How To Clean An Electric Griddle – Step By Step Guide

Electric griddles are now something that almost every kitchen needs to have. This isn’t surprising since it’s easy to use, doesn’t take up much space, and can cook different kinds of food.

When people want to buy an electric griddle, they often go to a department store or order one online from the comfort of their own home. People don’t do enough research, though, even on simple things like how to clean an electric griddle.

If you don’t know much about how to clean an electric griddle, read this article.

Cleaning an Electric Griddle – Basic Information

It doesn’t have to be hard to clean an electric griddle. Most electric griddles are the same, and they all need to be cleaned in the same way.

When taking care of an electric griddle, the most important thing is to keep the cooking surface in good shape by cleaning it regularly with the right tools.

If you want to clean your electric griddle well, try these step-by-step instructions:

1. Before using the griddle for the first time, make sure it is clean and in good working order. Use soapy water to clean the griddle, then rinse and dry it.
2. Don’t let the electric controls get wet and don’t clean them with anything. You should never put an electric griddle in a dishwasher.
3. Only use plastic, nylon, or wood tools to clean food off the surface of your cooktop. The non-stick coating on your electric griddle gets scratched and worn down by metal tools. With a paper towel, you can wipe off the electric griddle to get rid of the extra oil.
4. After each use, wipe the griddle. Let the surface cool down first. First, try cleaning the griddle with water and a regular, non-abrasive kitchen sponge. Most of the time, this is all it takes to clean an electric griddle. If there is still food on the griddle, you can use soft scrub or a light abrasive. You can also make a natural and safe peeling for your electric griddle by mixing a little baking powder with water. Use a fine nylon cleaning pad or a regular cleaning pad to rub the surface gently. The surface of your electric griddle will get scratched up if you use steel wool or scouring detergents.

Electric griddles, like the ones made by Presto and other brands like Black & Decker, Oster, and Zojirushi, are a great way to make cooking easier. If you take care of your electric griddle regularly and do it right, you will be able to use it for many years.

How do you clean electric griddles in 6 steps?

There are many different types, models, sizes, and brands of the electric griddle, but the way to clean most of them is the same. I will show you, step by step, the easiest way to do it.

1. Turn off the Power

First, make sure that the power is off and that the wire is not plugged in. Griddles can get very hot, which can hurt you. Make sure the surface is cool enough and that the griddle is not near an electrical outlet.

2. Take the Bits of Food Off the Griddle

Before you start cleaning your electric griddle, let it cool for a few minutes. It should be cool enough to hold but still warm.

Use a paper towel to wipe the surface and remove oils, liquids, crumbs, and other dirt from the griddle by lightly rubbing it.

3. Add Hot Water

Pour hot water on the surface of the griddle and rub it with a sponge. Add some dishwashing detergent and scrub the surface to get rid of any burned or stuck-on food.

4. Use a Sponge, Soap, and Hot Water

First, use a sponge to gently scrub the griddle to get rid of any burned or stuck food. Use the sponge to dry and clean the griddle, and if more hot water is needed, pour it on.

Do the same thing twice more. During this step, you must be very careful because water must never touch electric parts in the kitchen.

If there are more leftovers or grease that is hard to get off, the best thing to do is add a little bit of vinegar and let it sit for a few hours. If this doesn’t work, you can scrape it off with a spatula or other tool. Be careful not to damage the non-stick coating on your electric griddle. Then wash it again with water and soap.

For this step, the griddles should be pretty hot, which will help soften the grease. Make sure to wear gloves that can handle the heat to avoid getting hurt.

Related: Grill in The Garage: Everything You Should Know

5. Wipe the Griddle Clean to Get Rid of Grease

Once all the trash is gone, rinse the surface. Take a clean sponge or cloth, soak it in clean, cold water, and wipe the top of the griddle with it. Do this several times to get rid of all the baking soda on the griddle.

6. Let the Griddle Cool Off

Let the griddle dry at the end. Use a towel to wipe the griddle clean and get rid of any water or grease. Let your electric griddle cool down in the kitchen and make sure it’s completely dry before putting it back in the box

Another Way (With a Spatula)

While the griddle is hot, pour some water on it and use a spatula to scrub the surface. This got rid of the old and burned food particles that were hard to get rid of with just a sponge. 

Be careful, because this can also damage the surface of your griddle. Rub it gently to keep from scratching it.

When the surface is smooth, you can use our simple 5-step method to clean it perfectly.

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Why is it important to clean your electric griddle?

A key part of using an electric griddle is knowing how to clean it properly. The surface of the griddle is covered with dirt and bits of food, which can be bad for your health and make the device less useful. Research shows that 15% of house fires are caused by broken cooking equipment.

 “The point of cleaning isn’t just to clean, but to make sure that people are happy where they live.”

– Marie Kondo, an expert on organizing, author, and TV show host

What is required to clean an electric griddle?

You can use both cheap and expensive things to clean your electric griddle. But I’ll tell you a way that doesn’t cost much and uses things you already have.

This is also probably the healthiest way because it doesn’t use steel wool or harsh chemicals, which are bad for your health.

You’ll need paper towels, a dry cloth, another paper towel, and a sponge that doesn’t scratch.

