ResearchCleaning Your Toaster
Your toaster is like all of your small appliances, you need to clean it from time to time. Of course, not cleaning your toaster can lead to safety hazards, but can also affect the way your toaster works. If your toaster just doesn't seem to be working as well as it used to, and it's loaded with crumbs it's time to do something about that. You'd be surprised how much better your toaster will work (and look!) if you take a couple moments to clean it out every once and again.
Getting Started
Of course, you'll want to start the toaster cleaning process by unplugging the toaster. You'll then want to remove the bottom panel of the toaster. A lot of the newer toasters remove quite easily so that cleaning is a cinch. You should then shake or wipe off all of the crumbs that are on the bottom panel into a trash bag or even into the sink, since it should all be crumbs that can go into your garbage disposal. If you have a spare pastry brush you can brush the crumbs out of the inside of the toaster as well, as long as you take care not to bend the coils, as this will affect the way your toaster works. A moist, soapy rag or sponge will help you wipe away any persistent crumbs that don't want to come off easily. If they are really stuck on, you can soak the panel, if there are not instructions to the contrary on your toaster. After you've wiped or soaked the panel in soapy water you'll want to rinse it clean with cold water or a sponge soaked in cold water. Allow the panel to either drip-dry or wipe it down with a dry rag. When the bottom panel is completely dry, it's safe to put it back in the toaster.
Making it Shine
Once you've attacked the inside of the toaster, you can concentrate on the outside of the toaster. The outside of the toaster often gets sticky, greasy, and just plain dirty. Luckily, cleaning the outside of the toaster is really simple. You can get the job done really quickly by spraying the surface of the toaster with your favorite all-purpose cleaner or even wipe it down with a soapy rag. You will probably need to wipe the surfaces of the toaster hard so that the grease and such comes off and doesn't leave any smudges. When you've gotten all of the grease and dirt off of the toaster, you should wipe the toaster down with dry paper towels to avoid smudges or watermarks.
If you take a moment to empty the bottom panel or crumb tray of your toaster each time you use it, you will find that you won't have a difficult time keeping your toaster clean and in good working order. If you also make wiping down the outside of the toaster part of your kitchen-cleaning regimen, your toaster will stay sparkling clean inside and outside more efficiently. When you break down the tasks like this, you won't actually have to make a point of cleaning your toaster. When you constantly keep your toaster free of excess crumbs and avoid grease and such on the outside, you'll find that your toaster will work better, and won't be a disgrace to your counter top.
The cleaning of a toaster is something that overlooked by many, because it continues to work well over time. But, toasters will work better for longer if they are cared for, and luckily they require so little maintenance. While toasters are cheap, why not extend the life of the one you have now? If you can't seem to remember to empty the crumb tray every time you use your toaster and wipe it down once a week or so, definitely clean your toaster once a month, or once ever six months if you do not use it regularly.