We all love the convenience of slow cooking. I mean, you simply dump in the ingredients, chill out, and BOOM: a slow-simmered, super flavorful meal. But if you're under the impression that the cleaning up part isn't quite as easy, we're here to tell you otherwise—even if you've made a sticky toffee pudding and left the crusty remnants to dry inside overnight like we did. For demonstration purposes, of course, because we'd never be that lazy in real life (ahem). Not only can you clean it up with little effort, you don't even have to buy any special cleaners to get the job done. Here's how!

DIY Slow Cooker Cleaner

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Things You’ll Need

  • Baking soda

  • Liquid Castile Soap

  • Orange or lemon essential oil

  • Distilled white vinegar (optional for stubborn, burnt-on food)

  • Non-scratch scouring pad

  • Microfiber cloth

Materials needed for DIY Slow Cooker Cleaner

Step 1: "Cook Out" Stubborn Messes First

If you've got a fair amount of stuck-on food (as our sticky toffee pudding left us with below), you may need to complete this step before using your DIY cleaner.

Fill your slow cooker with water and add distilled white vinegar (1/2 cup for a 3-quart cooker and 2 cups for a 6 quart). Then, set to low and let "cook" for 2 hours. This should make easy work of your cleanup afterwards!

Stubborn mess inside slow cooker. Cleaning out stubborn mess inside slow cooker with water and vinegar.

Step 2: Make a Gentle Cleaning Paste

Whether you've got a removable or non-removable inner pot, this gentle DIY scrub will cleanse all parts of your cooker without the need to rinse with water (which would damage the electric heating element). In a bowl, add: 1 cup of baking soda,Gently Scrub Inside and Out.

In a bowl, add: 1 cup of baking soda,

Baking soda for DIY Slow Cooker Cleaner

2 tablespoons of liquid castile soap,

Liquid castile soap for DIY Slow Cooker Cleaner

10 to 15 drops of lemon or orange essential oil,

Citrus essential oil for DIY Slow Cooker Cleaner

and 2 tablespoons of water.

Add water to make DIY gentle cleansing paste for slow cooker.

Mix well to make a paste.

Mixing DIY gentle cleansing paste for slow cooker.

Step 3: Clean Outer Pot

Warning

Safety first! Unplug your slow cooker (or any small appliance, for that matter) before cleaning.

Using a non-scratch scouring pad, use the paste to clean off any food stains on the outer pot.

Using DIY gentle cleansing paste for slow cooker.

If you're able to remove the inner pot in order to reach the heating element at the bottom of the outer pot, use the cleanser to scrub this area also. (Before doing so, please read the warning below).

Using DIY gentle cleansing paste for slow cooker on outer pot.

Warning

Refer to your product manual for detailed cleaning instructions for your particular slow cooker model. In general, the heating element should not be immersed nor rinsed with water which can cause damage and/or injury.

Using DIY gentle cleansing paste for interior of slow cooker outer pot.

Step 4: Wipe Off with Microfiber Cloth

Once scrubbing is complete, wipe off the paste with a microfiber cloth. No water is required! Ensure that the heating element portion is entirely free of residue before using your cooker again.

Using DIY gentle cleansing paste for slow cooker outer pot.

Step 5: Scrub Inner Pot

Repeat steps 2 and 3 for the inner pot—first scrubbing on, then wiping off. Ensure that you don't scrub too hard so as not to scratch the stoneware. If you've completed an initial phase of "cooking out" the burnt-on food with water and vinegar, you shouldn't need to use much elbow grease. However, if food is still stuck on, you may need to repeat the vinegar-water process.

Using DIY gentle cleansing paste for slow cooker inner pot. Using DIY gentle cleansing paste for slow cooker inner pot.

And voila! A sparkly clean cooker, ready to use for your next sweet or savory slow-cooked dish.

Clean slow cooker after using DIY gentle cleansing paste.

Not Just for Slow Cookers!

You can use this multi-purpose cleaning paste for water-free cleansing of other stoneware or metal appliances that require a gentle, scratch-free scrub. Make extra paste to have on hand whenever needed! It lasts for up to 3 months if well-sealed and kept in a cool, dry area.

DIY Slow Cooker Cleaner

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