The Absolute Worst Way To Clean Your Waffle Iron

Nothing livens up a breakfast table more than a heaping plate of homemade waffles. With so many ways to boost waffle batter and top waffles with countless toppings, everyone can indulge in waffles to their liking. While waffles may be fun to make, what's left after is a waffle iron to be cleaned with batter and debris in plenty of little, hard-to-reach places.

A waffle iron may look simple, but it requires a careful eye to clean correctly and keep in tip-top shape. When it comes time for cleaning, using sharp tools, hard-bristled brushes, and even scouring pads is the worst mistake you can make.

The surface of waffle makers usually has a non-stick coating to make waffle batter easier to work with. Using metal brushes, scouring pads, or sharp-edged knives to clean may remove all the crispy bits, but it can also rub the non-stick coating off. When that happens, waffles have a higher chance of sticking and burning. The coating itself also has a chance of flaking and mixing into food or potentially releasing microplastics into future waffle batches.

So how the heck do you clean a waffle iron? Carefully and with the proper tools. It can be tedious and even a bit labor-intensive, but you'll be thankful once it's cleaned. That means paper towels, brushes with soft bristles, sponges, and detergent. Chopsticks can also be useful for cleaning because they can easily dislodge stubborn batter bits without scratching the surface of the waffle iron.

One of the best ways to get a waffle iron clean is to do it while it's still somewhat warm — and unplugged. Working with a warm waffle iron makes it easier to dislodge crumbs and other debris before it hardens and lodges in hard-to-reach spots. After cleaning all the grooves in the iron, you can use a pair of tongs to run a damp paper towel through it. Once it cools, the iron can be scrubbed gently with soap, water, and a sponge (or cloth) before being dried and put away. With a clean waffle iron, you can focus more energy on elevating your next batch of waffles with flavorful spices and less time worrying about whether you'll find weeks-old crumbs the next time you pull them out of a kitchen cabinet.