One of the most practical and adaptable kitchen equipment available is the toaster oven. They can cook little quantities of nearly anything you could prepare in an oven, making them ideal for a small apartment or dorm.
When was the last time you cleaned your toaster oven? Is it days, weeks, months, or possibly never? No criticism intended everyone’s been guilty of letting go for far too long without cleaning their toaster ovens.
It’s simple to understand why this reasonably priced, the straightforward appliance has become a staple in kitchens of all sizes and shapes.
Almost anything may be prepared in a toaster oven, from cooking meat and veggies to crisping up leftover pizza.
A toaster oven can appear difficult to clean, just like many other kitchen appliances. It makes sense that using the liquid cleaner on something with electrical components would be terrifying.
Toaster ovens, however, can accumulate grease, food splatters, and crumbs over time and possibly even catch fire.
But do not worry, in just a few minutes, you could have yours looking brand new. Continue reading to learn the proper method for cleaning a toaster oven.
Contents
Precautions Before You Start
It takes only a few minutes to clean a toaster oven, and it’s not as difficult as it might sound. Your kitchens likely contain cleaning supplies like a sponge or soft cloth. The best techniques to clean a toaster oven are listed below.
Cleaning a toaster oven that is plugged inputs one in danger of receiving an electric shock. Before beginning the cleaning process, you should make sure the toaster oven is cool.
The interior should be cleaned first while cleaning. Use the soft side of your sponge rather than the green scouring side because the latter could harm the inside of a toaster oven.
With the aid of vinegar or baking soda, you can wipe down and clean the interior. Your toaster oven’s interior stains can be removed with the aid of vinegar and baking soda.
Materials Needed To Clean A Toaster Oven
Cleaning your toaster oven doesn’t require sophisticated supplies or equipment. Most likely, you already possess all you require-
As a general rule, avoid using excessive amounts of liquid. Electric appliances like toasters can be harmed by fluids since they include more delicate electrical parts.
Things you’ll need are as follows-
- The sponge that won’t scratch
- A dish towel or a cloth made of microfibre
- Hand soap
- Baking soda or all-purpose cleanser
- Warm water
- Cleaning gloves are optional
- Old newspapers
Preparing The Cleaning Solution
- Two tablespoons of vinegar
- Half cup of water are required to make the cleaning solution
- Squeeze your sponge vigorously
- Remove all the drips after thoroughly dipping it in the vinegar mixture
- Wipe the inside of the toaster oven using the soft side of your sponge.
- Make sure to clean any stains or leftover material from the toaster oven’s inner walls and ceiling.
It could take some time to thoroughly clean the inside of the toaster oven using baking soda. To do it, mix water and baking soda into a paste, then spread it inside the toaster oven.
Then, let it sit for at least almost an hour before carefully removing it with a soft towel.
How To Clean The Inside Of The Toaster Oven
The insides of a toatser oven could be cleaned in the following easy steps-
- Place a piece of newspaper or a paper shopping bag under your toaster oven to catch crumbs and other particles while you clean.
- Take the cooking tray, rack, and crumb tray out, then go to the sink in the kitchen.
- Don’t be afraid to reach in there and scrub to remove the buildup; just use warm water and dish soap to clean the pieces.
- If you haven’t cleaned your toaster oven in a while (or ever), you might want to give it a nice soak. Let’s return to the oven for a while.
- Swipe the interior of your toaster oven with a sponge after dipping it in the bowl.
A nonstick interior’s coating could be damaged if you scrape it too vigorously. Keep away from the burners and be careful not to get anything too wet.
Your toaster’s internal ceiling with a scrubber. To look inside and scrape it clean, you might need to bend over (or turn it over) because it’s rarely nonstick. To get rid of residue, cleanly wipe the interior using a moist cloth.
How To Clean Toaster Oven Racks And Trays
Trays and racks in a toaster oven are readily detachable to make cleaning easier. The majority of the debris under the toaster oven is handled by the crumb tray.
