Methods To Clean Your Panini Press
Panini press machines come in different designs to suit the diverse desires of users. After use, it is prudent that they are cleaned and be in good condition for the next time. There are many different ways of cleaning that have been invented. Since they are expensive machines, it would be such a shame to clean your Panini press using a wrong method, only for it to start malfunctioning later. One would, therefore, ask: What is The Right Way to Clean Your Panini Press? Below are a few methods that will ensure your press machine remains clean and safe to use at the same time:
Cleaning a Panini press with removable plates
This is quite easy as the parts that get dirty the most can be removed and cleaned separately. The most convenient way to do this is by cleaning the plates through a dishwasher. This is because it is fast and will spare your nails from chipping. Here are a few steps that will guide you on how to clean them:
• Disconnect the machine from the power source and allow it cool down
• Remove the plates from the main Panini press
• Clear out any crumbs with your hands
• Set your dishwasher ready with soap and water
• Place the plates in the dishwasher
• For the outer parts of the Panini press, simply wipe them with a damp kitchen towel.
• Allow the machine to dry
After the plates have dried, gently place them on the Panini press. The bright side of this method is that most of the machines come with guides on how to clean them using a dishwasher. It is through these manuals that you will be able to know whether the plates can be cleaned using a dishwasher.
Furthermore, there is the alternative of soaking the plates in warm soapy water. This method is mostly used by people who do not own dishwashers or simply prefer to clean the plates themselves using their hands. Most of the plates can be cleaned using this method. However, the disadvantage to it is that one has to wait a while for the residue on the plate to soften before they can clean them. After this, you gently wipe the plates with a soft kitchen cloth and allow them to dry first before fixing them back onto the Panini press.
Cleaning a Panini press with irremovable plates
Most people complain that these press machines are the hardest to clean as one has to be very careful not to spoil any of the parts.
• Unplug the Panini press machine and let it cool down.
• Using a damp paper towel, gently swab crumbs and any oily residue left on the plate.
• Dip the soft side of a sponge in a container of warm soapy water.
• Using the sponge, gently scrub the plate, paying exclusive attention to the gaps and grooves where residue hides or oils seeps through.
• Clean the outside of the Panini press using a damp kitchen towel. If the stains on the outer parts are tough, gently scrub these parts as well.
Extra tips to make cleaning easy
Despite using the above tips to clean your Panini press, you may notice that sometimes, it is a bit difficult to properly remove all the residue and the oil. Here are a few things you can avoid doing as they may be causing this problem;
• Putting a lot of oil when preparing meals as some of the oil gets stuck in gaps that are hard to clean.
• Putting so much topping and cheese on a sandwich that the machine cannot handle making some of it topple over and creating a mess.
• Waiting for the machine to get extremely dirty so that you can clean it. Regular cleaning makes it easy to remove stains and residue.
Removing stubborn residue will be more successful by using a chopstick draped in a soft piece of cloth and scrubbing on the plate to lift off those little bits that are hard to remove. You should never use a knife or any sharp metal to do this as it damages your Panini press.
Before you use the machine next, ensure that there is no sign of soap as it would be very dangerous to prepare your snack on a Panini press that was not properly cleaned.
Conclusion
It is quite evident that Panini press machines play a vital role in preparing meals, particularly breakfast. Cleaning a Panini press is quite easy if you use the above methods, depending on its type.