If you own a bread machine then you probably paid a pretty penny for it. Bread machines are very handy to have around and they fill your house with the irreplaceable aroma of fresh and lovingly prepared bread.
But when was the last time you actually cleaned your bread machine. Most people don’t think of the maintenance that goes into owning a bread machine but if you want yours to last more than a few years, you should know the best way to clean one.
In the following article we will be giving you a guide on how to clean a bread machine the best and most effective way. First though, it may be helpful to give you some insight on why you should clean your bread machine regularly.
Reasons Why you Need to Clean your Bread Machine
You may not use your bread machine very often. In fact, you may be the kind of home baker that only breaks your bread machine out during the holidays. So you don’t have to clean yours often, right? Not necessarily. Take a look at just some of the reasons why you should clean your bread machine:
- If It’s Used – Some people avoid paying an arm and a leg for their bread machine by buying second-hand ones. If this is your situation, you must clean it before your first use. Even if it looks clean, lodged crumbs could burn out the heating element or cause circuit shortages that will damage your investment.
- If You’ve Undercooked Bread – Not everyone gets it right 100% of the time. While there’s no shame in undercooking your bread you need to clean your machine afterwards. That’s because the undercooked butter and eggs in the bread could leak into the machine and become a breeding ground for bacteria. This will make your bread machine unsanitary very quickly.
- If you Want it to Last – Regular cleaning will extend the life of your bread machine. Like we mentioned earlier, crumbs and food debris that get left behind and accumulate after every use can damage the heating element.
- If you Keep it in Storage – If you keep your bread machine in the garage or even in a kitchen cabinet most of the year, make sure you clean it before you use it. Even small amounts of dust and debris can get into the bread you make.
Bread Machine Cleaning Guide
Now that you know why it’s important to clean your bread machine on a regular basis, let’s get into the instructions on how to perform a proper cleaning:
- Grab a Brush – A brand new paint brush works best for this first step. Using a new paint brush (a 2 inch brush should work well), sweep out all the old crumbs from inside the machine. It is helpful to turn the machine on it’s side and maybe set it next to the sink or over a trash can to catch the crumbs. However, you must make sure that the brush you use and the surface you set the machine on are completely dry.
- Be Gentle with the Heating Element – Next, you’ll need to clean the heating element. For this, we highly recommend lightly dampening a cloth or rag with warm water and gently stroking the heating element with the rag wrapped around it. You have to be very gentle with the heating element to avoid damaging it and make sure that the cloth you use isn’t soaking wet. Getting all the debris off the heating element may take several passes but resist the urge to apply more pressure or force.
- Don’t Forget the Pan – The bread pan needs to be cleaned too. You can wash it by hand the same as you would your dishes: with a sponge and dish soap. You may also be able to throw it in the dishwasher; just remember to refer to the manual to make sure your bread pan is dishwasher safe. If there is tough debris like dried yeast on the pan, you may need to use the scrubbing side of a sponge or steel wool to get it off.
- Give it Time – The heating element and the bread pan need time to completely dry before you use your machine again. You can hand-dry the pan but we recommend allowing the heating element to air dry.
It should go without saying but one important note when cleaning your bread machine is to resist using harsh chemicals or bleach as anything you put into the machine will get into the food you prepare in it. That’s why it’s advisable to only use warm water and mild dish soap.
