Just like toaster ovens, blenders, and other small kitchen appliances, toasters need a good regular cleaning, too.

A clean, well-maintained pop-up toaster extends the appliance’s lifespan, ensures your food tastes good, and prevents fire hazards from crumb buildup.

So, if you enjoy homemade sourdough toast or warm bagels (without that funky burnt-food taste), this article shows exactly how to clean a toaster naturally to keep your small appliance running smoothly for many delicious morning breakfasts to come.

Key Takeaways

• Safety first! Take extra care while cleaning your toaster. Unplug it, make sure it’s cooled down, and never insert any sharp metal utensils inside a toaster. This helps prevent fires, burns, and electrical shock.
  
• You can use natural products like vinegar, baking soda, and Branch Basics to clean your toaster’s crumb tray and exterior shell.
  
• Deep-clean your toaster’s crumb tray with All-Purpose paired with Oxygen Boost, and the exterior walls with vinegar or a baking soda paste.

How To Clean A Toaster Naturally: Step-by-Step Guide

Now let’s take a look at how to clean a toaster.

But before we do, it’s important to understand and observe a few safety precautions:

• Safety is incredibly important when you’re cleaning any electrical appliance, but especially a pop-up toaster. Always be sure the toaster is unplugged from the wall and is at room temperature before cleaning.
  
• If your toaster does not have a crumb tray, and you choose to turn it over and shake to remove food debris, please do so gently. Aggressive shaking of your toaster can cause permanent damage to its internal heating component.
  
• Do not stick your hand, fingers, or metal objects into the toaster at any time.
  
• Never submerge your toaster in water. This can cause electrical damage and potentially harm you. Always lightly spray a cloth to clean the exterior and tray.
  
• Always remove the tray to clean it, and make sure it is completely dry before putting it back.
  
• Avoid using abrasive chemical cleaners and scrubbing pads. Instead, try one of the options listed here.
  
• And, as always, be sure to reference your toaster’s manufacturer's guidelines for proper and safe cleaning instructions for your particular appliance.

With safety in mind, here’s how to clean a toaster naturally.

Step 1: Unplug The Toaster

Safety first! Always unplug your toaster and let it cool down before you clean.

This will help prevent unwanted fires, burns, and electrical shock.

Step 2: Remove The Crumb Tray & Shake It Out

But before you do that, take a long, dry bristle or pastry brush and gently wipe the inside. Push down on the lever to reach further into the toaster. This will loosen and remove any baked-on food, dropping it onto the crumb tray.

Next, pull out the crumb tray and empty loose debris into a trash can.

Note: If your toaster doesn’t have a tray, turn it upside down and very gently shake the crumbs into the garbage.

Step 3: Clean The Crumb Tray & Wipe Down The Exterior

Now let’s give your toaster’s crumb tray and exterior a thorough, deep clean with safe, effective, natural products.

Note: Never spray the inside of a toaster or submerge it in water, as this is dangerous and can cause irreparable damage to the appliance. The key to cleaning a toaster is to remove crumbs and keep the exterior clean and free of debris.

Here are three simple ways to clean a toaster naturally:

Branch Basics

Crumb trays clean up quickly with Branch Basics All-Purpose or Bathroom. Just spray, wipe, and dry.

To clean the toaster’s exterior, wipe down using Streak-Free.

Struggling with burnt-on residue? No problem!

For a deeper clean, reach for Branch Basics Oxygen Boost. Spritz the tray with All-Purpose or Bathroom, sprinkle with Oxygen Boost, and spritz again. Let dwell for 15 to 20 minutes, then scrub clean, rinse, and dry.

Vinegar

Vinegar is a powerhouse, all-natural cleaner we love and regularly recommend. 

Its acetic acid is strong enough to cut through grease and burnt-on food, yet gentle enough to prevent the toaster tray and exterior walls from corroding.

To clean the toaster’s exterior and crumb tray, dampen a microfiber cloth with distilled white vinegar and wipe everything down. No need to rinse, just dry and reinsert the tray for use.

