Toaster ovens are the best alternatives to full-sized ovens that we routinely use for multi-tasking. They are the handiest kitchen appliance for cooking smaller meals, toasting bread, and versatile for reheating food.
However, do you know, if you don’t properly clean the toaster oven regularly, it accumulates the crumbs, grease, and other food residues inside of it, which can dry out over time and can catch fire!
Furthermore, these leftover particles later result in an unpleasant burnt taste and food poisoning that might be dangerous for your health.
Cleaning the toaster oven from the inside is not as difficult as it may seem. Just like cleaning your standard oven regularly, you should thoroughly clean the inside of the toaster oven at least once a week to keep it in tip-top condition and to avoid any food buildup.
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Read on to learn how to clean inside of toaster oven with expert-approved simple steps.
Related: BREVILLE BOV900BSS Review
What supplies will you need to clean the toaster oven?
You don’t need fancy intense cleaners or abrasive sponges that may damage your toaster oven sparkling finish.
Instead, you can make a homemade mixture with the present items in your kitchen. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Dish soap
- Warm water
- Vinegar
- Dry cleaning cloths
- Dishtowel
- Baking soda
- Toaster cleaning brush
- Soft sponge(Non-scratching)
1. Unplug & Let it Cool Down:
Unplug your toaster oven from the power source for safety reasons to begin cleaning. Avoid doing any cleaning if it is plugged in or on. If you do so, it may cause serious problems.
If you have used it before, let it cool down. If your toaster oven is hot and you try to clean it, it may burn you or cause some pain.
2. Remove All Parts & Wash Them in Soapy Water:
Carefully remove all trays and racks.
After that, fill your sink with warm water, add a little liquid dish soap to it, and then place all the removed parts into the soapy mixture to soak. Submerge these pieces in a warm soapy mixture for at least 15 to 20 minutes and scrub with a brush to come over any stuck food.
However, in case of serious splatters and toughest stains on these removable parts, experts recommend leaving them in soapy water to soak overnight. Leave trays and racks to air dry once you have finished washing them.
While you wait for the parts to get soaked and dry, you can continue cleaning the rest of the toaster oven.
3. Brush & Wipe Crumbs Out of Toaster Oven:
Clear all the crumbs from the toaster oven using a dry cleaning cloth. Then you can use any small pastry brush or toaster cleaning brush to wipe out any food residue or crumbs stuck in hard-to-reach corners and top of the toaster oven.
Make sure you remove all the crumbs or other small particles from the toaster oven.
4. Thoroughly Clean The Interior of Your Toaster Oven:
It is the most important step (requires little extra attention) while cleaning a toaster oven. Follow the steps below to wash the interior of a toaster oven effectively.
- Mix 1 tablespoon of dish soap and 2 tablespoons of vinegar in ½ cup warm water.
- Dip a smooth sponge in the mixture and thoroughly clean the inside and corners with a damp sponge.
- Be careful not to wet the heating elements of the toaster oven when cleaning the bottom side.
- Please avoid using any abrasive sponge, as it will badly impact the non-stick layer of your toaster oven.
5. Wipe Down The Heating Element:
After cleaning the interior of the toaster oven, gently clean the heating elements using a cleaning cloth or dish towel.
Ensure the cleaning cloth or dish towel is fully dry, not damp. If you accidentally wet heating elements, dry them gently with a dry cleaning cloth.
Remember that it is necessary to wisely clean the heating elements to maintain your toaster’s toasting quality.
6. Clean The Glass Door of Your Toaster Oven:
Cleaning the toaster oven’s glass door from the inside is challenging. After all, every stain and food splatter while cooking spread in the toaster oven, especially inside the glass door.
Avoid using harsh window cleaning sprays to maintain the shine of the glass door.
Instead, make your own mixtures with the items you already have: vinegar & baking soda. These are non-toxic cleaning agents and the best alternatives to harsh chemical cleaning products.
- Simply add ½ cup of baking soda, 1/4 cup of vinegar (4 tablespoons=1/4 cup), and mix them with water in a small bowl to create a paste.
- Don’t add too much water, as the paste may become too runny and tough to handle.
- Apply the paste to glass inside the door and leave it there for around 10 to 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes, use a damp sponge or cloth to wipe the paste away.
- Use a few squirts of dishwashing soap on a damp sponge or cloth to give a sparkling finish to the glass.
7. Reassemble Your Toaster Oven:
When you have cleaned your toaster oven’s inside and other parts, make sure each part is dry.
I recommend thoroughly drying all cleaned parts with a dry cleaning cloth before assembling back your toaster oven.
Once your toaster is thoroughly cleaned and dry, reassemble its parts and plug it back in, and be confident to enjoy your next toasting session with no grime or burnt taste!
How to keep the inside of the toaster oven clean?
It’s easy to keep the inside of the toaster oven clean when you follow a few maintenance tips routinely:
- After each use, wipe down all the food residue and crumbs out of the toaster oven to prevent any food buildup inside your toaster that could provoke a fire and burnt taste if not cleaned on time.
- Deep clean your toaster once a week for long-lasting performance (follow the seven steps mentioned above for deep cleaning).
- Please avoid using any harsh chemical cleaners unless the manufacturer suggests them.
- Please avoid using a hard-bristle brush or scratchy sponge when scrubbing to keep your appliance’s finish at its best.
- Always use a toaster cleaning brush or non-scratching sponge to eliminate the food buildup.
How often should you clean the inside of your toaster oven?
If you use it daily for cooking, reheating, and toasting, a bit of maintenance is necessary to wipe out crumbs, grease, and other food residues after each use. As for deep cleaning, you should deep clean each part of the toaster oven once a week if you are a daily user.
However, for average use, or if you use it only for toasting bread, you should simply clean it after a few uses, like when you often clean other kitchen appliances.
In addition to gently cleaning the toaster oven after a few uses, you should also do a deep clean once a month if you don’t use your toaster oven daily.
