Keeping your slow cooker clean is important to maintain its best performance for you to enjoy it for many years. Over time, with more homecooked meals on your slow cooker stubborn stains and burn marks begin to form on the inner port.
From crusty food residues to sauce stains, this hard-to-clean residual dirt will also stick on the exterior of the slow cooker as well as inside the hot pot. Good thing there are ways to clean your instant pot or slow cooker with simple items and as long as you know what is used to clean a slow cooker at home you will find this task easier.
Materials for cleaning a slow cooker before using it
If you just bought your slow cooker and would want to use it for the first time it is recommended to clean it first. Yes, it’s never been used but to make sure that there is no dirt or dust residual in the inner pot a quick clean will do. Just rinse with warm soapy water the removable parts and then dry them.
For the regular clean-ups, before you use your slow cooker, the common kitchen cleaners will do. A quick wash of the inner pot and cover with a dishwashing soap is good. Rinse it well and don’t forget to completely dry it prior to using.
What is used to clean a slow cooker after cooking?
A slow cooker is useful kitchen equipment that requires care and proper maintenance. You should be guided on what is used to clean a slow cooker at home to keep it in tiptop shape and enjoy using it for a longer period of time.
You can discover that some common household items such as vinegar and baking soda are best for DYI slow cooker cleaners or you can purchase a cleaning product intended to remove hardened crust or stubborn burn marks inside the pot for easy cleaning.
Cleaning the exterior of the slow cooker:
The slow cooker exterior or outside part needs cleaning too. Usually made of metal and holds the heating element at its base, the outer part of the slow cooker should also be properly maintained.
Although this will not have those nasty stains and crusted burns found on the inner pot, the exterior of a slow cooker or also known as a vessel will have unavoidable stains from food drippings and other dirt.
To clean the outer vessel of the slow cooker you can use a damp cloth with soapy water and wipe off any food residue.
The usual metal surface of the vessel is easier to clean and would not require any abrasive cleaning agents. Use a cloth that would not scratch the metal surface.
What can you use for cleaning a slow cooker after cooking?
After cooking, the inner pot, insert or vessel which is usually made from ceramic will have some food leftovers, ring marks, crust, oil, and other nasty stains.
Burn marks will leave a heavy stain that when left for a long time will harden. These may seem to be hard to clean but there are ways to clean your slow cooker.
And here’s how and the materials for cleaning a slow cooker after cooking:
Water: It is best to start gently when cleaning the slow cooker insert or inner pot. Simply fill the inner pot with water and left it to cook for a few hours under low heat. It will loosen any burnt food and sticky residues while keeping the slow cooker insert smoothly with a cleaner finish.
Baking soda, dishwashing soap plus water: For more stubborn stains and to get rid of a persistent ring of scum in your slow cooker, fill the inner pot or vessel with enough water add a couple of teaspoons of baking soda and a little amount of dishwashing soap. Turn it on for a few hours under a low setting. Rinse and wipe.
Vinegar and baking soda: This combination could also do a wonderful trick in getting rid of nasty burn stains. If there are still remaining stains on the slow cooker using vinegar with baking soda is effective. Just use a spray bottle filled with vinegar then spray it lightly directly on the burn stains. Then right after spraying, sprinkle baking soda and watch as bubbles form. This will dissolve food residues and stains. Just repeat a couple of times until all stains dissolve.
Buy a ready-to-use cleaner for your slow cooker: The Bar Keepers Friend has a mildly acidic powder formulation that cuts through grease, dissolves stubborn burn marks, and removes scuffs and grimes. It is a safe cleaner for the slow cookers and easy to use. Just wet the area then sprinkle it on the surface. Use a damp sponge or cloth and rub the area gently. Rinse thoroughly afterward.
Look for cleaning pads for slow cooker pots: There are commercially available cleaning pads for slow cookers such as Mr. Clean Magic Eraser Kitchen. Made with Durafoam, this handy cleaning pad for the slow cooker is easy to use and can be activated just by using water. Just wet the foam, squeeze out excess water then scrub the surface with burn marks, grimes, and stains. Rinse well your slow cooker insert the pot after cleaning.
Final Word
There are several ways to clean a slow cooker at home and the options presented here are useful. You can either use simple kitchen items such as vinegar and baking soda to clean your slow cooker or opt for commercially available cleaning products for slow cookers. Whichever way you prefer, just make sure that your cleaning method is effective but gentle to use on the delicate surfaces of your slow-cooker. Cleaning your slow cooker before and after cooking is ideal to keep your slow cooker looking new and pristine.