Looking for more ways to clean with vinegar? Check out: 12 Ways To Use Vinegar In Your Home 

Baking Soda

Mildly abrasive, yet highly effective, baking soda can be used to naturally clean burnt pans, the fridge, and even your toaster!

Here’s how:

Mix equal parts baking soda and water to create a thick cleaning paste. Apply the paste to the tray and let sit for about 20-30 minutes. Use a Natural Scrub Brush or soft sponge to loosen baked-on crumbs. Rinse thoroughly and dry.

For the exterior, dip a soft-bristle toothbrush in the paste and gently scrub the outer shell. Use a damp, clean microfiber cloth to wipe the baking soda away.

We share more natural cleaning tips in: Cleaning With Baking Soda (Sodium Bicarbonate): 12 Surprising Uses. 

Step 4: Reinsert the Crumb Tray and Plug Back In

Return the crumb tray to your toaster when it is completely dry.

Plug it back in, and you’re ready to enjoy toasted bread and bagels again!

Deep Cleaning Tips For Toasters

For your safety, the instructions listed in this article are as deep as you can go with cleaning a toaster.

But, you can still tackle stubborn, stuck-on food and grime on the crumb tray and exterior walls with the following tips:

• Use All-Purpose or Bathroom paired with Oxygen Boost for deep cleaning the crumb tray.
  
• For exterior stains, apply a baking soda paste, scrub gently, and wipe away.
  
• Gunk stuck on the electrical cord? Lightly dampen a microfiber cloth with All-Purpose and gently rub the debris away.
  
• If you see burnt-on food just inside the toaster’s ledges, you can use a lightly dampened toothbrush with vinegar to gently scrub it off*. Let dry completely before using the toaster.

*Note: Do not scrub or get the interior components of the toaster wet, as this can cause damage and create a fire hazard.

Tips For Keeping A Toaster Clean

When it comes to toasters, regular cleanings go a long way – they help prevent buildup of crumbs and keep the appliance in good working order.

Here are some additional tips:

• Pull out the crumb tray and empty it after each use.
  
• Brush the interior with a bristle or pastry brush at least once a month to loosen and remove debris.
  
• Keep other appliances, plastic bags, cardboard boxes, etc., away from a hot toaster.
• This will prevent items from melting and sticking to the toaster’s exterior.
  
• Wipe down the exterior, including the knobs and levers, at least once a month.
  
• Store your toaster in a cabinet instead of on the countertop. This will prevent accidental grease splatters and food debris from sticking to the outer walls.

Ready to tackle your toaster oven next? Check out How to Clean A Toaster Oven With Branch Basics

Put Branch Basics To Work In Your Kitchen

Large and small kitchen appliances—there’s no job too big or too small for Branch Basics!

From this article, you’ve learned how to clean a toaster naturally with products like vinegar, baking soda, and Branch Basics. But did you know that Branch Basics can also be used around your entire kitchen and home?

That’s right! Use Branch Basics to clean your fridge, dishes, pots and pans, the oven, stove top, and much more. (But that’s just the kitchen…Branch Basics can also be used on everything from cleaning baby toys to detoxing and washing your laundry!)

To get started with Branch Basics, we recommend the Premium Starter Kit (plastic or glass) or Ultimate Starter Kit (also available in plastic or glass). 

Each kit comes with our all-in-one signature Branch Basics Concentrate, which is used to make all the cleaning products you need to clean your entire home and laundry, plus a bag of Oxygen Boost.

If you opt for the Ultimate Starter Kit, you’ll also receive our powdered Laundry Detergent and plastic-free Dishwasher Tablets.

Branch Basics is a great way to start on your path to a cleaner, healthier home. Our products are human-safe, meaning they are made with only plant- and mineral-based ingredients, are EWG-Verified, MADE SAFE-certified, Leaping Bunny-certified, and our Concentrate is third-party tested as a non-skin, eye, and lung irritant.

Create a cleaner, healthier kitchen and home with Branch Basics. Shop our Starter Kits today!