Buying Guide: Choosing the Best Kitchen Appliances for your Home Buying Guide - Choosing the Best Kitchen Appliance | Page 16

Frequency: Wipe up spills as they happen; deep clean every 6 months.
 Blender
Blenders are wonderfully versatile kitchen tools. They're ideal for mixing up smoothies,
dessert fillings, dressings, and more. But eventually, all of the different ingredients tossed
in a blender will catch up with it. Sometimes, even after washing, you can still smell the
garlic from last night's chimichurri sauce when you go to make your morning smoothie.
Solve this problem by deep cleaning your blender after every 3–4 uses. You still need to
wash your blender with soap and water after each use, but deep cleaning will help combat
developing smells and stains.
Frequency: Clean after each use; deep clean every 3–4 uses.
 Toaster
When left untreated, a dirty toaster can become a fire hazard. To protect your appliance
(and the rest of your home!), clean your toaster regularly. Most toasters have slide-out
drawers that catch crumbs. Unplug the toaster, remove the drawers, dump any debris in
the trash, then wash and dry them thoroughly. You can also tip your toaster upside down
and give it a few light taps to clear out any remaining crumbs. How often you need to clean
your toaster depends on how often you use it. If you're a daily toaster, empty the crumb
trays once a week. If you use it less frequently, opt for a monthly cleaning.
Frequency: Clean weekly or monthly, depending on use.
 Refrigerator