Is there any way to clean the inside of a toaster?

NualaBuala

Hi,

My problem is that I saw a mouse jump out of my toaster.:eek: My guess is the crumbs at the bottom attracted him. The toaster works perfectly but I haven't used it since Mousegate. Can it be cleaned? The tray can be removed so that's not a problem, it's the bit where the bread goes I'm worried about. I'm not a hygiene-freak and I hate the idea of chucking a working appliance for several reasons but I'm sure there are lots of people (most?) who would be horrified that I'm even thinking of keeping it (my sister being one of them).:D

I'd love to know what you think.

ifonlyitwaseasier

honestly i'd chuck it, and get lots of mouse traps!!!


if it was an expensive toaster (dualit?) then you can get new elements but they are expensive.

:-)

BexInLondon

If you chucked everything a mouse has been in/on you'd soon find yourself without a kitchen. As a non-hygiene freak myself, I'd keep it, but run it a couple of times without any toast in it to burn away any mousey germs. I know you're not meant to do this, but we bought a new toaster recently and it advised doing this before first use to burn off any excess chemicals so it can't be that bad.

Otherwise periodically shake it upside down to get crumbs out.

Don't tell your sister!

Mrs_Thrify

I am not to sure on keeping it but to clean can you push a bottle brush down the slots with plug pulled out of course.
I sometimes use the vacuum cleaner hose to hover up crumbs on the top and outside. Give it a good shake over the bin for the crumbs to drop out.

pol

I cleaned mine with a slimline bottle brush and it scraped all the burnt bits off. When we had mice a couple of years ago, the mouseman told me to keep a folded teatowel over the slots when not in use.

pol

NualaBuala

Thanks all!:T I really don't want to chuck it - it just seems a terrible waste to me. And I'm sure we're all exposed to all sorts but just don't know it. After all, if I hadn't seen the mouse I'd have been merrily toasting away! And don't "they" say that we swallow lots of spiders etc while we're asleep? I have a feeling that it won't do me any harm as I'm young(ish) and healthy. I seem to have a very healthy immune system which I think is partly due to playing in the muck as a kid and being brought up in a clean but non-sterile home.

I can take out the crumb tray to get rid of what I can, that can be throroughly cleaned. I love the hoovering tip - I'm going to use that one to get out anything that doesn't come out in the crumb tray. And I'll blast it like Bex says by running it empty a few times.

I just won't offer my sister toast when she's over - or maybe I should!:rotfl:

NualaBuala

Thanks Pol, that's a great idea. Once I've got it clean I'll keep it covered. There's no other food source so hopefully they won't come back.