Get baking soda, cold and warm water, and dish soap. On top of that, you might also need gloves that can handle the heat and a new spatula.

Don’t use a metal spatula; instead, get one made of plastic, rubber, or wood so you don’t scratch the surface of the griddle, especially if it is nonstick.

How to clean your electric griddle of hard-to-remove stains?

When you’re trying to get tough stains off your griddle, the last thing you want to do is use rough scrubbers or steel wool. That will only ruin the cooking surface, especially if it has a layer that makes food not stick.

Here are a few tried-and-true ways to get tough stains out of an electric skillet:

• Water and vinegar: If you don’t have dishwashing liquid on hand, you can use a solution of two parts water and one part white vinegar. Put the mixture on the stovetop and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes. That lets the solution get into food and grease mixtures that have become hard. Use a sponge to get rid of the dirt, and then rinse the vinegar-water solution with clean water. Use a clean cloth to dry the griddle.
• Baking soda and water: First, wash the griddle in hot soapy water to remove any stubborn stains. Mix baking soda and water to make a paste, and then spread it all over the cooking surface of the griddle. Leave the paste in the pan for at least 30 minutes or more. Use a wet sponge to get rid of it. Repeat the process until there is no more baking soda left.

Also read: Best Vacuum Cleaner Without Beater Bar and Reasons to Have It

Some advice on how to use your electric griddle

• Clean your griddle well right after you buy it and right before you use it for the first time. It’s not just the dirty griddle griddles that need to be cleaned. Also, the new ones need to be ready for a healthy, long-term cooking relationship.
• Do not let a newbie use an electric griddle without teaching them how to use it first.
• Even if the manual says it’s okay, you shouldn’t put the griddle in the dishwasher. There’s no reason to do that.
• When you wash the griddle, be careful that water and soap don’t get into the electric controls.
• Don’t let yourself use metal spatulas on your griddle for any reason. You should grab one that is made of wood, nylon, or, in the best case, plastic.
• Use a clean cloth dipped in warm water to quickly wipe down the surface after each use.
• If you use your griddle often, even four times a week, give it a thorough cleaning every week and once a month.
• Don’t touch the griddle until it’s completely cooled down. This will help you clean it gently every day.
• Warm water should not be boiling when you use it to clean the surface. If it is boiling, you could do more harm than good.
• Don’t use chemical cleaning products you buy from the store. Homemade tips can do a much better job.

Advice for discoloration

The nonstick finish on the griddle will start to change color over the heating elements over time. This is because every time you use the griddle, it gets very hot and then very cold.

Presto has put together a helpful guide on how to get rid of the discoloration and make the griddle look brand new again.

I’ve also added some of my own tips that go along with Presto’s, but I think it’s important for you to know about them so that your griddle not only looks great but also works perfectly the next time you use it.

Here’s what you should do:

• First, buy a commercial cleaner made for cleaning surfaces. Presto recommends a product called dip-it destainer, so this or a similar product will work.
• You can find cleaners like this at grocery stores and hardware stores.
• Make sure the drip tray is in place.
• Then, heat the griddle to 225 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Mix 1 cup of hot water with 1 tablespoon of the cleaner.
• Put on rubber gloves, then dip a soft cleaning pad into the solution and rub it all over the griddle’s surface.
• Keep rubbing and cleaning until the solution is gone and the surface is no longer stained.
• Turn off the griddle and let it cool before cleaning it again with warm soapy water, keeping any electric or heating elements safe.
• Thoroughly dry the griddle
• Coat the griddle’s surface in cooking oil before using it again.
• Reheat the griddle to high heat and then cover it with a thin layer of oil while wearing heat-resistant gloves. Use paper towels to spread the oil evenly over the griddle’s surface.
• Once the smoke stops, you may want to repeat the process a few more times to season the griddle well.
• This will just strengthen the non-stick finish on the griddle, making it ready to use the next time you cook on it.

Keep things safe 

Safety should always be your top priority. Make sure you always wear mittens or gloves that keep the heat from pans from getting to your hands. This will keep you from getting burned on the hands.

Most importantly, always remember to unplug the griddle before you add water. Make a strong mental note to check that the griddle is unplugged so you don’t get a shock or hurt yourself.

Steel wool, copper wool, and the rough side of a sponge should not be used to clean

Make sure you always use a soft cloth or, better yet, a sponge to clean your grill so you don’t damage it. Because the sponge is soft, it won’t scratch the griddle or the Teflon-coated griddle.

It’s important to keep your griddle in good shape if you want it to last a long time. You will see that if you don’t use coarse sponges, you can extend the life of the griddle.

Avoid using metal spatulas

One more great way to make your griddle last longer is to avoid using metal spatulas. Use spoons and spatulas made of nylon, wood, or plastic instead. Again, you don’t want to clean your griddle with something that could scratch or damage the griddle or its Teflon coating.

Frequently asked questions

Conclusion

Every time you use your electric griddle, you should clean it. So, you will always have a clean griddle that is ready to cook on.

Make sure to keep the griddle’s surface clean if you want to eat tasty, safe food and make your electric griddle last longer.

To make this handy cookware last longer, you must clean it properly. This guide will show you how to clean an electric griddle, even if it has stains that won’t come off.

You can now make sure that your griddle will last for a long time.