Did you know that your kitchenaide mixer attachments cannot soak in water? After I make royal or buttercream frosting I always put them in the bowl of hot water to soak - easier cleaning! Well my mixer is only a month old and I've been noticing that my vanilla cakes have had a gray streak through them. They haven't tasted bad but I really didn't like this. So I called Kitchenaide today and was told that all attachments must be handwashed (I have a silver mixer) and they cannot soak. They said that it is not a harmful material that is coming off, but still I don't want gray streaks through my cakes.. So I guess I need a new paddle attachment.. Luckily, its only $14.99!
I believe the grey material is a type of grease they use to keep the attachments easy to get on and off and free from rust and friction.I have soaked mine many times and have never had that grey greasy look.Sometime I use a dab of butter etc..to grease it up and keep it easy to get on and off.
Is this a something new - I thought I was told when I purchased mine that the attachments could go in the dishwasher. Mine is at least 8-10 years old and I put both the paddle and whip in the diswasher and have never had a problem.
I have two sets of attachments for my KA... both paddles are the white enamel kind, not the grey metal. I soak mine in hot water to get most of the frosting grease off while I clean my kitchen and then I put the parts in the dishwasher. I have never had a problem with either process.
Oh well, we live and learn, don't we? 
If your paddle and dough hook attachments are the white enamel version- they can go in the dishwasher. The whisk attachment cannot. I had one and put it in the dishwasher and even after the first time I could tell a difference. Gray stuff would come off on my hands and flake off into the bowl. And it wasn't the lubricant used on the part where the attachment goes- that's what I thought at first, but it's not. Then I went back and read my manual (I've since learned my lesson and now read those first!)- and it says all but the whisk can go in the dishwasher. However, I imagine if you have the Pro or whichever models have the other type of attachments and not the white ones, those would all have to be hand washed and not stand in water for a period of time.
I'm with KiddieKakes. I thought it was the "grease" they use for lubrication. I have not had it happen to my cakes, but I do notice that my KA does get the grease like stuff on it. I wipe down every part real good before and after I use it, just to make sure I do not get anything in my cake. Hope this made sense.
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