Ideas On Keeping Your Small Appliances In Excellent Shape

By Matthew Carter on November 18, 2014

You went to the effort of selecting the most essential small appliances to make your kitchen tasks easier, so what’s next. Mastering the techniques for chopping, kneading dough, slicing, shredding, ice crushing, making perfect toast and out-of-this-world cup of coffee, are probably on top of your list. And that’s perfectly fine. But you surely want to make your small appliances your most trusted allies, right? Then you must keep them in an excellent shape. Here are few cleaning and care tips that will ensure your small appliances last.

Small-Appliances

Let’s Start With Helpful Reminders First

  • Read the instruction booklet provided by the manufacturer and save the instructions for further references.
  • When using any small appliance, always follow basic safety precautions recommended by the manufacturer.
  • When not in use and before each cleaning, make sure turn off the power and unplug from outlet.
  • Always store cords out of reach of children.
  • Never operate an appliance if a cord is damaged.
  • Be extra cautious when using your small appliances near children.
  • Sharp blades need to be handled with care.

Cleaning And Care

  • Thoroughly clean all small appliances after each use.
  • Before attempting to clean, always first unplug the appliance from the outlet.
  • Clean the carafe and lid of your coffeemaker after each use. For impeccable results, once a month, clean the coffeemaker with a vinegar solution. With a 1 part vinegar and 3 parts water mixture run a brew cycle. Follow with a plain water brew cycle.
  • Clean the beaters from your hand mixer after each use with soapy water.
  • To clean your griddle, wait for the unit to cool down completely. Remove the plates from the base and with a scraping toll remove leftover food. Never use forks, knives and metallic sponges to clean the plates.
  • When cleaning juicers, blenders and food processors, remove blades, sharp discs, jars and bowls from the motor base. These are all dishwasher safe (except for the motor base).
  • If washing by hands, use mild soap and warm water. Use a toothbrush to clean hard-to-reach areas. In case you cannot wash the parts immediately after use, rinse them to prevent food from drying on them. This will significantly make the cleaning process more difficult.
  • Wipe the motor base with a damp clean cloth.
  • Although stainless steel small appliances are resistant to corrosion they are vulnerable to water and oil marks, thus regular cleaning is highly recommended. For best results, use few ingredients you have in your pantry – baking soda and vinegar.
  • To polish your stainless steel small appliances, rub the surface with a paste of baking soda (about 3 tablespoons) and water. Wipe off with a damp cloth.
  • You can also spray the appliances with vinegar and wipe it off with a soft cloth. 
Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do.