Toaster ovens provide us the choice to avoid using our regular-sized ovens for tiny tasks, and they also replace the necessity for the toaster, another compact but one-use equipment. However, toaster ovens can get the same crumbs and grease splatters as a regular oven. Cleaning up these mistakes in your toaster oven is important for safety reasons in addition to cleanliness. Here are how to clean toaster oven to complete the task without using harsh chemicals.
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How frequently should a toaster oven be cleaned?
After each use, check your toaster oven to make sure nothing has fallen onto or close to the heating element. Never attempt to remove anything before the heating element is completely cool, and never use metal utensils within your appliance.
Making a visual check after each usage (and performing these quick cleanings as soon as it’s safe to do so) will help prevent food from touching the heating element and setting it on fire. This straightforward practice also prevents oil from baking onto the inside of your toaster oven, which would otherwise make deep cleaning it more difficult than necessary.
If you use your toaster oven every day, in addition to lightly cleaning it after each use, you should schedule a deep cleaning once a week (or clean your toaster oven less often if it gets less use). Making the work a part of your regular kitchen maintenance tasks can help you remember to complete it.
How to clean toaster oven?
Step 1: Unplug it
Priorities first According to Cindy Fisher, the lead test engineer for countertop appliances at Consumer Reports, you should always unplug your toaster oven before you start cleaning it. Before moving on to step two, unplug the device from the power source and make sure the oven is cool.
Step 2: Discard and Clean the Components
Remove the metal tray, rack, and lower crumb tray from the toaster oven and put them in the sink after setting it on a piece of newspaper to catch the crumbs. To clean these components, use water and dish soap. Fisher advises soaking these removable items in the sink all night to get rid of any difficult stains. While you clean the remainder of the appliance, let them totally dry.
Step 3: Utilize a Homemade Cleaner
Use vinegar, warm water, and a little dish soap to make your own cleaning solution for the toaster oven’s interior. Fisher advises using a moist sponge to apply it to the interior, but to avoid getting any liquid on the heating elements.
Step 4: Apply elbow grease
Some toaster ovens include nonstick or porcelain enamel inside, which makes cleaning them a little bit simpler. However, harsh cleaners and metal scouring pads can harm it. Instead, clean the inside of your toaster oven with a sponge, a towel, or an old rag. Use a plastic scouring pad for tough stains, advises Klein.
Step 5: Repetition if Required
Our engineer suggests cleaning up any difficult-to-remove food particles after using your toaster oven. Fisher suggests cleaning the oven while it’s still somewhat heated. But once more, make sure to disconnect it first.
She suggests cleaning the inside of your toaster oven and washing off the exterior after each usage. It could be time to think about a newer model if you’ve neglected yours for too long and discover that the coating is worn out or the oven isn’t operating as effectively as it once did.
How to Clean the Heating Elements in a Toaster?
Cleaning the toaster oven heating elements requires extra care. Make sure everything is absolutely cool and that the unit is disconnected by checking again. Don’t scrub the elements too hard or use any kind of cleaner on them. Wipe them off carefully with a moist rag. Use a gentle brush and baking soda paste to remove any baked-on food. Make careful to properly rinse it off before drying it.
What is a toaster oven that cleans itself?
At this point, a self-cleaning toaster oven may seem enticing. There is one available, but it’s not as thrilling as it initially appears. A self-cleaning toaster oven is one that features an interior nonstick coating, which unquestionably makes cleaning it simpler. Your appliance will still require routine cleaning and crumb removal.
How Can Baked-On Grease Be Removed From A Toaster Oven?
Use a paste made of baking soda and water to remove the fat that has been baked. Apply it with a brush and leave it for many hours. After that, scrub with an SOS pad and a wire brush. There will undoubtedly be a lot of cleaning required. Finally, use paper towels soaked in hot water to remove the grease. Sadly, this procedure uses a lot of paper towels. Use a sponge if you’d like, but make sure to run hot water down your drain to rinse out any accumulated grease.
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