how to clean air fryer

Discover how to clean an air fryer with these hacks and tricks! Learn how to easily maintain your air fryer and clean stuck-on grease.

An air fryer is an amazing appliance! It can cook and fry foods without needing any grease – it just blows hot air on the food and cooks completely cooks it in no time at all. This process still leaves grease behind and bits of food in the basket – and when it gets dirty it can be a real pain to clean.

Follow the tips and hacks in this guide and you'll be able to enjoy and use your air fryer every day.

How To Clean The Air Fryer

You are going to want to clean your air fryer every time you use it. If you don't, cooked food that is left behind in the basket will burn and it will affect how the next recipe you make will taste. Thankfully, it's actually really easy to clean!

No matter which type of air fryer you own – whether it's an upright one or it's the kind that doubles as a toaster oven – follow these tips and hacks and learn how to clean the air fryer easily so it lasts the longest.

Clean The Air Fryer Basket

The most important thing you should clean is the air fryer basket. Always consult your air fryer's user manual before you begin cleaning it. It will tell you the best ways to clean it based on how it is made.

The following ideas and tips are more general and could work for most air fryers.

Before you start, unplug the air fryer. Let it cool down completely. You can remove the air fryer basket and either set it in the sink or on the counter. This will help it cool down even faster.

Most air fryer baskets come in two pieces – a crumb basket and a frying basket. The crumb basket sits on top, is removable, and dishwasher safe.

Clean The Crumb Basket

Take the crumb basket out and throw away any loose pieces of food leftover in it. Wipe it out with a damp cloth.

Now, you can either wash it in your dishwasher or hand wash it with dish soap. The crumb basket has a non-stick coating on it, so please don't use abrasive brushes (like steel wool) on it or any abrasive cleaners that might erode this coating.

If you choose to wash it by hand, make sure you clean all the crevices and both the outside and inside of the basket. It might help to use a dish brush or toothbrush to clean all the slats.

Don't forget to dry it completely before you put it back in the air fryer!

Clean The Frying Basket

In most air fryers, the bottom frying basket is dishwasher safe. As always, please check your user manual to make sure it's safe to place in the dishwasher before you do it.

The bottom frying basket is where lots of grease and gunk falls. You might have to soak this in a bit of dish soap and hot water before you wipe it out with a sponge or gentle brush. It's a good idea to clean the frying basket after each use because if you don't, the old food and grease will start to smell.

Wipe Down the Outside of the Air Fryer

The outside of the air fryer shouldn't get very dirty. All of the cooking happens on the inside but, it's still a good idea to dust and wipe down the outside of your air fryer at least once a week. This will keep germs and other things from building up on it, and it will keep your air fryer looking like new.

All you need for this step is a damp cloth! If there is grease or food on the outside, you might need a little dish soap or all-purpose cleaner.

Deep Clean Inside The Air Fryer

It's a good idea to deep clean inside your air fryer about once a month, or whenever you notice it starting to smell funky. You can do this step with just some baking soda and water.

1. Unplug the air fryer and let it cool off completely before even attempting this step.

2. Then, mix just enough water into the baking soda to make a paste.

3. Dip a toothbrush into the baking soda paste and use it to thoroughly scrub the interior of the air fryer.

4. Then, rinse the toothbrush off and use it to rinse off the baking soda paste from where you just scrubbed.

5. Rinse and dry the inside of your air fryer and then it's completely clean.

Related: How To Quickly Clean Your Oven

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Dry Everything Completely

All water has minerals in it – and some areas have harder water than others with more calcium. These minerals will build-up on your appliances if you don't dry them off.

After you wash the air fryer parts, use a dry towel to remove all the leftover water.

Drying all the parts and pieces is just as important of a step as washing them.

Air Fryer Cleaning Solutions

There are lots of different things you can use to clean your air fryer. I'll share each of my favorite cleaning solutions for you below.

No matter which one you choose to use, it's very important that you avoid really abrasive cleaners like steel wool or firm brushes. Even if you use mild vinegar, the steel wool could scratch the non-stick surface.

Vinegar and Water

Vinegar is a very safe cleaning solution that you can use all over your kitchen, including inside your air fryer. The most reliable cleaning solution is 3 parts water and 1 part vinegar. So if you use 1 cup of water, just add 1/3 cup of vinegar.

Add this to a spray bottle and spritz it all over the areas of your air fryer that you want to clean.

Baking Soda

More stubborn messes in your air fryer might require a soak in a baking soda paste!

Mix just enough water with some baking soda to make a thick paste. Then, spread this on the stuck-on spots on the basket and let it soak.

It should come out pretty easily.

All-Purpose Cleaner

It is safe to use all-purpose cleaners on the outside and inside of your air fryer. Spray the air fryer with the cleaner, then wipe it down with a clean cloth, and don't forget to dry it.

Dish Soap

Another reliable cleaning solution is just good 'ol dish soap. You only need a few drops of concentrated dish soap on a sponge. Then, soak the sponge in water and use it to wipe down out your air fryer baskets.

The soap will help cut through the grease and remove the stuck-on bits too.

Final Thoughts

Cleaning an air fryer is easier than you might think! Always refer to your user manual before putting the baskets in the dishwasher, but most air fryer baskets are dishwasher safe.

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