The Brilliant TikTok Hair-Dryer Hack To Cleaning Out a Toaster Removes Crumbs No Amount of Shaking Can!
Plus, the best way to remove melted cheese, burnt bits and more!
Enjoying a warm, crispy bagel fresh from the toaster is one of the best ways to start your day. But when was the last time you remembered to throughly clean this handy kitchen appliance? Knowing how to clean a toaster (and doing it often!) will help avoid the buildup of crumbs and food stains that become a struggle to get rid of over time.
Making it a habit to regularly clean your toaster will also ensure it’s always in tip-top shape and does its job well. Not to mention, it will be less likely to set off that noisy smoke detector — or worse, catch fire. A clean toaster is better equipped to toast your food evenly, without burning it. So, let’s dive into a few tips and tricks for tackling messy toasters that will make it less of a chore.
Can you wash a toaster in the sink?
It might seem convenient to wash a toaster in the sink to catch any crumbs or food debris, but rinsing under the faucet is definitely not the safest way to go. Excess amounts of water can get trapped inside of the machine and if it doesn’t dry off properly before being plugged back in, that dampness can cause a short circuit.
Also, remember to unplug the machine before cleaning for safety reasons and so that you won’t have trouble moving it around during the process.
How to clean and sanitize a toaster
Leaving crumbs, burnt on pieces of food, and other stains on your toaster is an easy way for germs and bacteria to grow. If any of this gets on to the piece of food that you’re toasting, it might make you sick with food poisoning. Plus, a dirty toaster can be dangerous to use because the food particles will heat up and could cause the machine to catch on fire.
So to avoid any kitchen disasters or an upset stomach, follow Howcast’s step-by-step guide on how to clean a toaster:
- Unplug the toaster and place it near the sink for easy clean up.
- Brush off any crumbs that might be in or around the top of the toaster slots.
- If your toaster has a removable crumb tray, take it out from underneath the machine and dump the debris into your sink or a nearby trash can.
- Clean the tray with a sponge and mild soap. Rinse off the excess soapy water and dry it off.
- If your toaster model doesn’t have a crumb tray or there’s any remaining bits left inside of the machine, turn it upside down over the sink and shake it a few times to get rid of them.
- Once those are out, insert the crumb tray back into its place.
- Wipe the outside of your toaster clean with a one-to-one ratio of white vinegar to water on the cloth.
- Your toaster is now ready to use again!
TikTok cleaning pro Melissa Pateras suggests you use a hair dryer to remove crumbs. Yes, you read that right! Simply blow the hair dryer over the toaster to blow out leftover crumbs. The powerful blast of air will help release even the tiniest, most stubborn bits of bread. She then follows up with an old toothbrush to get anything stuck in the grates. Take a look:
How to clean a toaster with cheese in it
While it’s fun to make cheesy meals in the toaster oven (pizza bagels anyone?), removing the resulting melty cheese from the appliance is no fun. Luckily, a little patience and some extra elbow grease can help remove even the most stubborn cheese. Take it from professional cleaner Jennifer Betts, who gave Love to Know her three simple steps for how to clean a toaster with cheese:
- Unplug the toaster and allow it to cool down to solidify the melted cheese.
- Once it’s solid, use a spatula or wooden spoon to scrape or pop it off carefully.
- After removing it, use a soft, clean toothbrush to remove any residue on the bars.
How to clean a toaster oven inside
Toaster ovens are more spacious than regular toasters, which not only allows you to crisp things up but also fully cook a meal. As nice as that it is, this means clean up can be a little bit harder with more intense food stains.
“People use their toaster ovens for everything from roasting meats to baking casseroles,” Laurie Klein, a home economist for Hamilton Beach, said to Consumer Reports. “So the inside of a toaster oven could have a build up of grease and various food splatters, which could ignite with high temperatures.”
With all that in mind, it can seem intimidating to clean a toaster oven at first. Thankfully, Cindy Fisher, lead test engineer for countertop appliances for Consumer Reports, shared her tips for making it easy:
- Unplug the machine from the outlet.
- Sit the toaster oven on a few pieces of newspaper to catch any crumbs, then remove the metal tray, rack, and lower crumb tray and place them in the sink. Use dish soap and water to wash these parts with a sponge. If there’s stubborn stains on these removable pieces, you can leave them in the sink to soak overnight. Let them dry completely while you clean the rest of the oven.
- Make a DIY cleaning solution from white vinegar, water, and dish soap for the interior of the toaster oven. Use your best judgement on the ratios, but equal parts of the vinegar and water with about a teaspoon of mild dish soap should do the trick. “Apply that to the interior with a damp sponge,” Cindy said. “But try not to get any of the liquid on the heating elements.”
- Use a sponge or cloth to throughly wipe down your toaster oven.
- Repeat this step if needed.
Fisher recommends wiping down the exterior of your toaster oven and cleaning the interior after every use.
How to clean burn marks off toaster oven
Similar to stuck-on bits of melted cheese, burn marks on a stainless steel toaster require something a little more powerful to completely remove them. In this case, the experts at Simply Maid suggest grabbing baking soda, which is known to remove stains and make stainless steel items shine like new. Mix equal amounts of baking soda and water until it forms a paste, then spread it on the areas where it looks scorched.
Next, let the paste sit for at least 15 minutes before you start scrubbing it with a damp sponge. Once you’ve removed the burn marks from the machine, you can wipe it down with a moist clean rag to remove any lingering bits of the baking soda before you dry it off. This easy DIY tip gives your stainless steel toaster a new life so it can continue to shine on your kitchen counter.
As a finishing touch, try using a Magic Eraser to quickly clean its glass door. Your toaster oven will look as good as new!
Related: Home Pro’s Genius Fan Trick Helps Get the Smell of Burnt Food Out of Your House
Find more kitchen cleaning tips here:
How To Clean a Wooden Cutting Board + the Salt Trick That Wipes Out Stubborn Stains
The Best Way To Clean a Stainless Steel Sink? Plain Old Flour, Says Cleaning Pro
How To Clean Your Ice Maker So Your Ice Cubes Stop Giving Your Drinks an Off Taste
Cleaning Pro: The Easy Secret to Whisking Away Melted Plastic On Your Stovetop
