Ways to Clean a Crock Pot or Slow Cooker
Introduction – How to Clean a Crock Pot.
Crock Pots can be a convenient way of cooking. If you are short on time, you can add (often raw) ingredients to the pot. Then set it to a low heat and essentially leave the food to cook itself with no need to constantly monitor the stove. Many people love this ‘set it and forget it’ timesaver. It is also a great way to cook a large batch of food in one go.
Crock pots are great for cooking stews and casseroles and such, but perhaps, like me, you overfill the pot. Do you end up with quite a sticky mess to clean up afterwards? Crock pots are rather heavy and can be cumbersome, and it’s difficult to clean a crock pot.
Why You Should Regularly Clean a Crock Pot ?
By regular, we mean you should clean it after every use. You wouldn’t put dishes away in the cupboard dirty, and the same goes for your crock pot. Cleaning it is essential for food hygiene and the longevity of the appliance. Plus, it ensures that the next time you use it, the food quality is optimal.
Understanding the Crock Pot Components.
A crock pot consists of three main components.
- The electric heating base – with handles in which the crock sits. It is where you set the temperature via dials. These dials usually show Low Heat, High Heat or Warm.
- The stoneware crock – a removeable inner pot in which the food gets heated and…
- A tight fitting lid – This is usually dome shaped with tempered glass to lock in heat and moisture.
What Not to Do When You Clean a Crock Pot.
- Do not get the electrical element wet. The part that has the wire and plug cannot get wet or be submerged in water. Instead, just use a lightly dampened cloth with a little mild detergent on it to wipe it clean. Make sure the electrical prongs are completely dry before plugging it back into the wall.
- Do not use any abrasive products such as scourers.
- Never use harsh chemicals or bleach.
- Avoid extremes of temperature. Do not use cold water on hot stoneware. Wait for it to cool down so it is warm to the touch.
Materials and Tools Needed.
Non-abrasive tools are best. We suggest one or more of the following:
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- A Sponge
- A Soft Bristle Brush
- A Rubber Spatula
- A Plastic Scraper.
Basic Cleaning Supplies.
For basic cleaning, we suggest keeping the following supplies at hand:
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- Dish Soap
- Non-abrasive cleaner
- Distilled white vinegar
- Water (obviously!)
- Baking soda
Four Hacks to Inspire you to Clean a Crock Pot.
- A Basic Clean – If not too dirty, attempting to clean a crock pot by hand might be easy. Use a sponge with a dab of non-abrasive kitchen cleaner or even vinegar. Wipe, rinse, and dry.
- An Extended Soak – If things are quite dirty but not excessively so, then soaking in a soapy dish soap and water combination may also be a fairly simple way to clean a crock pot.
- A Self-Clean – While Crock Pots don’t have a true “self-cleaning” button, there is an easy method that lets the appliance do most of the work for you. This approach is especially helpful for loosening stuck-on food and grease before washing.
- To self-clean your crock pot, fill the crock insert about halfway with warm water and add a small amount of dish soap or a splash of white vinegar. Place the lid on top, set the slow cooker to low, and let it run for one to two hours. The gentle heat creates steam, which helps soften baked-on messes and makes cleanup much easier. Once finished, unplug the unit and allow it to cool. The food residue should then wipe away easily with a soft sponge.
- A Vinegar and Baking Soda Hack – For more stubborn crock pots, soak in water, vinegar, and baking soda.
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- You will need water, distilled white vinegar, and baking soda.
- Fill the slow cooker with tap water to cover the grime.
- Then add one cup of distilled white vinegar for a 6-quart crock pot.
- Slowly add some baking soda (a spoonful at a time). Let the bubbles die down before submerging each spoonful. A cupful of baking soda in total should do the trick.
- Turn on crock pot to a low setting. Cover and set for about 4 hours.
- Let the crock pot cool down before touching it. Then empty out the concoction and wash in the sink with soapy water. Stubborn grime should now come off nicely.
- Rinse and let it dry.
Immediate Post-Use Crock Cleaning.
Post-use cleaning is best done when the crock is warm not hot. You do not want to scold yourself. When it is still warm, food hasn’t had time to dry and will come off easier.
Remove the inner crock and soak in soapy (dish soap) water. You can also use the self cleaning method above, but the important part is to tackle a dirty crock pot before the food gets caked on.
How to Clean a Crock Pot Lid and Exterior.
You can also wash the lid with soapy water or place it in the dishwasher if it is dishwasher-safe. Wipe around the base with a damp cloth. Ensure you unplug the base first. Never immerse the base in water.
