Graters

Does anyone have a trick for cleaning cheese graters?

I live in an apartment without a dishwasher and I'm looking for a trick to help me clean my box-grater and my microplane graters. I'm familiar with the concept of elbow-grease, but I'm wondering if anyone has a method for cleaning these devices easily without having to spend too much time scrubbing and scrubbing and destroying sponges. Any help? I also realize that it's technically off-topic here, but if anyone would have an answer, it would be you guys. Thanks.

Public Comments

1. I use my kitchen scrub brush
2. I use a brush as opposed to a sponge. Specifically, the kind that you can dispense dish soap from. Soaking can help, also.
3. Soak in hot soapy water. The cheese will melt off and will be easy to wash with out ripping your sponges..... Sorry about the no dishwasher thing....that must suck!!!
4. I let mine soak, so the gunk is soft. Then I use a a scrub brush with a long handle. It cleans off in a snap.
5. I spray mine with a cooking spray like Pam before I use it, Then the cheese doesn't stick as badly and it is easier to clean after each use.
6. I wash my graters in cold water first of all. Hot water makes the cheese go gunky and harder to clean, whereas it doesn't melt in cold water and is much easier to remove. Once the gunk is off, I then wash it again in hot water.
7. take a wet rag or dish cloth, and wipe the grater or graters slowly while running it under some water, preferably warm water.
8. MY veggie brush works great.
9. i had the kids use the small end of a bottle-brush to keep from cutting their fingers, turns out it works pretty well and now that's what i use too.
10. Use a stiff brush like the type for cleaning finger nails (and soap and water), which is available in the hardware isle at your supermarket. I suppose a toilet brush would work in a pinch.
11. For a regular grater, try using a potato after you grate cheese. This will clean off the gooey mess before it's washed. Try it, it really works! For a microplane grater, a veggie brush or a clean fingernail brush will work well to clean out those tiny spaces.
12. put it under running water
13. Soak them in hot soapy water and then pray for a dishwasher! Ha, I'm kidding! Soak them in hot soapy water and then use a toothbrush to get in and of the grates. Don't pray for anything, it doesn't help at all!
14. I find the best way to clean the grater is to do it as soon as I'm finished using it. I grate the cheese, then immediately put the grater under running hot water, and use a scrub brush and detergent. Fast and easy. If you don't give the cheese time to harden, you'll have no trouble cleaning it. I also live without a dishwasher.
15. get a toothbrush and use it just for cleaning kitchen tools. the handle allows you to reach into the item, and cleans out the little grater holes.
16. The microplane grater (wonderful invention, wish I could find mine when I want it) shouldn't need more than a quick rinse under hot running water. The box grater will be easier to clean if you spray it with a little nonstick cooking spray before each use. Swish it through hot soapy water as soon as possible after using it, then rinse with hot water and leave to dry.
17. WD-40 and a sander.