A panini press may be a convenient gadget for grilling a hot, cheesy sandwich (or countless other foods) but it can also be a pain to clean. That's where this one simple, natural ingredient comes in.
What is it? Hot water!
Scouring pads and other abrasive scrubbers can ruin the nonstick plates on a panini press, but water is gentle and effective. This technique is especially handy for panini grills that don't have removable plates.
With the panini press unplugged but still hot, we take a hot water-soaked cloth or sponge and gently wipe the plates. (If you're worried about your fingers, you can grip the cloth or sponge with tongs or chopsticks.) For more stubborn residue, we pour a little bit of hot water onto the plate, close the grill, and let it sit for a minute. These methods work best if cleaning is done right away, before the residue has time to settle into the grooves.
As always, be sure to check your manufacturer's instructions for more complete cleaning advice.
Related: How To Clean the Stove Naturally: A Tip
(Image: Flickr member IngaMun licensed under Creative Commons)
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This is exactly what I did last night to clean mine.
My husband has actually put the (unplugged) waffle iron in the sink and run water on the plates. If you let it dry, it's fine. Not sure he's done that with our grill though.
I do this with my old George Foreman grill. I'll heat it up first and then unplug it before cleaning it with water that gets hot on the grill and paper towels that I use to wipe away the residue and then throw away (squeezed out)(I find it's easier to get residue from all the grooves and side edges better with paper towels.) When the grill surfaces are clean, I plug it back in again for a while to dry it...sort of like putting a cleaned with water cast iron pan on the stove burner. Then when it's cool, I'll wipe off the outside, particularly the back and underside with a soapy sponge and then put it back in the cupboard.
I always just wrap my paninis in parchment paper. The bread still gets toasty (including the grill lines), and the cheese gets all melty, but there is no mess to clean up. It's the best thing ever.
I once read somewhere that anything with a non-stick surface should not be cleaned (at least not with water) until it has cooled completely. The argument was that doing so weakens the integrity of the non-stick surface.