A Panini press is a gadget that should be in every kitchen. It makes easy work of whipping up a snack and cooks delicious meals. You can use it for grilling or making sandwiches and much more.
Panini presses come in handy when you want to have a fancy dinner, breakfast, or brunch using simple recipes. It enables you to cook fast and end up with a mouth-watering meal at any time of the day.
Related: Can You use Regular Bread in a Panini Press?
Panini Press Grooves can be Hard to Clean
But after the delicious meal, how do you clean a Panini press? These kitchen gadgets have grooves on grill plates that make cleaning somewhat challenging. However, you can use baking soda or steaming to get rid of stubborn stains. Some Panini press models have removable plates that can be cleaned in the dishwasher, or you simply wash them by hand.
Related: Best Grilled Cheese Sandwich Maker
Best Methods to Clean a Panini Press
- How to clean a panini press with baking soda
- How to clean a panini press with steam
How to Clean a Panini Press with Baking Soda
Remove Excess Food
Before cleaning your Panini press, remove the excess food particles stuck on the pan. Use a paper towel to wipe the nonstick plates. Add a little water to ensure you remove as much of the oil and food particles as possible.
Make a Solution of Baking Soda
Make a solution of baking soda with four ounces of water, preferably warm. It should be thick, but not a paste; this is to ensure it doesn’t flow off the plates. Mix the solution using a measuring cup and pour half of it directly on to the pan. Allow it to spread on the grill’s grooves.
Apply The Baking Soda Solution The Grill’s Plates
Take a soft piece of cloth or a sponge and dip in the baking soda solution and apply on each groove. Reload your rag or sponge with the baking soda solution as you continue applying the baking solution on the stained grill.
Allow It To Soak For 10 Minutes
After you have applied this solution on both plates of your Panini press, leave it to soak for ten minutes. This gives baking soda enough time to sink into the residue and loosen it up.
Rinse while Wiping your Grill with a Clean Cloth
Rinse the baking soda mixture off and wipe the grill with a clean piece of cloth. Panini plates and panini presses can be allowed to air dry or can be dried with paper towels or a cloth
Removable Plates
If your panini press has removable plates, the process is the same except easier. You can simply soak your plates in a tub of baking soda solution for as long as you like!
Steam Your Panini Press
Steaming your Panini press is also an effective way to clean it. This simple method removes all the residues of the grill, leaving it spotlessly clean.
Steps for Steam Cleaning a Panini Press
- You can choose to clean the grill immediately after you are done with cooking while it’s still hot or wait until later when you turn it on and allow it to heat with the lowest setting.
- Soak a piece of cloth or a paper towel in clean water. Place it on the grill without ringing it and close the lid. As long as it’s thoroughly soaked, your grill cannot burn.
- As the wet cloth comes into contact with the hot grill plates, there will be a sizzling sound. Allow this to continue for about 5 minutes; expect to see some steam escape. Any smell of smoke means the cloth or towel is burning, so be careful with this method. Do not leave your panini grill unattended while steam cleaning it.
- Open the grill once done with steaming and wipe off all the residue after the cloth has cooled down.
- You can follow this up with the baking soda cleaning method above if your panini press is particularly dirty.
Further Reading: Best Sandwich Maker with Removable Plates
Conclusion
Regular cleaning is vital to increase the life span of your grill and ensure your food is made in a hygienically favorable environment. Learning how to clean a panini press with baking soda, and with steam, will come in handy over the years.
