How To Clean Your Toaster So It Looks Brand New!

Everyone has their snack or meal of choice that they’ll gravitate towards if they’re eating alone, or if they need a snack between meals. My husband, for instance, is a big breakfast cereal guy. Any time of the day or night is the right time for a bowl of cereal, in his opinion. As for me? Toast has always been that go-to meal or snack for me. It’s quick and easy, and it’ll tide me over until my next larger meal.

My fairly regular toast habit requires a lot of work from my toaster throughout the week. I was standing at my kitchen counter just a couple of days ago when I had a moment of realization – my toaster was actually getting kind of gross. There were crumbs everywhere, and the outside was covered in a layer of greasy splatters from the nearby stovetop. And that just wouldn’t do! My toaster is an important appliance in our house, so I thought it was high time I gave it a good dose of TLC!

So I set aside a little bit of time and gave it the long overdue cleaning it deserved! It’s now sitting on my countertop looking as good as new! I’m sharing my process with you today so that everyone can take a few minutes and give their toasters the love they have earned! :-)

How To Clean Your Toaster

Recommended supplies:

White vinegar
Dawn dish soap
Clean microfiber cloths
Paintbrush
Toothbrush
Scouring pad

Step 1 – Unplug

The first step before doing any cleaning or maintenance on an appliance is to unplug it. Safety first!

Step 2 – Crumb Removal

If your toaster is anything like mine was, chances are pretty good that there are crumbs everywhere. Most modern toasters have a crumb tray that slides out, often at the back of the unit near the bottom. Slide the crumb tray out and dump the crumbs, then set the tray aside for now.

Hold the toaster over a sink or garbage can and give it a gentle shake to dislodge any crumbs that may be trapped in the inner workings of the toaster.

If there are crumbs stuck in hard-to-reach places, use a clean paintbrush to brush them out. (Cheap paintbrushes are a handy thing to have around for a lot of cleaning and maintenance tasks!)

Step 3 – Scrub

Now that the crumbs are gone, you can scrub and/or wipe down any surface that needs attention. Don’t forget about your crumb tray! Use a toothbrush or sponge to wash it down in warm, soapy water. Dry completely with a towel and replace the tray in your toaster.

If you’re having trouble cleaning hard-to-reach areas, you may want to try using a toothbrush!

If your toaster is super greasy like mine was, use a scouring pad and some dish soap to help power through the grime. It may take a bit of scrubbing, but the end result will be so worth it!

Step 4 – Dry & Admire

After everything is clean, take a couple of extra seconds to give it a nice shine with a little bit of white vinegar and a dry microfiber cloth. Once all the surfaces of your toaster are dry, put your crumb tray back in place.