How to Clean
a Toaster Oven

If you’re a toaster oven enthusiast, you know how convenient and multi-faceted these small wonders are in the kitchen. You can cook bacon for breakfast, reheat last night’s dinner, and even roast a chicken in these versatile little ovens.

Learning how to clean a toaster oven keeps your favorite little appliance churning out tasty treats quickly and safely. Toaster oven cleaning isn’t as involved as cleaning an oven, but it can be just as important. Here’s why.

Why Should I Clean My Toaster Oven?

Cleaning kitchen appliances does more than give your kitchen a sparkling, fresh look and feel. Most of our appliances store or prepare foods of all types, so keeping them clean is one way to keep them operating for the long term. A toaster oven that needs cleaning is inefficient and can be unsafe.

Food debris in contact with the cooking elements can cause a fire. Crumbs and other debris attract unwelcome and unhealthy pests like mice and roaches. Knowing how to clean a toaster oven prevents the accumulation of grease, food crumbs, and other cooking byproducts. Here are the items you need to make it happen:

• Liquid dish soap
• Distilled white vinegar
• Baking soda
• Water
• Mr. Clean Magic Eraser
• Cleaning cloths
• Non-abrasive sponge
• Toothbrush

How to Deep Clean a Toaster Oven

Gather your supplies, unplug your appliance, and let’s do this! Once you’re done, add toaster oven cleaning to your routine kitchen cleaning checklist. You’ll feel more confident in maintaining your appliances when it’s a regular thing. Now, let’s learn how to clean a toaster oven from the inside out.

Clean Inside of a Toaster Oven

Slide some newspaper or a paper grocery bag under your toaster oven to catch crumbs and debris as you clean. Remove the cooking platform, rack, and crumb tray and head to the kitchen sink. Use warm water and dish soap to scrub the parts and remove the buildup. If it’s been a while since you’ve cleaned the appliance, let the parts soak while you tackle the inside.

1. Dip a non-abrasive sponge in the bowl and scrub the inside of your toaster oven. (Tip: Don’t overdo the scrubbing, or you could damage the finish of a nonstick interior. Be careful not to get things too wet and avoid the burners.)
2. Scrub the ceiling of your toaster interior. It’s rarely nonstick, so you might have to squat down or turn it over to scrub it clean.
3. Wipe the interior with a clean, damp cloth to remove residue.

Clean the Heating Elements

When you clean a toaster oven, removing buildup on the heating element reduces the chance of a fire and unsavory snacks. With this quick cleaning tip, you can stay safe and keep your taste buds happy.

1. Grab a damp cloth, some baking soda, and a toothbrush.
2. Wipe the heating elements with a damp cloth.
3. Use the baking soda and toothbrush to scrub off the buildup gently.
4. Rinse your cloth and wipe away any residue left on the heating elements.

Clean the Toaster Oven Glass

The glass gets dirty on the inside from splatters, and the outside has to contend with messy hands. To make your toaster oven glass sparkle, you’ll need baking soda, water, a cleaning cloth, and a Magic Eraser.

1. Mix a few teaspoons of baking soda with water to make a thick pastel.
2. Dampen a cleaning cloth, dip it into the cleaning paste, and coat the glass.
3. Wait two hours to let the baking soda work on the grime.
4. Rinse your cleaning cloth and wipe away the baking soda paste.
5. Dampen a magic eraser and scrub away stubborn stains and buildup gently.
6. Finish up with a clean, damp cloth to wipe away the residue.

Clean the Exterior of a Toaster Oven

Now that the inside of the toaster oven is sparkling clean, it’s time to make the outside shine from top to bottom. You’ll need your toothbrush, soap, water, vinegar, and paper towels.

1. Wipe down the top, sides, front, and door edges with a cloth dampened with dish soap and water.
2. Use a toothbrush dipped in your cleaning solution to get into nooks and crannies.
3. Dampen a clean cloth with water and wipe away the soapy residue.
4. Dry the exterior, knobs, and buttons with paper towels.
5. Finish the job by wiping down high-touch areas with vinegar to minimize the spread of germs.

A dirty toaster oven creates unsanitary conditions and affects the flavor of meals and snacks, which is why it’s essential to clean your toaster oven.

How to Clean Your Toaster Oven Fast

Have you ever had unexpected guests and been embarrassed by unclean appliances? We get it. Busy schedules can send cleaning routines off the rails and put us in a pinch. When you’re short on time, here’s how to clean a toaster oven fast.

1. Fill the largest bowl that will fit with equal parts water and white vinegar.
2. Pour the mixture into a pot and bring it to a rapid boil on your stovetop.
3. Put on heat-resistant gloves and transfer the cleaning solution back to the bowl.
4. Place the bowl in the toaster oven, close the door, and wait 10 minutes.
5. When time is up, wipe down the inside of the toaster oven with a damp cloth.
6. Use a separate cloth dipped in the warm vinegar and water to shine the outside.

Doesn’t it feel good to have a clean toaster oven? Do you know you can keep it that way? Once you get these toaster oven cleaning tips down pat, which small appliance is next?

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