How to super clean an ancient grimey toastie maker?

Question

Going through the cupboards at my new place [boyfriend house] I've found a toastie maker, a really old one, and its covered in grease and grime and is stained orange and nasty. Still covered in crumbs and dried fillings - its really quite gross. He has decided now i've found it he wants to keep it, so how do i safely clean it and destain it without damaging the electricals?

Answer 1

I suggest using a nice strong hot sauce, mix it 50/50 with lemon juice, and try to soak for a few minutes. The longer the better, then scrub hard with a metal brush with more mix. This will be a natural and nontoxic edible cleaning solution that can cut through grease and smell good.

Any time you can use an effective cleaning method without chemicals is a healthy choice. Do not use any cleaners inside where you cook food. Water is the best way to touch it up and make it safe for food after cleaning it.

Answer 2

haha...this question made me laugh cause i could just picture the toaster oven you were describing. The following steps should help. This is how I cleaned mine and all came out well. But you're right about the electrical parts, be careful to keep them as dry as possible and dry them off thoroughly before plugging it back in.

The Steps:

Step1  Turn off the toaster oven then unplug it. Let it cool completely before attempting to clean it.

Step2  Remove the crumb tray. Dump out the crumbs and then scrub it with dish soap, warm water and a nonabrasive sponge.

Step3  Wipe down the exterior of the toaster oven. Use a lint-free cloth and a sanitizing spray such as 409.

Step4  Clean the toaster oven's interior with warm, soapy water and a sponge. Warm water will help to dissolve the grease.

Step5  Scrub the hard-to-remove food buildup with a synthetic scouring pad. If you wipe it clean after each use you should be able to avoid the buildup of food.

Step6  Remove and clean the shelving with warm soapy water. Let it dry thoroughly before putting it back in the toaster oven.

***If you are refering to a toaster (the kind with slots, not the oven kind) perhaps this info will help. I will link to the articles I got these steps from under the sources section so you can read it from their website if it is easier =) **

To clean a toaster:

Disassembly

If it really need cleaning, the more parts you can remove, the easier it is to clean. Two cautions before breaking down each piece. Putting it back together is more difficult that taking it apart especially timing and shutoff mechanisms, and be careful about tabs that may break with just one back-and-forth bending.

Cleaners

I've found a mixture of liquid chrome cleaner and Softscrub a good overall cleaner. Softscrub can scratch some finishes if rubbed very hard. Bon Ami can be substituted for Softscrub to be on the safe side. For plain dust & grime, Fantastik or 409 are good starters. Glass cleaners are good for removing the leftover film and finger marks.

The black, carbonized coatings in the seams, stampings and door edges usually require some extra abrasion and scraping. On inside surfaces a scouring pad or knife edge can be used. Steel wool should be avoided even for hidden corroded parts. The steel wool particles have a way of ending up on a rag used on polished surfaces, leaving scratches where you don't want them.

Tools

A piece of hardwood dowel sharpened to a chisel point makes a good scraper, with or without a rag wrapped around. I've also had good results with copper wire (the type used to ground plumbing pipes). One end is filed to chisel point, the other end is hammered flat until it forms a thin spade-like end that can be shaped easily with a file. Copper can scratch polished chrome or nickel under too much pressure, but if used lightly, can scrape hard- to remove spots including paint spatters that a lot of toasters seem to have acquired over the years. Obviously, copper should not be used on aluminum.

Support delicate basket doors with wood slat  

Supports

Anything that will hold a piece in place while you clean will make the job easier I keep a variety of small wooden blocks and sticks for support and to protect the surface. A wet rag over the wood adds extra cushioning. To support the entire toaster, I drilled holes at a slight angle in a base of wood so that short dowels can be inserted to form a V support at various widths (see photo above). The toaster can then be nestled upside down for cleaning or repair. A rag or carpet pad piece will help keep things from moving around. Reassembling a pop-up is much easier when the shell is held firmly in place.

Miscellaneous

Soaking parts helps, but don't soak Bakelite with painted lettering. The lettering should also be cleaned carefully to avoid removing the paint. Wooden handles need the same treatment. Keep wire insulation and mica parts as dry as possible.

Rust is the crabgrass of the toaster lawn. Scrub off what you can and live with it until you find that rust-free upgrade. Scratches and buff marks also have to be lived with. Except for aluminum, I've found buffing on a grinder doesn't help much even with fine grades of buffing compound.

Save your hands for the easy parts. Use toothbrushes and rags wrapped around sticks or small pliers for the corners and between parts. Oil and WD-40 are good for timers and mechanical parts. Pastewax will help the Bakelite and painted wood parts. I don't put anything on polished metal surfaces since I usually test the toaster with a few mornings-worth of toast. Testing also insures a thorough drying of the toaster's inside.

** Hope this was of some help!