The short answer: most pasta makers should never go under the tap or in the dishwasher. You let the leftover dough dry, then brush it off. Water gets into the rollers and gears, where it can cause rust, and wet flour turns into paste in places a brush can’t reach. Electric extruders are the exception, because their shaping discs and mixing parts are designed to be washed.
The steps below follow what the makers themselves say for each type of machine. We link to their instructions at the end, and your own manual comes first if it says something different.
Can you wash a pasta maker with water?
Not a manual roller or a stand mixer attachment. Marcato, the company that makes the Atlas machines, says its products must never be washed under running water or in a dishwasher. KitchenAid says the same for its pasta roller and cutters, and adds that you should never immerse them in any liquid. Electric extruders are different: Philips says the detachable parts of its pasta makers can be rinsed with washing-up liquid, and most can go in the dishwasher.
| Type | Water | Dishwasher | What to clean it with |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manual hand-crank roller (Marcato Atlas, Imperia and similar) | No, except the removable combs and scrapers, in cold water | No | Dry cloth and a soft brush |
| KitchenAid pasta roller and cutter attachments | No | No | The cleaning brush that comes with them; a toothpick for stuck bits |
| Electric extruder (Philips and similar) | Detachable parts yes; main unit no | Most detachable parts, below 60 °C / 140 °F | The supplied cleaning tool for the discs; dry cloth for the body |
How do you clean a manual pasta machine?
Let the dough dry first, then brush it away. Fresh dough smears; dry dough flakes off. This works for the Marcato Atlas, the Imperia and most hand-crank rollers built the same way.
- Take off the crank and the clamp. The machine is easier to turn over and reach into without them.
- Wipe the outside with a dry cloth. Get the flour off the body and the thickness knob.
- Brush the rollers and the cutter. A soft, dry brush reaches between the cutter blades. A pastry brush or a clean toothbrush both work. Turn the crank slowly while you brush so you reach the whole surface.
- For a deep clean, remove the scrapers. Marcato says the rollers can be cleaned thoroughly by removing the scrapers underneath. On King Arthur’s Atlas 150 cutter, that means pushing out four metal rods and lifting off four plastic combs. The combs and scrapers can be washed in cold water, or with a food-safe surface disinfectant.
- Dry every part completely before you put the scrapers and rods back.
Check your manual before you take anything apart: it tells you which parts on your model are meant to come off.
How do you clean a KitchenAid pasta roller attachment?
KitchenAid’s own steps are simple: let the parts air dry for about an hour, then remove the dried dough with the cleaning brush that comes with the attachment. If a piece won’t come off, tap the attachment with your hand, and use a toothpick if you have to. Polish it with a soft, dry cloth and store it somewhere dry at room temperature.
What not to do matters as much here. KitchenAid says not to wash or soak the attachments, not to put them in the dishwasher, not to run a dish towel or any cloth through the rollers, and not to use knives, screwdrivers or other sharp objects to dig dough out.
How do you clean an electric pasta maker?
An electric extruder is the one pasta maker you do wash. For its own machines, Philips suggests:
- Let the dough left in the discs dry before you clean them.
- Use the supplied cleaning tool to push the dough out of the disc holes.
- Wash the detachable parts with washing-up liquid. Don’t use the abrasive side of a sponge or harsh cleaners.
- If you use the dishwasher, pick a program below 60 °C (140 °F) and remove the bigger pieces of dough first. The front panel of some models can’t go in.
- Wipe the main unit and the control panel with a dry cloth, and never put the main unit in water.
Other brands work differently, so check which parts your manual lists as dishwasher safe.
What about wooden pasta tools?
Gnocchi boards, wooden cutters and drying racks need the same approach: scrape or brush off the dough once it’s dry and wipe the wood with a slightly damp cloth if needed. The Küchenprofi wooden tagliatelle cutter, for example, is listed as hand wash and towel dry. Don’t leave wood to soak, and let it dry fully before you put it away.
Why is my pasta machine squeaking or stiff?
Usually because the gears need a little oil. KitchenAid recommends one drop of light mineral oil in each of the four far corners of the rollers or cutters, once a year or after about 50 uses, on a clean attachment. King Arthur’s test kitchen uses a couple of drops of mineral oil on its Atlas when it squeaks. Use a food-safe oil and wipe off any extra so it doesn’t end up in the dough.
How should you store a pasta maker?
Clean it before you put it away, and keep it somewhere dry. Moisture is what causes rust on the rollers, and flour left inside can attract pantry pests. Keeping the original box, or wrapping the machine in a dry cloth, keeps dust off the rollers between uses.
Quick checklist
- Let the dough dry before cleaning.
- Brush, don’t wash, rollers and attachments.
- Only removable combs, scrapers and extruder parts get water, and only if your manual says so.
- No knives, screwdrivers or cloths through the rollers.
- A drop of mineral oil when it squeaks or stiffens.
- Store it dry.
Looking for pasta tools?
Our pasta making tools page has a short list of rollers, extruders, ravioli presses, gnocchi boards and drying racks still sold on Amazon, with a guide to which type suits you. For the basics, see essential tools for making homemade pasta.
