I consider myself a clean person, but I had a real “damn bitch, you live like this?” moment when I was forced to inspect the state of my can opener. I had been browsing the web, looking for inspiration, when I came upon an article from The Kitchn that boasted a “1-minute trick” for cleaning your gross, shameful can opener.
There’s no moment like the present to try a new trick, so I went to my kitchen and pulled out my red Martha Stewart-brand can opener and discovered that it was, in fact, quite disgusting and shameful.
![I have a shame. (Photo: Claire Lower)](https://www.lifehacker.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/08/s6a7pcw7pqsr6dllapue-scaled.jpg?quality=75?quality=75)
Obviously, something had to be done, so I decided to do the thing The Kitchn told me to. The Kitchn suggests running a folded sheet of wax paper through the can opener, which is supposed to deep clean the innards of the opener, while lubing it up at the same time:
Running the thick paper through the gears helps gently dislodge any deep, hidden grime — and the wax lubricates your tool for smoother operation at the same time.
Given the sorry state of my can opener, I decided it was only fair that I give my can opener a good scrubbing before trying the wax paper. So I cleaned it with a bristle brush (and hot soap and water), dried it off, then ran the folded piece of waxed paper through the can opener.
![Some gunk was removed (Photo: Claire Lower)](https://www.lifehacker.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/08/rhpu6z3x9j9szmswk1r3-scaled.jpg?quality=75?quality=75)
The paper removed some gunk, but a visual inspection revealed that it was not enough gunk.
![Photo: Claire Lower](https://www.lifehacker.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/08/ptasflw3v18sygdnkb9o-scaled.jpg?quality=75?quality=75)
Maybe the wax paper trick is enough for can openers with lesser amounts of gunk and grime, but true negligence may require reinforcements. True negligence calls for Q-tips.
![There it is. (Photo: Claire Lower)](https://www.lifehacker.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/08/jkql2st2dntk8mhajjjk-scaled.jpg?quality=75?quality=75)
As you can see, the Q-tips were quite effective. I dipped them in a little isopropyl alcohol, then got ‘em in there real good, in between the gears and wheels, dislodging the stuck-on grime, restoring it to its former gleaming glory.
![GLEAMING (Photo: Claire Lower)](https://www.lifehacker.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/08/iohjfhfg1wzteqgjsurt.jpg?quality=75?quality=75)
So while I wasn’t blown away by the wax paper trick, I do appreciate that it forced me to face the gross, some might say reprehensible, state of my can opening device, and it renewed my appreciation for Q-tips, a truly useful cleaning tool.
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