How To Clean Your Toaster Using A Common Baking Tool

Let's be honest: There are some corners of your kitchen that don't get cleaned as often or as thoroughly as others. Countertops, for instance, are easy — just a quick wipe-down gets it done. Less visible places, like the insides of appliances, are easy to ignore, and many of us don't even really know how to safely and thoroughly clean them. This is why, if you're an imperfect human, there's a chance that your toaster is filled with years of cremated crumbs.

There's a clever trick for cleaning out your toaster, however, and it involves a tool that you may very well already have in your kitchen. You obviously can't stick the whole thing in soapy water (please do not do this), so to knock out any stubborn crumbs, use a pastry brush to sweep them away. It's more effective, not to mention safer for you and your toaster, than going at it with your fingers alone. Combined with a few other steps, a humble pastry brush can get the inside of your toaster looking like new again.

This should go without saying, but: Remember to unplug the toaster before you attempt any kind of cleaning. If it's been recently used, let it cool back down to room temperature before getting started at all. Once it's safe to handle, gravity is going to get the ball rolling for you: Over a trash can, a sink with a garbage disposal, or in your backyard, shake the toaster upside down to get as much loose sediment out as possible.

If your toaster has a crumb tray, take it out and set it aside (you'll wash it separately, in the sink with dish soap and water), then use the pastry brush to get in there from the bottom. Then, set it down and use the pastry brush to dust it out from the top as well. You may want to flip it over a few times and re-brush the interior from the top and bottom to make sure you've gotten all the crumbs out.

Once you've gotten the inside as clean as you can, you just need to take on the exterior, which is pretty simple to clean. Just give it a wipe with a sponge or dishcloth damp with soapy water, then dry it off with a microfiber cloth.

The toaster is one of those things that's easy to let slide in your regular cleaning, but apart from hygiene and aesthetics, there's one very good reason to mind your crumbs: Buildup of dry sediment can be a fire hazard. Don't take your chances on flames igniting while your back is turned — if you use your toaster regularly, like on a more-or-less daily basis, you should clean out crumbs at least once a week. Big families (or individuals who just really love toast) may even need to sweep it out more frequently than that to avoid visible crumb buildup. Any spots with caked-on gunk or dark brown stains may need a little more detailing, but a damp toothbrush with bristles dipped in baking soda is all you need to scrub them away. 

Just be sure you're not making any extra mess for yourself to clean up (not to mention causing a safety hazard) by toasting anything other than dry bread, frozen goods made for a toaster, or toaster-specific treats. Don't make grilled cheese in your toaster, or toast bread with butter, or any other kind of spread — despite what you may have seen on TikTok — you're rolling the dice with a potential grease fire. And even if nothing dangerous happens (though please don't test it), you're likely to end up with irreparably burnt-on, gunky residue stuck inside. Get creative with your toast after it comes out of the toaster, not before — a perfect piece of toast is one made safely.