How Do I Clean A Toaster

I’m not sure if you’ve ever seen the TikTok of the mum washing the toaster in the sink but it certainly had our cleaning team on edge! It’s funny and scary all at the same time. So you may be wondering how do I clean a toaster, safely?

Let’s be honest, cleaning the toaster isn’t high on the to-do list but it is easy and shouldn’t take too long – 10 minutes at best. It is important to prevent any germ build-up inside your toaster. Turning your toaster upside down and shaking it will remove the crumbs but it’s not cleaning it. Believe it or not, toasters can become dirty over time, accumulating dust, grime, bread and even insects.

It is important to clean your toaster regularly, if you continue to neglect it, over time it can become a fire hazard. To answer the question – how do I clean a toaster, let us teach you the best way without burning or electrocuting yourself!

How Do I Clean A Toaster – Inside and Out

Before you start you will need, dishwashing liquid, vinegar, sponges, microfibre cloth, a non-abrasive scrubbing pad, a pastry brush and an old toothbrush. 

Safety first! When cleaning any electrical appliance make sure to disconnect it from all sources of electricity. Unplug your toaster from the wall, make sure it is completely cooled before you start cleaning.

The process can get a little messy, if you don’t want crumbs spilling all over your kitchen bench or floor, we suggest creating a crumb catcher. This can be your sink or bin, it is the most effective way to catch the crumbs as they fall, minimising the clean up when you are finished.

Remove and Clean the Crumb Tray

Your first step is to remove the crumb tray at the bottom of your toaster, it should be easy to remove. They are designed to catch leftover crumbs in the toasting process.

Shake out the trays removing excess debris. Then simply wash the tray with warm soapy water. You can use a toothbrush to remove any stubborn debris stuck from the corners of the tray.
Set your trays aside to dry thoroughly.

Brush Away Crumbs

Shaking your toaster upside down over the bin or sink will remove the loose crumbs and debris. Likely, you will still be left with more crumbs on the inner parts of your toaster. These are hard to reach places, use your pastry brush to get into the slots and give the toaster a thorough sweep. The tough bristles of your pastry brush should be strong enough to remove the excess grime and crumbs without causing any damage to the inner machinery.

Moving to the Outside

Use a damp soapy cloth, wipe over the outside of your toaster, including every button, lever and knob to give your device a thorough external clean. If your toaster is greasy or has extra grime on the top, use a non-abrasive scrubbing pad, giving it a gentle scrub and polish.

You may be thinking, how do I clean a toaster if it’s stainless steel, using vinegar is an effective method to bring back the shine. Combine equal parts vinegar and water with a small drop of soap, spray it onto your cloth and wipe over your toaster. You can use this method to clean other stainless steel appliances in your home.

Re-assemble

By the time you have finished cleaning your toaster, your crumb tray should be dry. Put it back into the toaster, then spray and wipe your benches to make sure all your surfaces are crystal clear.

With your toaster gleaming, enjoy your next toast knowing you’ve minimised germ buildup and fire risks.

Set Your Cleaning Routine

Similar to maintaining cleanliness with other kitchen appliances such as the dishwasher, oven, range hood, refrigerator, cupboards, kettle, and countertops, ensuring your toaster is clean is vital for a safe and efficient kitchen. For frequent toaster users, a weekly cleaning routine is recommended. However, for less frequent use, a monthly cleaning schedule should suffice.

Grab your calendar and set up a weekly or monthly cleaning routine to clean your toaster. While this task is straightforward, we understand that many lead hectic lives and could benefit from some assistance. Should you wish to schedule a session with our cleaning services, we would gladly come to clean your toaster and more!