Best Way to Clean a simple Toaster or Toaster Oven?
Breakfast is not complete without crispy toast baked out of the toaster. Here you will learn the best way to clean a simple toaster or Toaster oven.
So, you get the tastier and safer toasts every time you want.
When do you need to Clean the Toaster?
- Pop-up Toaster: If there is daily use of a pop-up toaster, weekly cleaning is perfect to get rid of the crumbs and any other residue that could result in a burnt taste or even a fire.
- Toaster Ovens: These are not only used for making toast but much more than this. Thus, they need more frequent cleaning. For instance, if you use it to heat foods or broil other foods then you should clean it after every use, especially the food tray. However, you can clean it weekly if you only use it for the toasts.
Related: Best way to clean cooking stove burners
How to Clean a Pop-up Toaster?
First Step: First and foremost, unplug it before you attempt to clean the toaster. Because it can cause an electric shock or fire if you put anything except food into a plugged-in toaster. Once you unplugged it, make sure that it gets cool completely before starting to clean.
Second Step: After getting it cool, now take the toaster to a trash bin. Now remove the crumbs residue from its removable tray or the bottom (that can open) with the help of a pastry brush. Make sure to turn it upside down carefully and shake it to remove the crumbs from the toast slots.
Third Step: Now make a cleaning solution by simply mixing warm water and dishwashing liquid. Submerge the removable crumb tray in soapy water. Clean it well with a sponge. Now rinse it with clean water and finally, dry it well. The best tip is to opt for a dishwashing liquid that has a degreaser for the best results. As the degreaser will remove any build-up more quickly and with less effort than regular dishwashing liquid.
Fifth Step: Use the same pastry brush to remove any crumbs that are still sticking in the interior. But, always remember to not put your fingers in the slots because either it can damage your fingers or the fragile interior parts.
Sixth Step: Now, wipe down the exterior of the toaster with a sponge or dishcloth after dipping in the soapy water. Make sure the sponge is just damp, not wet. Then carefully wipe clean the dials or levers, and handles as well.
In some cases, you can remove the dials so they can be submerged in the cleaning solution.
When you get done with the soapy solution wipe cleaning, now dip the sponge in clean water to remove any soapy solution residue. Next, dry it well with a soft and velvety microfiber cloth.
Remember, use a mercantile stainless steel cleaner to make a stainless steel toaster’s exterior shine. For a streak-free shine with help of dampening a clean cloth with a pint of distilled white vinegar.
Seventh Step: The final step is to reassemble it with care. First reunite the crumb removable tray, next reset the dials’ control setting, and finally, plug in the toaster. Here, you get back your brand new pop-up toaster, again.
How to Clean a Toaster Oven?
We all know that the toaster oven is much more than toast. It is commonly used for reheating and cooking foods. Extensive cleaning is much needed for its interior.
First Step: Unplug it and ensure complete cooling of the appliance before actually starting the cleaning procedure.
Second Step: Remove and clean the tray and rack.in most cases, toaster ovens have a removable cooking tray and rack. Once detached, you can now wash them in a cleaning solution or use a dishwasher. If there is any food residue stuck, leave the parts to soak overnight in the cleaning solution for mess-free cleaning.
Third Step: Now make sure that the appliance has a good shake to remove crumbs and food residue, completely. In certain cases, you can even open the bottom of the toaster oven. Next, push away any stuck crumbs with the help of a soft pastry brush.
Fourth Step: Make a good cleaning solution at home by mixing 2 cups of hot water, a little dishwashing liquid, and 1/2 cup of distilled white vinegar.
Tip: Avoid commercial oven cleaners for interior cleaning. This can lead to interior surface damage as most interiors are made of aluminum. And, over-cleaning damages the aluminum surfaces.
Fifth Step: Wipe down the interior with a damp sponge that was dipped into the cleaning solution. Make sure that the sponge is damp, not dripping. Clean out each and every interior surface such as the walls, bottom, and ceiling.
Tip: For the burned food residue that’s not been removed, make a mix of baking soda and a pint of water. Dip a soft scrubber or sponge into that paste and scrub lightly.
Don’t ever use steel wool or any excessively abrasive scrubber or sponge, as it can leave scratches. Never try to clean the heating elements and also make sure that they don’t get overly wet during cleaning.
Sixth Step: Many toaster ovens come with a glass door. Remove all grease patches by using full-strength distilled white vinegar. Spray or wipe it on the glass and leave it for a few minutes. Next, wipe away with a soft microfiber cloth to get a streak-free sparkled glass door.
Use a melamine sponge to cut through the layers of grunge from old baked-on food or grease. Finally, wipe it with a soft cloth.
Seventh Step: Use the same cleaning solution to wipe down the exterior of the toaster oven. Remember to use a soft sponge that will not leave scratches. Have a final touch with a soft cloth dipped in vinegar to give stainless steel, an absolute shine.
Always remember to clean the dial controls. Further, the detachable dials can be washed in a cleaning solution, rinsed, and dried well.
Eighth Step: After the complete cleaning and thorough drying, reunite all parts. Now, plug in the oven for ready to use phase.
Important Tips and Tricks
- If you can trim a reusable oven liner to fit a toaster oven’s crumb tray, you can get mess-free cleaning after spillovers.
- Make sure to regularly clean the toasters and toaster ovens to get rid of any residue crumbs. As these can interfere with the internal mechanisms and keep the bread from popping up.
- Don’t place any plastic bags near these appliances, as the heat can quickly melt the plastic and can result in some mishaps.
- If it accidentally melted onto the finish of a toaster, remove it as much as you can by using a wooden or plastic scraper. Unplug the toaster and leave it to cool before cleaning any plastic residue. Next, put some baking soda on a damp sponge and scrub the affected area. Finally, wipe away with a clean damp sponge. Repeat until you make sure that no more plastic is coming off.
- Moreover, you can use acetone-based nail polish remover to perfectly clean the discoloration, if any. Also, make sure to use a cotton ball for cleaning with the said solution.
She is quite a serious blogger who likes to write on kitchen-related topics. Washi started smartkitchenlife.com to pen about kitchen guides and appliances that help in making home cooking life easier. She is also an excellent kitchen appliance reviewer who adopts a deep research approach to get the best appliance that is worth the money.
