The toaster is one of those things you can easily overlook when you’re cleaning the kitchen. But before you know it, the toaster (or toaster oven) is full of burnt crumbs and covered in buttery fingerprints. We’ve tapped cleaning pros from the Good Housekeeping Institute Home Care & Cleaning Lab for toaster cleaning tips to get your hard-working appliance sparkling again.
First things first: You should always unplug the toaster or toaster oven before cleaning it. Let it cool completely before you do anything else. You should also take care to avoid damaging the heating elements with water or sharp tools.
Toasters aren’t always the most intuitive thing to clean. The little knobs and crevices can be hard to reach using your go-to methods. But with the right tools (like a pastry brush) and a few minutes, you can easily get the toaster clean. For the toaster oven, take extra care to remove grease. Many people use the toaster oven to reheat pizza or other oily foods, so it’s easy for grease to build up inside.
Ahead, learn more about the best way to clean your toaster and toaster oven. For more tips on cleaning your kitchen appliances, read up on how to deep-clean your dishwasher and the appliances pros say you should clean more often.
How to Clean a Toaster
Grab these simple supplies and follow these easy steps to keep your toaster in good condition.
What You'll Need
- A sponge or cleaning cloth
- All-purpose cleaner like Mr. Clean Clean Freak Deep Cleaning Mist
- A small pastry brush or spatula
- Stainless steel cleaner like Weiman 3-in-1 Spray
Instructions
- Unplug the toaster and hold it over the trash can. (This can get messy.)
- Slide out the crumb tray and dump the contents.
- Give the toaster a shake to dislodge any bits stuck inside. Then turn it upside down and shake again to remove any large pieces that didn’t fall through the bottom.
- Knock off remaining crumbs with a small pastry brush or spatula.
- Clean the crumb tray with a damp sponge or cloth or if it's removable, wash it in warm, sudsy water. Then rinse, dry, and reinsert it.
- Wipe the exterior with a little all-purpose cleaner spritzed on a damp cloth or sponge. Pay close attention to the knobs, lever, and any crevices around the top slots where grease and crumbs accumulate. Wipe again with a damp sponge or cloth and buff dry.
- Polish any stainless steel with an appliance stainless steel cleaner like Weiman to keep it looking its best.
How to Clean a Toaster Oven
Whether you want to air-fry chicken or reheat pizza, a toaster oven can do it all. However, since it has more intensive cooking and additional internal parts than a basic toaster, a few extra steps are required to prevent build-up. Here's how to make it sparkle again after a few uses:
What You'll Need
- Non-abrasive sponge
- All-purpose cleaner like Mr. Clean Clean Freak Deep Cleaning Mist
- Glass cleaner like Invisible Glass
- Stainless steel cleaner like Weiman 3-in-1 Spray
Instructions
- Unplug the toaster oven.
- Shake out crumbs or other food particles into the trash.
- Wash removable parts like the rack, pans, and crumb tray in warm, sudsy water and use a non-abrasive scrubbing sponge to remove gunk. Rinse and let air dry.
- Clean the interior by spraying a sponge with all-purpose cleaner and wiping, but avoid the heating elements inside.
- Wipe the exterior. For stainless steel, we recommend Weiman 3-in-1 Spray. For glass doors, you can use a glass cleaner like Invisible Glass.
- Allow to dry completely (at least five minutes) before plugging it back in.
Monique Valeris is the home design director for Good Housekeeping, where she oversees the brand's home decorating coverage across print and digital. Prior to joining GH in 2020, she was the digital editor at Elle Decor. In her current role, she explores everything from design trends and home tours to lifestyle product recommendations, including writing her monthly column, "What's in My Cart."
Caroline is a writer and editor with almost a decade of experience. From 2015 to 2019, she held various editorial positions at Good Housekeeping, including as health editor, covering nutrition, fitness, wellness, and other lifestyle news. She's a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism and dreams of the day Northwestern will go back to the Rose Bowl.
