Best way to clean gunk off a Hamilton Beach can opener?

[Thomas Martinez]

Was looking into how people deal with the buildup on Hamilton Beach can openers and figured I'd start a thread since it comes up a lot. The blade area are where the grime accumulates and you cant just throw the can opener in the sink to clean it.
The best way to clean the can opener is using a steel scrub pad and a regular sponge to remove the dirt on the body of the can opener. For the spots that are more stubborn use a knife to scrape the baked-on stains off the blade. It sound sketchy but it works fine.
Any other ways that people clean their can openers? Do you guys wipe them off every few uses or do you wait until they become gross? Does anyone have tricks for the dried juice that gets into the gear teeth? I've heard people use old toothbrushes but I havent seen it confirmed. Is the blade area the main thing you have to worry about? Do you all have a routine that's kept yours running for years?

 

[Funny Fowl]

old toothbrush dipped in hot soapy water is literally the answer for the gear teeth. Been doing it for years on mine, takes 30 second.

 

[Biblical Chicken]

Honestly I just replace mine when it gets gross. They're like 20 bucks. Life is short.

 

[We Love Mounta]

Wait does popping the cover off void anything? Mine has like a little plastic tab thing and I'm scared of do it.

 

[The Castle of B]

the knife scrape thing works fine if you go WITH the grain of the metal and not against it. I use the back edge of a butter knife not an actual sharp blade, no idea why anyone would risk dinging the cutting wheel with a real knife.

 

[Funny Fowl]

Wait does popping the cover off void anything? Mine has like a little plastic tab thing and I'm scared of do it.

depends on the model but most of em the cover just pops off with a flathead screwdriver, theres a little slot. No screws.

 

[Profession]

Steel wool on a Hamilton Beach? You're gonna scratch the finish to hell. Use a nylon scrubby and some Dawn, the gunk comes off fine if you let it soak a few minutes first.

 

[Esca]

mine lasted 8 years and the only thing I ever did was wipe the blade with a paper towel after opening anything wet. Tomato sauce cans are the killer, that stuff actualy eat the metal eventually. If you let it sit you're basically letting acid corrode the cutting wheel. Quick wipe every single use of the can opener with a paper towel. No routine deep cleans needed. When it died the motor failed not the blade.

 

[Misty Mandrill]

lol the whole thread is about cleaning a 19 dollar appliance

 

[We Love Mounta]

depends on the model but most of em the cover just pops off with a flathead screwdriver, theres a little slot. No screws.

thx, gonna try the flathead trick tonight. Is there a gasket or anything under the cover or just bare?

 

[Better Badger]

vinegar soak. Soak a paper towel in white vinegar and drape it over the blade area for like 15 min then scrub. Dissolves the dried juice gunk without scratching anything

 

[Profession]

vinegar soak. Soak a paper towel in white vinegar and drape it over the blade area for like 15 min then scrub. Dissolves the dried juice gunk without scratching anything

this is the right answer, vinegar is also what i use for the gear teeth, soak a qtip in it and work it into the teeth

 

[Biblical Chicken]

this is the right answer, vinegar is also what i use for the gear teeth, soak a qtip in it and work it into the teeth

or just buy a new one for $20 instead of standing there with a qtip dipping it in vinegar like a crazy person