Clean up the residue and dispose of it in the sink or garbage. The greasy residue tray can be cleaned using a sponge and dishwashing detergent.
Follow the below step-by-step procedure-
- To collect any extra crumbs, set your toast maker on some newspaper.
- Take out the rack, baking pan, and crumb tray.
- They should be cleaned with dish soap, warm water, and a sponge or dish towel.
- Avoid using rough scouring pads since they will damage the toaster oven’s finish.
- If there are noticeable food stains or splatters, soak the affected areas in warm water overnight before cleaning them.
- As you clean the rest of the toaster oven, leave the cleaned items to air dry after you’re done cleaning them.
How To Remove Tough Grease Spots
The toaster oven’s little pan, which tucks neatly beneath the grill, is made to collect any crumbs, spills, and drips from food items that slide in and out of the device.
You can be posing a fire risk if you let food scraps, greasy blotches, and cheese globs accumulate on the toaster oven pan’s surface.
Regularly cleaning the little pan helps keep the toaster oven from getting so dirty that it interferes with its performance, saving time and effort when that happens.
As soon as the grease spill happens, remove the pan and scrub it vigorously to remove any baked-on grease.
Remove the pan completely after each use, then clean it with a damp cloth or sponge dipped in a small amount of gentle liquid dish soap.
The bottom of the toaster oven should also be cleaned with a damp, soapy sponge to get rid of any stray crumbs or oily drips.
Before using the toaster oven, completely wipe away any soapy residue with a damp, clean cloth.
How To Clean A Toaster Oven Glass Door
Grease splatters and food particles cause the glass of your toaster oven to become dirty on the inside, and messy hands cause dirt on the outside.
You only need a cleaning cloth, baking soda, and water to remove the baked-on grime from your toaster oven’s glass.
- Make a thick paste in a bowl by combining a few teaspoons of baking soda with water.
- Clean the glass by dampening a cloth, dipping it into the cleaning paste, and spreading the paste all over the surface.
- Give the baking soda two hours to work on the grime.
- Cleanse your rag after rinsing it, then remove the baking soda paste.
- Use a sponge that has been dampened to gently scrub away tough buildup and stains.
- To remove the residue, finish by wiping the area with a clean, damp cloth.
End Result
Make sure everything is totally dry after you’ve cleaned every component of your toaster oven before plugging it back in to resume enjoying warm bagels or baked goodies.
Wiping down your toaster oven after each user is the best way to keep it clean. Once food has been baked onto the appliance’s surface, cleaning it becomes considerably more challenging.
Once it has cooled, disconnect your toaster oven, clean the internal walls, crumb tray, and any other removable elements with a moist sponge, and then reinstall them into the device after they have dried.
You should always make sure to take safety precautions before performing any activity, including cleaning electrical appliances, because it could be dangerous.
Your product may become permanently damaged if you use inappropriate techniques or tools.
Here are some precautions you should make during the cleaning process:
- Make sure there is no electrical supply inside the toaster oven, otherwise, it might result in a dangerous accident like getting electrocuted
- To simply remove the crumbs and other material from your toaster oven, make sure you are cleaning it in a different spot than normal
- After cleaning, be sure to completely remove any remaining baking soda
- The heating elements should be cleaned with care as needed
- To avoid scratching the surface of your toaster oven, do not use stainless steel scrubbing pads inside or outside of it
- Do not submerge your toaster oven in water. Before wiping or cleaning the interior, always soak out the water
- Applying tin foil to the crumb tray could provide a fire risk. Kindly, avoid doing this
Conclusion
There is no correct figure to follow when determining how frequently to deep clean your toaster oven. It depends on how frequently you use it, as each user may result in a greater buildup of residue.
Despite not being used for heavy-duty cooking like a full oven, a toaster oven nonetheless accumulates a substantial amount of grease. Therefore, everyone needs to understand how to thoroughly clean a toaster oven.
