---
slug: how_to_clean_a_grater
category_path: home_kitchen/kitchen_dining/kitchen_utensils_gadgets/graters_zesters
type: informational
title: "How to Clean a Grater"
lead: "Rinse or brush a grater right after use — before the food dries on — working from the back of the blade so bits push out the way they came in, and use a stiff brush or a chunk of raw potato for the fine holes. A quick rinse now beats a hopeless scrub later."
recommendation:
  name: "Clean it immediately, brush from the back, and use a stiff brush or raw potato for the fine rasp holes"
  reason: "A grater is a field of tiny sharp holes that dries food into cement, so the whole trick is cleaning it right away, before cheese or citrus zest hardens in the teeth. Rinse it under running water immediately and brush from the back of the blade toward the front, so trapped bits are pushed out the direction they entered rather than jammed deeper. A stiff dish brush or a clean old toothbrush reaches the fine rasp holes of a microplane or zester, and rubbing half a raw potato over the surface pushes stubborn bits out too. Most graters are dishwasher-safe, but a rinse-and-brush by hand is faster and safer than fishing a razor-sharp grater out of the rack. Dry it fully so it doesn't rust or spot, and mind your knuckles — the holes cut skin as easily as they cut food."
published: 2026-07-08
updated: 2026-07-08
---


<ComparisonTable
  columns={["Step", "Do", "Why"]}
  rows={[
    ["Timing", "Rinse right after use", "Dried-on food sets like cement"],
    ["Direction", "Brush from the back to the front", "Pushes bits out the way they went in"],
    ["Fine holes", "Stiff brush, toothbrush, or raw potato", "Reaches microplane/zester teeth"],
    ["Finish", "Dry fully; watch your knuckles", "Prevents rust; the holes cut skin"],
  ]}
/>