Air fryers are surging in popularity for their health benefits and efficient cooking times. If you’ve recently purchased one, you may be wondering how to clean your air fryer.
In this article, we’ll discuss:
- What you need to know about cleaning an air fryer
- General tips for cleaning your air fryer
- How often air fryers should be cleaned
- How to deep clean your air fryer in 7 simple steps
What You Need To Know About Cleaning An Air Fryer
Just like an oven or any other kitchen appliance, your air fryer needs to be cleaned regularly. Regular deep cleaning will:
- Prolong the life of your air fryer
- Provide a sanitary cooking space
- Prevent your appliance from becoming a fire hazard
Cleaning your air fryer after every use will also prevent you from having to take hours scrubbing dried-up gunk from the machine, which can be a complete pain to do.
Your time is too valuable to waste, and cleaning your air fryer regularly will most certainly save you time.
General Tips For Cleaning Your Air Fryer
- Always unplug your air fryer before you begin cleaning to avoid electrocution.
- Avoid abrasive cleaners, as these may damage the nonstick coating on the interior surface of your air fryer.
- Wipe the air fryer down, but don’t rinse it directly in your sink or submerge it in water, as this can break the appliance.
- Check to see if your air fryer has dishwasher-safe parts. This can make cleaning it much easier!
- Again, never run the main machine through the dishwasher. This will break the electrical components of your air fryer.
- Although air fryers don’t use as much grease as regular frying, it’s still important to choose a cleaning product that removes grease. Don’t use plain water to clean the appliance.
- When making especially messy recipes, use air fryer liners to make clean-up afterward easier.
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How Often Should You Clean Your Air Fryer?
Due to the holes in the air fryer basket, crumbs and other debris can easily make their way into the interior of your machine. This can accumulate into a huge mess, which is why your air fryer should be deep cleaned after every use.
Uncleaned air fryers may begin to smell and can even pose a fire hazard. It’s also unsanitary to bake food in a dirty machine.
How To Deep Clean An Air Fryer
Deep cleaning an air fryer is, luckily, a very simple process. The most important step is to ensure you unplug the machine and allow it to cool completely so that you don’t burn or electrocute yourself while cleaning.
Once you’ve done that, simply take out any removable parts and wash them in your sink with soap and water, then wipe down the interior of the machine to remove any crumbs.
Use a damp cloth with dawn dish soap or a water and baking soda paste to once again wipe down the interior of the machine, including the heating element.
You can replace the damp cloth with a non-abrasive sponge or brush, but don’t use any abrasive sponges or brushes on the inside of your air fryer. This will damage the coating on its surface.
Wipe away the soap or baking soda with a dry, clean cloth once finished, and repeat the above steps on the outside of the machine if needed.
I’ll be breaking down these steps in more detail below, so continue reading if you need further help!
Supplies You’ll Need To Clean An air fryer
- Non-abrasive cloth, sponge, or brush
- Dawn dish soap
- Baking soda (optional)
How To Clean An Air Fryer (7 Steps)
Step 1: Unplug the appliance
As with most appliances, you want to unplug your air fryer before cleaning it. Once your machine is unplugged, give it at least 30 minutes to cool so that you don’t burn yourself reaching inside of the machine.
This safety step is crucial to avoid electrocution and burns, and we urge you not to skip it!
Step 2: Remove and wash basket and pan
Next, remove the basket and pan from the appliance. Clean them with soapy water and a non-abrasive sponge or brush.
These parts are sometimes dishwasher safe, but not always. Check your model to be sure, and hand wash if you have any doubts.
Step 3: Clean crumbs from the interior of your machine
Next, dump or wipe crumbs from the interior of your air fryer.
This will stop them from getting in the way when you scrub the machine to remove grease and prevent any smells from building up in your appliance.
Step 4: Prepare a baking soda paste (optional)
Baking soda is great at eliminating smells, so it’s perfect if maybe your machine hasn’t been washed in a few uses or there’s a smell you can’t seem to get rid of with regular cleaning.
You can also use this as a cleaner every time, which is a great preventative measure. However, a regular cleaning with dish soap also works fine and shouldn’t lead to a smelly appliance.
If you’d like to prepare a baking soda paste, simply mix baking soda and water and mix until it has a paste-like consistency.
Step 5: Clean the interior of your air fryer
Using a small amount of dish soap or your baking soda paste and your non-abrasive cleaning utensil of choice, wipe down the interior of your air fryer. Scrub until the machine is clean, using a dry cloth to wipe away buildup and then reapplying your cleaning solution as necessary.
Make sure to clean the heating element as well. Some people clean it every time, while others wait until after a few uses. I recommend cleaning it since you’re already scrubbing the rest of the interior down anyway, but it’s up to you.
If you have difficulty cleaning the heating element, turn the air fryer upside down. Some people find it easier this way.
Once you’re finished with this step, use a clean, dry cloth to wipe away any leftover cleaning solution and dry the inside of the machine completely.
Step 6: Clean the exterior of your air fryer
Using the same method as step 5, clean the exterior of your air fryer as needed. Some people do this every time they use their machine, while others wait until there is a visible mess.
It’s up to you how often you choose to clean this part of your air fryer. There’s no right or wrong, only personal preference.
Step 7: Dry and replace parts
Once your entire air fryer is clean, dry and replace the parts. Then, store it away or plug it back in for its next use!
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