Our small appliances get a lot of use. From making toast to blending almost daily smoothies, it doesn’t take long for smudges, drips and spatters to appear. In an effort to keep them clean, I use a simple DIY cleaner to get the job done. It is ideal for the exterior of just about any small appliance and serves to get them clean with only pennies a bottle invested.

My preferred tool for cleaning small appliances is a barely damp microfiber cloth. Microfiber is a workhouse in the kitchen and cleans gently and effectively. It washes up beautifully and is reusable. New to the world of microfiber? Check out my post here for all the reasons why I love it so much.

On to the recipe, right? It couldn’t be much easier – if this looks familiar, this is the SAME recipe for my granite and marble cleaner. How’s that for cleaning multi-tasking?

Small Appliance Cleaner:

  • 3 tablespoons rubbing alcohol
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 1 teaspoon castile or dish soap

Combine in a spray bottle and shake to combine. I like to use a funnel to assure that the ingredients go where they are intended.

Dampen your cloth and wring out until barely wet. Spray the cleaner on to the cloth and wipe the appliance. On stainless steel, wipe in the direction of the grain. You can also spray directly on to the surface as long as you take care to avoid any openings or electrical components. This method works better on appliances like a toaster oven when there aren’t any exposed components. Repeat and wipe as needed until clean. Be sure to rinse and wring out your cloth as needed to prevent smears and smudges.

Set aside some time to clean all your small appliances all at once or as needed. This cleaner can easily be stored for a month or two – I mix it up weekly because I use it daily in the kitchen.

Love DIY cleaners? Check out the tab on the sidebar or just click below to see all my DIY cleaner posts and recipes.