How to Deep Clean a Toaster Oven in 5 Easy Steps

Toaster ovens can be a headache to clean which may lead us to do it less often or maybe not even at all but did you know that food build-up inside a toaster oven can be a potential fire hazard. Your food can also become contaminated by fumes from the burning of old food and fat splatters. For this reason, it’s essential to clean your toaster oven often and well. 

Chemical-free methods are healthier for you and your family. You don’t have to worry about toxic fumes while cleaning or toxic chemicals on your hands. There is no need to buy gloves or masks. You also don’t have to worry about toxic chemicals being left over after cleaning. Chemical-free solutions can also be created with common items you already have in your house, saving you a lot of money. Despite what some may think, chemical-free options are also just as effective as chemical options.   

Cleaning a toaster oven mostly consists of removing old crumbs and residue from your food.  To clean a toaster oven, you must make sure your appliance is unplugged and then deep clean all of the crevices.

• Dish soap
• White Vinegar
• Baking soda
• Lemon (optional)
• Sponge
• Toothbrush (optional)

Safety first! When cleaning an electronic appliance, it’s always best to unplug it if you can. Even though you may have turned your toaster oven off, it’s still connected to a power source and since you’ll be working with liquids, its best to be disconnected from all power sources. Unplugging your toaster oven will also allow you to move it around easily for maximum range. 

Chances are, your toaster oven has a rack, a crumb tray, and possibly another metal tray. You’ll want to remove these parts and clean them separately from the oven. Place all parts in the sink and clean them with your sponge using dish soap and warm water. For any stubborn stains, you can use the instructions for cleaning the oven, which we’ll discuss below, to clean these parts as well. 

Add one cup white vinegar to two cups of warm water. For added deep cleaning, add a tablespoon of baking soda. If you don’t have baking soda, you can add a couple of drops of dish soap. If you want a solution that smells nice, squeeze in a bit of lemon juice. Lemon juice is also known to make appliances shine. Use your sponge to apply the solution and wipe down the interior of the toaster oven. Make sure to squeeze the sponge of any excess solution, as it only needs to be damp. Try to avoid getting liquid on the toaster oven’s heater and plug.  Each time you make a solution, you can adjust the recipe until you find what works best for your appliance. 

If your sponge has a coarse side, use it to scrub any stubborn stains. Go over the stains repeatedly until they have been removed. For extra stubborn stains or hard to reach areas, dip a toothbrush into some baking soda, scrub the stain, and then wipe down the area with your damp sponge. As your sponge becomes dry, dip it into the solution and squeeze out any excess liquid. Repeat these steps until all stains have been removed. Use these steps for any stubborn stains on the toaster oven parts as well. If necessary, let the parts soak in warm water and dish soap over night and then repeat these steps in the morning. Do not use any metal scrubbers or anything coarser than the back of a sponge to wipe down your oven as it may create scratches. 

The exterior of your toaster oven will likely be the easiest to clean as it should not have too many stubborn stains. Rinse out your sponge, dip it in your solution, squeeze out any excess liquid and wipe down the exterior. Make sure to use the soft side of the sponge only to avoid scratches. 

Alternative Ways to Clean Toaster Ovens

Rather than creating a solution, you can use more traditional oven cleaners and degreasers if you prefer. For these, it’s best to follow the instructions on the bottle before use, but generally you’ll apply them during Step 3, allow them to sit as long as instructed, and then wipe clean. Magic Erasers and Brillo pads, which come with their own cleaners in the pad, can be used in place of a sponge and cleaners. 

After Care

Allow your toaster oven and all the pieces to dry before placing them back in and using the oven. After each use of your oven, after it has been cleaned, wipe down any new messes with soap and water. This will help keep your toaster oven clean and reduce how often you need to deep clean it. If you use your toaster oven every day, you’ll likely need to clean it deep at least every two weeks. If you begin to see stubborn stains or caked-on food debris, this is a sign that it may be time to deep clean your toaster oven again. 

Baking soda is great for removing grease from a toaster oven.  Simply unplug your toaster oven and scrub a baking soda and water mixture with a brush.

It is not recommended to use oven cleaner on a toaster oven because it is an abrasive material that can damage your appliance.  If you did use oven cleaner, make sure to clean off any leftover residue because you do not want to oven cleaner to touch your food in the future.

Baking soda and water does a great job at removing burn marks off a toaster.  Simply apply the paste to the burn mark, let it sit for a couple minutes, and then scrub with a brush.