How To Clean An Air Fryer ...Quickly! | Basket & Element

Summary… Cleaning your air fryer is simple. Firstly, wipe down all the surfaces with a paper towel. Then use a wet sponge to wipe it down again including the heating element. If there is ‘stuck-on’ food, use bicarbonate of soda and a soft bristled brush to coax it off. Wipe it again and dry using a microfiber cloth.

For anybody new to air fryers, one of the most common questions that is asked is ‘how to clean an air fryer’. Obviously, it is a real concern for people that it is done correctly, whilst not endangering your brand-new air fryer.

In this post, we will show you how to keep your air fryer clean, both safely and efficiently…making your air frying experience pleasurable once again.

How often do I need to clean my air fryer?

The answer to that really depends on your own standards. As somebody who advises others, my answer would always be to clean your air fryer after every use.

This keeps your air fryer smelling fresh and working at its most efficient.

Although it may seem a chore to clean it every time, it prolongs the lifetime of the air fryer whilst also avoiding the baked-on grease that failing to clean it regularly leaves.

Clear-cut signs your air fryer needs cleaning

The most obvious sign that your air fryer needs cleaning, is if the food you cook has a strange taste to it…that taste will be quite apparent and the food will smell different too.

Another sign is if your air fryer ‘smokes’ whilst cooking. This indicates that there is grease on the element of your air fryer, which is burning while you cook your fried food.

Finally, an obvious indicator is if your food sticks to the non-stick surface of the basket. This usually means that there is some baked-on food on the surface of the air fryer basket, which impacts the non-stick qualities of the fryer basket.

More often than not, you will know when it needs cleaning.

Can I clean my air fryer in a dishwasher?

You can clean the tray in your dishwasher and some manufacturers actually advertise the ability to do so.

The reality is that the trays have a non-stick coating that will deteriorate quickly when placed frequently in a dishwasher.

In order to preserve the life of your air fryer, we therefore recommend that you hand wash them. It only takes a few minutes and the benefits are tangible.

Read more about putting your air fryer in a dishwasher here.

How NOT to clean your air fryers

Before we show you how to clean it properly, it’s worth mentioning how not to do it.

We want to clean it without damaging it so there a few things you should avoid.

Avoiding a dishwasher has already been mentioned…and for good reason too. The same principle applies to using abrasive scourer pads…or even worse, steel wool. The non-stick coating on the basket needs to be treated with absolute care.

Strong cleaning products that are not designed for kitchen use, should be avoided. They are too harsh and may have a disastrous effect on the air fryers non stick coating.

Before you start cleaning your air fryer

Ensure that your air fryer is unplugged and that there is no power going into the air fry unit. This is exactly like a deep fryer, everything needs to be cold and safe to handle.

Liquids and electricity are a deadly combination, so take the correct steps to ensure your safety.

What do I need to clean my air fryer?

Luckily, there are no specialist cleaners or materials required, most of you will already have these in your kitchen. You will need the following to do it properly;

A bristled scrub brush, ideally very soft
Cleaning solution such as dish soap
Baking soda (often referred to as Bicarbonate of soda or Baking powder)
Paper towels
Lint free cleaning cloths, non abrasive sponge or damp cloth

How to clean an air fryer – Steps

We have already established that you should hand wash your air fryer to protect the surfaces. Follow these simple steps to clean your air fryer safely and easily.

Step 1

Give your air fryer basket a good soak in soapy water using your dish soap. This is the easiest way of lifting off the grease and any food particles attached to the surface. This step makes your job a lot easier.

Step 2

While the frying basket is still soaking in warm water, wipe over the air fry unit with a soft paper towel. This step removes any surface grease that can cause the unit emit smells.

Step 3

Use your damp cloth or sponge, in hot soapy water and wring it out. Then simply, wipe all the surfaces of the air fryer including the heating element. This step will remove most of the grease. Remember that your heating element should be handled with care.

Step 4

If the tray or air fryer basket still have food particles attached to them, put some bicarbonate of soda onto the soft sponge and start working it into the food. You can use your soft bristled brush at this point too. If you soaked your basket previously, this step should be a breeze.

Step 5

Your air fryer has been cleaned. You now need to use your microfiber cloth or paper towels, to ensure it is fully dry. You are now ready to cook in your air fryer again!

There we have it, this is how to clean your air fryer…properly and efficiently. Regardless of the air fryer brand you have…Instant pot, Philips, Cosori…the process remains the same.

A clean air fryer is a joy to use, clean to touch and without any of the nasty smells. Put your pan away, you will be back to creating those air fryer recipes before you know it.

There are also other ways of cleaning your air fryer parts, such as using vinegar and lemon juice…but that is for another day. The method above should be more than adequate for you.

You can also take steps to make your future cleaning easier. I like to use parchment paper at the bottom of my air fryer basket.

All the food particles and food residue stick to the parchment paper instead of the food basket. This also has the added bonus of protecting the nonstick coating.

To clean, I simply replace it after following the steps above. It really does make things simpler.

Let us know if this is the process you use…if not, how do you do it?