For stubborn stains, use a gentle cleaner such as diluted all-purpose cleaning liquid. Place the liquid onto a cloth to clean, not directly on the base. If the base is stainless steel, you can use specialized stainless steel cleaner to give it a shine afterwards. Use a towel or paper towels to dry the base before putting it away.
Can you Clean a Crock Pot in the Dishwasher?
The part with electrical elements cannot go in the dishwasher, but you can often put the lid and the inner removable pot in. However, we suggest you check the manufacturer’s instructions to make sure the crock pot you have is a dishwasher-safe one.
The Difference between a Crock Pot and a Slow Cooker.
We mention both because people do tend to refer to both terms and usually mean the same thing, but is there a difference? Technically “Crock-Pot" is a brand name referring to a model of slow cooker, but over the years crock pot has become synonymous with slow cookers in the same way ‘hoovering’ has became synonymous with vacuuming. “Crock-pot" is just one make of slow cooker.
Some History on Slow Cookers and Crock Pots.
Irving Nachumsohn (known by the name of Naxon) was granted a patent for the invention of the slow cooker back in January 1940. It was designed to cook a Jewish stew eaten on the Sabbath in Europe. The slow cooker was first marketed in the 1950s under the name: “Naxon’s Beanery.” Initially, it was a pot for cooking bean-based dishes. The first slow cooker developed as a solution to the Jewish faith’s observance of the Sabbath, not to cook for two days. So, they prepared a cholent – a meat and vegetable stew which they then tried to keep warm to eat on Saturday evening.
In 1971, the Rival Company launched the Crock-Pot after acquiring the design from Naxon. It was a more advanced version of the original slow cooker – a cooker with an electric base and a removable ceramic pot.
The ability to prepare and then leave stews and casseroles to cook safely at low temperatures, all day, became an irresistible convenience to the ‘cook’ of the household. It was especially convenient for those working outside the home. It was a practical way to have a hearty, ready-made meal at the end of the day.
Read more about the history at CNET’s Blog Post: From Humble to High Tech, a Slow Cooker History.
Food Prepared in Crock Pots.
Inevitably, the primary use for a crock pot is for food. People commonly use them for casseroles and hearty soups, but they are also useful for:
- cooking bread
- making yoghurt
- baking brownies
- slow roasting meat
- cooking pasta
Other Uses for Crock Pots.
Surprisingly, food is not the only use of a crock pot. Here are some other creative ideas for your slow cooker:
- Soap – The Nerdy Farm Wife has a cool recipe for making Oatmeal Honey Soap in a Crock Pot.
- Pot Pourri Room Freshener – using a mix of fruit (such as apples, oranges or lemons), cinnamon sticks, dried chamomile, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, or other spices. Add the ingredients you want to use together with water and cook on a low heat to give the home a delectable fragrance. Add more water to the crock pot if the water starts to evaporate too much.
- Crayons – Fondly known as Crock Pot Crayons. This is essentially a fun way to recycle old, broken bits of crayon. Take the paper labels off the crayons and sort into colors. Chop the crayons into pieces. Use a heat proof mold that will fit in the crock pot such as a foil cup cake tray or a silicon ice cube mold. Fill the molds to the top with the crayon pieces. (Bear in mind they will melt down). Put the mold in the crock pot with a shallow layer of water so it does not drown the mold. Some say cook on a high setting, some say low, but the idea is to melt the crayon pieces. Cover and it should take about 30 minutes for the melting to be completed. Allow the mixture and container to cool completely before safely removing the mold from the crock pot. Then place the mold in the Freezer for 10 minutes to harden the crayons, after which the crayons can be removed from their molds.
- Candles – The Prairie Homestead has a great blog on Making Soy Candles in the Slow Cooker.
- The List has an interesting blog on more ideas for Non-Food Crockpot Uses.
- Why not check out all our cleaning hacks?
Other Cleaning Hacks you might Like.
Besides this “Clean a Crock Pot Blog," you may also like the following:
Conclusion and Final Thoughts.
It is easy to clean a crock pot if you address messes as they occur and especially after use when it is still warm. Regular cleaning keeps your crock pot looking its best, performing optimally, and lasting its intended lifetime. At Dang Good Carpet and Furnace Cleaning, we believe a cleaner home starts with the little things.
Taking a few minutes to clean a crock pot keeps the kitchen healthy. When it comes to cleaning, doing it right is always a Dang Good idea! And when you are ready to take care of the bigger ticket items in your home, Dang Good Carpet and Furnace Cleaning is here to help – if you live near Calgary, Alberta, of course.
Enjoy a truly Dang Good Clean, top to bottom. Give us a call: 403-984-3680
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