So, There's a Hidden Crumb Tray Under Your Toaster That You're Probably Not Cleaning

It seems odd now to think we'd never really thought about what happens to any crumbs or broken-off pieces of bread at the bottom of the toaster until recently. It was just assumed that they all merely disappeared or that a toaster fairy came in the cover of night to collect burnt sourdough bits. We certainly did not suppose that there was a hidden compartment underneath the toaster collecting all sorts of unmentionables for, sometimes, literal years and years. The things you learn on TikTok!

When one TikTok user—who also happens to be a professional cleaner—shared the bomb-drop secret, our minds started spinning. Now, tons of users on the social media platform are showing what sort of old, crumbly, burnt, and even dusty (we know, ew!) stuff they're pulling out from their toasters. Turns out, there are countless people out there who never knew it existed, and we couldn't sprint to the kitchen fast enough to find out what all of those pieces of toast, Pop-Tarts, and frozen waffles have been doing all this time. So, where exactly is this hidden tray of goodies?

If you look on the backside of your toaster—probably near where the plug is—there is a closed compartment secured with a latch or lip that you can pull out like a drawer. That's the sweet spot. Simply grab the latch and you'll be able to pull out a tiny drawer that's been collecting all of your toaster crumbs. Warning: Do NOT flip your toaster upside-down. It will end in a mess.

It might seem almost comically simple, but as it turns out, most people aren't frequently exploring the nooks and crannies of their toasters. (If you're still not totally sure where your toaster's crumb tray is located and how to handle it, this video from another TikTok user shows exactly how to find and open the hidden crumb tray, as well as the user's very cheesy, crusty crumb tray that she had no idea had been working overtime.) Of course, some toasters might have different layouts, but most should have some sort of tucked-away crumb snatcher where it all accumulates. Look around and be prepared to bust those runaway crumbs.

Depending on what you pull out of your toaster, this whole fiasco might convince you it's time to snag a new toaster altogether. For that, we can only recommend perhaps the best value toaster on Amazon: the Ikich Long Shot Toaster that fits four slices at one time and has over 7,000 reviews. For anyone else, consider this toaster hack a magnificent addition to your cleaning bucket list.

Suddenly we're seeing a whole lot of TikTok-induced cleaning projects in our future. Anyone else?