Watch your slow-cooker clean itself with one simple trick

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Using a slow cooker to make dinner is a great way to save time. You can start your dinner on the way out the door in the morning and come home to a tasty meal at night. The one downside to these must-have kitchen appliances is the cleanup afterwards.
If you dare leave the food in the slow cooker a little too long or (gasp) store it in the fridge overnight, cleaning it out can be a beast. Who hates scrubbing the sides out?
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When that happens, this method for cleaning is a life saver:
What you need
water
1 cup vinegar
1 cup baking soda
Directions
1. With the power on low, fill the slow cooker with water. Fill it up enough to cover any debris.
2. Add a cup of vinegar and 1 cup of baking soda (a little at a time).
3. Once the bubbling stops, turn your slow cooker on low and let it cook for at least four hours. You can keep the lid on.
4. Dump out the liquid and let the slow cooker cool. The slow cooker should be mostly clean and at most you need a gentle wipe down.
A few other tips for cleaning your slow cooker on a regular basis include tossing it (the insert only) into the dishwasher or using oven cleaner (as a last resort). Additionally, you could use a crock pot liner or spray your cooker with non-stick spray before cooking to keep most of the food from sticking to the sides.
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