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If you haven’t cleaned your panini press in a while, no worries – there are some simple tricks to get it looking brand new. Panini presses can be tricky to clean, but you can use a few household items to get the job done.
Your panini press is probably made of cast iron or nonstick, so check the manual for the right cleaning methods. If the water technique leaves stains on your cast iron, there are other ways to get it sparkling clean.
It’s best to clean your panini press after every use, especially if you use it a lot. Letting food and grease build up can damage the appliance and make it take longer to heat up your sandwiches. Just don’t soak it in water or put it in the sink or dishwasher.
How to clean your panini press with a paper towel
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Grab a damp cloth or paper towel – just make sure it’s not dripping wet. Set your panini press to the lowest setting and let it warm up. Then, with the press unplugged but still warm, open it up and place the damp towel inside. Let it sit for about 5 minutes so the steam can loosen up any stubborn food and crumbs.
For a deeper clean, you can make a paste with baking soda and water. But the simple paper towel trick should get rid of most messes. Just avoid using anything too abrasive on a nonstick surface.
To keep your panini press cleaner, try cooking your sandwiches in parchment paper. That way, you won’t have as much cleanup. But the steaming towel method is an easy way to get that grill looking spotless again.
