The Best Way To Clean A Panini Press With Just A Paper Towel

Many panini press models are made with either cast iron or nonstick grates. While the former is excellent at retaining heat, and the latter keeps food from adhering to your appliance, the two can become easily damaged if you scrub them with a harsh kitchen brush or detergent. Still, there are times when the wet paper towel trick won’t be enough to dislodge all the gunk from your panini press. In those situations, you’ll want to let your gadget cool completely and reach out for some baking soda, arguably one of the best natural kitchen cleaners.

Baking soda consists of sodium bicarbonate, a salt compound with a high pH level. This makes it a powerful alkaline that neutralizes grease and other acidic gunk in your panini press. To clean your appliance with baking soda, just mix it with some water and let the slurry sit on the grates for approximately 10 minutes. This will give the cleaning agent enough time to soften and work into the residue. After that, simply use a paper towel to carefully wipe the plates clean.