Toaster. What comes to mind when you hear that word, toaster?
Speaking for myself, toast.
Not once have I considered to myself that actually, not only should I think of toast but of the toaster itself. We clean our oven, microwave and heck our sink. Why has the toaster never come to mind in the every-daily clean down?
I think it all boils down to a few things; we never tend to look inside our toaster. We only use the toaster for toast, naturally. The usage is so limited it actually lends weight to the unforgiving, merciless state we allow them to come to.
Did you know toasters can catch fire? They are electrical appliances which generate enormous amounts of heat. Put another way, leaving a toaster to become dirty and clogged up is rather akin to letting a candle burn, unsupervised, near your curtains.
Well, to prevent your morning toast being sullied by a dirty toaster. To prevent your appliance catching fire. To put another spanner in the cog of preventable fires, heed our advice:
Optional – Turn the toaster on, allowing it to heat up any debris inside for easier removal. Wait until the toaster is fully cool before continuing.
Skipped the heat-up option? Start here:
- Unplug your toaster, remove the plug from the wall socket and ensure it is kept away from the area you’ll be cleaning the toaster.
- If you have a crumb tray, remove it and clean it. Wash it, properly, with soap and warm water. Dry it.
- Pop your tray to the side and get the toaster, shake it over your sink and let anything loose fall free.
Now, this is where most of you would have likely called it a day. Today, we won’t be doing that as we have extra steps for you to take.
- Take a damp cloth and clean the exterior of the toaster. No good having a toaster that is clean yet looks dirty, right? Dampen the cloth with a little white vinegar. Dry off the excess cleaning solution.
And just to be clear, before proceeding with this step, the cloth must be damp and not wet. If in doubt you will need to wring the cloth until no more water / vinegar can be squeezed out before using the cloth.
- Take your pick of tool, we recommend acquiring a new manual toothbrush designated for the job. Get the bristles damp with vinegar again, then scrub the interior of the now-cool toaster.
This will work wonders; you’ll just need to put some elbow grease into it, and you’ll have a new looking, feeling fresh toaster roaring and ready for your offering of bread! Importantly, remember to ensure the toaster is completely dry before using or plugging it in.
But remember, your toaster must be completely dry before plugging it in or using it afterwards. It must not be damp or wet anywhere before continuing its use! Not ensuring complete dryness beforehand can lead to damaged appliances and even cause further issues than what you set out to fix!
What’s left to do now? Remember, your toaster is an appliance that is subject to heavy use. Maintaining its cleanliness is hygienic and helps keep any nasty bits off your otherwise perfectly fine toast whilst indeed helping to prevent potential toaster fires.
Looking for more tips to clean your appliances? read our cleaning guide
