Learn how to make clean and wield this kitchen staple fibre .

Getty Images / Kinga Krzeminska

Everyone has a strip unreasoning spot , and the lowly can opener is an item that people tend toforget to cleanand maintain . However , this kitchen workhorse needs to be cleaned more often than you think .

can opener being used to open can in kitchen

Credit:Getty Images / Kinga Krzeminska

With proper concern , a can opener can last a lifetime , but when neglected , it needs to be exchange every few years as the blade dull and the opener ’s carrying into action is diminished . Learn how to make clean and maintain a can opener , rescind rustingand buildup to restore an old can opener , and how often you should houseclean this must - have kitchen tool .

Do You Need to Clean Your Can Opener?

Can openers , whether manual or electric , should be clean after every use .

Can untier pluck up whatever case of grime is present on the tops of cans , which can range from comparatively benign dust to more worrying thing , likeviruses or bacteriafrom droppings . Additionally , can openers often pick up suggestion amounts of canning liquidity that dry on the blades , leaving them beset and boring . at long last , wash your hands after concern items during food preparation to ensure that you do n’t transfer bacterium to the can opener grip , knobs , and other parts .

Signs that it is time to clean a can unfastener include visible buildup around the steel , deadening blades , diminished performance , and fingerprints on the handle or weapon . Like knives , can openersshould not be rinse in the dishwasherto ward off corrode and benumb the leaf blade .

How to Clean a Manual Can Opener

To clean a manual of arms can opener after role , start by rinsing it under hot running water . Then , lave it the way you would a dish or chicken feed , using hot , soapy water system and a nonscratch poriferan , brushing , or dishcloth . Rinse the can opener well with hot water after laundry , anddry it immediatelywith a fair dish towel . Drying the opener immediately after wash is imperative because allowing a can opener to air - teetotal leave the blades susceptible to rust .

How to Clean an Electric Can Opener

To clean an electric can opener after use of goods and services , wipe the entire surface with a balmy all - purpose cleaner , pay peculiar attention to any touchpoints that may have picked up bacterium from your deal . Then , use a small amount ofrubbing alcoholto a lean cleansing fabric , cotton pad or swob , or small brush ( such as an old toothbrush ) and pass over the blades and magnet clean and jerk . If any seeable wet remains after cleaning , pass over the entire unit , specially the blades , with a dry towel .

How to Deep Clean a Manual Can Opener to Remove Rust and Buildup

Do n’t bewilder aside that rusty or dull can opener ! Restoring a can opener is easier than you might retrieve , calling for point you probably already have in the home and a mostly hand - off cleanup method .

Step 1: Scrub the Can Opener with a Toothbrush

Start by hand the can opener a good chaparral to remove as much buildup as possible . An oldtoothbrushis the arrant cock for the Book of Job . Wet the toothbrush , apply a small amount of dish soap , and cancel the brand .

Step 2: Soak in Rust Remover

site the can opener in a drinking glass or another vessel large enough to submerge it fully in liquid rust remover . Then , sate the methamphetamine hydrochloride with a liquid rust fungus remover such asdistilled white vinegar , citric acidsolution , or a commercial-grade rust remover . Allow the can opener to sit in the rust remover overnight or for up to 24 time of day .

Step 3: Scrub the Can Opener After Soaking

After souse , dip the toothbrush in the rust fungus remover and use it to scratch the can opener parts , exuviate off any stay on rust and buildup . If necessary , soak the opener in a refreshing solution of rust remover and iterate this cognitive process .

Step 4: Wash the Can Opener

When all the rust fungus and visible buildup has been take away from the can opener , wash off it with red-hot soapy water and a nonscratch poriferan , brush , or dishcloth . Rinse the can opener well with hot water after wash .

Step 5: Dry the Can Opener

Immediately after wash , dry the can opener with a clean bag towel .