We clean the sink, mop the floor, and disinfect the garbage bins—but the worst kitchen grime is actually hidden in the appliances we use to cook our food!
That’s right. Bits of ingredients can cling to the blades of our blenders, and crumbs stuck in the bread toaster invites cockroaches and ants. That’s not the worst of it. When was the last time you cleaned your coffee maker? Could you be serving mold with your favorite house blend? Here are some simple tips for cleaning small kitchen appliances. Do regularly to prevent dirt and disease.
1. Blenders
The easiest and fastest way to clean a blender is to fill it up with hot, soapy water, plug the appliance it, and run it at the high speed. Then, rinse off the soap and air dry.
However, this doesn’t get rid of deep-hidden dirt. Periodically unscrew all the blender’s parts (jar, blade, plastic base) and wash each in warm, soapy water. Rinse under tap water. To make the blades extra-clean, brush them with an old toothbrush while you rinse. Wipe the jar with glass cleaner and it looks sparkling brand new!
Your blender may retain the strong odors from mixing pesto, vinaigrettes, and spice rubs. To remove the smell, fill it with hot water and baking soda and run again at high speed. Use the hot water and baking soda solution to clean the base, too: just dip a rag and wipe.
2. Oven toasters
Remove the tray (which catches crumbs) and wash separately with warm soap water. Allow to try. If your toaster doesn’t have a tray, invert it and shake off the crumbs. Use an old, small toothbrush and scrup off burnt residue or stubborn crumbs. You may also want to suck out the dirt with a small, hand-held vacuum cleaner.
Get a soft cloth or sponge, dip into warm soapy water, and then wipe the toaster exterior. The water should dissolve any grease.
3. Coffee makers
Pour equal parts of water and white vinegar into the water chamber. (The total amount depends on your coffee maker’s maximum capacity, but on average, you’ll need two to three cups.)
Turn the coffee maker on and let the water-vinegar solution percolate. Halfway through, turn off the unit, allowing the acetic acid to remove any deposits inside the machine. Leave for an hour. Then, turn your coffee maker back on and let the solution drip completely.
Throw away the solution and then fill the coffee maker with clean water. Percolate again, rinsing the machine from within.
After that, soap and rinse the pot and filter. Let it dry before using it again.
If you use your coffee maker a lot, or live in an area that uses hard water, do this cleaning process once a week. Otherwise, you can do this every month.
[…] or downright unpleasant. It’s not enough to wash the parts. Instead, check this article on cleaning small appliances so you can clean your coffee maker from the inside out. All you need is white vinegar and […]