitcher. This isn't the cheapest option, but it's the only one that actually works.

• WD-40 Multi-Use Product ($6-8): The absolute best pre-soak to loosen the initial bond.
• Klean-Strip Odorless Mineral Spirits ($12-15): Your primary dissolving agent. Don't use paint thinner; it's too harsh on plastics.
• Dawn Ultra Dish Soap ($4): Essential for the final emulsion flush.
• Wooden Popsicle Sticks ($3 for 100): Never use metal utensils. They will scratch the BPA-free Tritan plastic.
• 3M Nitrile Gloves ($15 for 50): Tar stains skin for weeks. Protect your hands.
• Old Toothbrush ($2): For detailing the blade assembly threads.

Solvent Comparison Table

Solvent Type	Effectiveness on Tar	Plastic Safety	Average Cost
Mineral Spirits	Excellent	Safe (Short-term)	$12-15 / Gallon
WD-40	Very Good	Very Safe	$6-8 / Can
Acetone	Excellent	DANGER (Melts Plastic)	$8-10 / Quart
Citrus Degreaser	Fair	Very Safe	$10-12 / Bottle

Step-by-Step Removal

I'll be honest, this takes elbow grease and your kitchen will smell like a gas station for a day. Do this in a garage if you can. If you must do it inside, turn on your stove's exhaust fan to the maximum setting.

Step 1: The WD-40 Pre-Soak (15 Minutes)

Spray the inside of the blender pitcher heavily with WD-40. Coat the blades completely. Let it sit for exactly 15 minutes. The penetrating oil breaks the surface tension of the tar. Don't skip this step. I've tried going straight to mineral spirits, and it just clumps up.

Step 2: The Mineral Spirits Agitation

Pour out the loose WD-40 into your metal waste can. Add 2 cups of odorless mineral spirits to the pitcher. Secure the lid tightly. Pulse the blender for exactly 3 seconds. Do not run it continuously. The friction creates heat, and mineral spirits flash at around 105°F. Keep it cool. Repeat this 3-second pulse five times. You'll see the liquid turn dark brown.

Step 3: The Emulsion Flush

Pour the dirty solvent into your hazardous waste container. Now, squirt a massive amount of Dawn Ultra directly onto the blades. Add 1 cup of hot tap water (around 110°F, not boiling). Blend on high for 30 seconds. The soap binds to the remaining oily residue and lifts it off the plastic walls. Dump the soapy sludge.

Step 4: Gasket and Blade Detailing

This is where most people fail. Tar hides in the rubber O-ring. If your blender blade assembly unscrews from the bottom, take it apart. Soak the rubber gasket in a small bowl of mineral spirits for 5 minutes. Scrub the threads with your old toothbrush. If your blades don't unscrew, wrap a rag soaked in solvent around a chopstick and dig into the crevices.

Step 5: The Final Soap Run

Rinse everything with warm water. Add a few drops of dish soap and warm water. Blend for 20 seconds to clear out any lingering chemical taste. Rinse thoroughly and let it air dry upside down on a towel. Inspect the blades with a flashlight. If you see black specks, repeat Step 4.

Alternative Methods

Sometimes you don't have mineral spirits on hand, or you're dealing with a specific type of tar. Here are two backup methods I've used on job sites when supplies run low.

Method 1: The Freezer Shock (Best for Pine Tar)

If you were mixing pine tar for baseball bats or woodworking, petroleum solvents won't work well. Pine tar is resin-based. Put the entire blender pitcher in your garage freezer (not your food freezer) for 4 hours. The extreme cold makes the pine tar brittle. Take it out and aggressively tap the outside of the plastic with a rubber mallet. The tar will shatter like glass and flake off the blades. Vacuum up the shards immediately.

Method 2: Heavy-Duty Citrus Degreaser Soak

If you're strictly against using petroleum distillates inside your house, grab a bottle of Zep Heavy-Duty Citrus Degreaser. Fill the blender to the 4-cup line. Let it soak for 12 hours. This isn't the fastest method, but the d-limonene in the citrus slowly eats away at the asphalt bonds. You'll need to scrub the blades manually afterward, but it saves your lungs from harsh fumes.

Prevention Tips

When your landlord inspects next week, you don't want them finding a ruined appliance in the trash. Prevent this mess from happening again.

• Buy a Thrift Store Blender: Go to Goodwill and buy a $15 Hamilton Beach specifically for garage projects. Never use your kitchen Ninja for chemicals.
• Use a Sacrificial Liner: If you must mix small batches of tar, line the pitcher with a heavy-duty 6-mil contractor bag. Tape the edges over the rim. The blades will puncture it, but it contains 90% of the splashback.
• Spray Before Pouring: Coat the inside of the pitcher with a light layer of cooking spray or WD-40 before adding tar. It creates a non-stick barrier that makes cleanup take 2 minutes instead of 2 hours.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use boiling water to melt the tar?

No, boiling water will warp the plastic pitcher and won't dissolve petroleum tar. Tar requires a chemical solvent to break down its molecular bonds, not just heat. Stick to room-temperature mineral spirits for the safest results.

Is it safe to use the blender for food after cleaning?

I strongly advise against using it for food again, even after a thorough cleaning. Porous plastics and rubber gaskets absorb toxic petroleum distillates that you can't fully wash out. Buy a new $40 Ninja for your kitchen and keep this one in the garage.

What if the tar has been sitting in the blender for months?

Hardened tar requires a much longer chemical soak to rehydrate. Fill the pitcher to the tar line with WD-40 and let it sit for 48 hours in a well-ventilated garage. Once it turns to sludge, proceed with the standard mineral spirits steps.

Will mineral spirits melt my blender's plastic pitcher?

Standard BPA-free Tritan plastics used in modern blenders can handle short-term exposure to mineral spirits. However, leaving it to soak for more than an hour will cause clouding and micro-fractures. Always limit your solvent contact time to under 20 minutes.