This guide goes in-depth on the topic, therefore, I recommend using the table of contents if you know what you’re looking for.
If you, like me, use your air fryer on a regular basis you will most likely need a good cleanup routine to keep your air fryer in the best possible shape, prolonging the air fryer’s lifespan.
The air fryer is used to cook a bunch of different foods, some may be dipped in oil, others breaded or covered in spices and herbs. Liquid, spices, and herbs will spread throughout the air fryer, as a result of the air circulating the air fryer.
Some ingredients may even end up in the heating element of the air fryer, which is most commonly located on the top of the air fryer’s chamber. Because the heating element reaches temperatures up to 400F, anything that gets stuck there will most likely burn, causing a horrible smell and smoke formation.
Other than that, the air fryer will be stained just by using it. The hot temperatures in combination with food placed inside the air fryer’s rather small chamber will lead to a grease build-up after time.
Why Do I Need To Clean My Air Fryer And How Often Should I Do It?
First of all, the air fryer should, in a perfect world, be cleaned after each time it’s been used. With frequent maintenance, the time it takes to clean the air fryer will be next to nothing. If you wait too long, the stains may require you to use stronger chemicals and more time-consuming methods when cleaning.
Well, why should you do it?
If the air fryer isn’t cleaned on a regular basis, anything left inside the air fryer may burn, leaving you with a smoke-filled kitchen. Most stains will consist of grease. When grease is exposed to hot temperatures, it may produce smoke if the temperature is above the smoke point of that specific fat.
Smoke will also affect the taste and smell of everything cooked in the air fryer, for the worse, I would say.
Therefore, if there’s smoke coming out of your air fryer, it may just be telling you that it wants to be cleaned more frequently. However, the formation of smoke can be caused by other factors, too.
When it comes to leftover burnt food and crumbs, they pose a risk to you and your air fryer if not removed. The air circulating the air fryer is powerful enough to move small items, potentially throwing them into the heating coil of the air fryer.
But, other than those two reasons, there’s an even more important aspect to it – health. In restaurants, chefs are obliged to keep their kitchen up to standards in order to keep their restaurants open for the public.
Hygiene is very important when it comes to cooking. Leaving leftover burnt food, dirt, stains, crumbs or anything else in the air fryer for a long period of time will create an environment that one should not cook food in.
Is An Air Fryer Easy To Clean?
Yes, air fryers are easy to clean – especially when you do it on a regular basis. The procedure doesn’t take more than a couple of minutes from start to finish and your air fryer will be looking good as new.
However, if an air fryer hasn’t been cleaned in a long time, cleaning it may be a more time-consuming endeavor that may require chemicals and tools. Otherwise, a simple mixture of soap, water,
Most air fryer components are safe to put in the dishwasher. If that’s the case with your air fryer, cleaning the components is as easy as pushing the start button. The appliance itself should never be submerged in water, only the removable parts, however, it can be cleaned easily using similar methods.
How To Clean The Heating Element In An Air Fryer
The heating element of an air fryer is more often than not located on top of the air fryers interior. Removing the air fryer’s drawer and basket, the heating element should be found on top of the now exposed chamber.
With some air fryers, it is much easier to clean the heating element when the air fryer is turned upside-down.
This is how you clean the heating element in an air fryer
- Unplug the appliance to prevent electrical malfunction or injury while cleaning.
- If used recently, wait for the appliance to cool down.
- Remove the basket or tray from the air fryer’s chamber.
- Turn the air fryer upside-down if you have a hard time reaching the heating element
- Dip a soft sponge, very soft brush or a piece of cloth in a mixture of warm water and soap.
- Wipe the inside of the air fryer clean (If you’re using a brush – go gently and make sure to never use a rough brush as it may damage the coating)
- Let the appliance dry out – to easily dry the inside of the air fryer, power the appliance and let it run without any food in it.
I recommend using a soft sponge and a brush in combination. The sponge doesn’t reach the inner parts of the heating element as easily as a brush does.
How To Clean An Air Fryer Basket/Tray
These two components are exposed to a lot of greases, food, batters, breading, and much, much more. Therefore, they demand cleaning on a regular basis. The downside – frequent cleaning may cause the components to flake if it isn’t done carefully.
This is how you clean an air fryer basket and air fryer tray.
- If the components are dishwasher safe, place them in the dishwasher to see if that gets the job done, otherwise proceed to the next step.
- Submerge the components in a mixture of warm water and soap. Let them soak for 5-15 minutes depending on how worn down they are.
- Using a soft sponge, scrub the components gently to remove the grease. For stains that don’t come off, add more pressure but do it gently – we don’t want the coating to flake.
- Let all parts dry entirely before placing them in the air fryer – we don’t want any liquids dripping in the air fryer.
How To Clean Baked-On Grease From Air Fryer Components
If the method above doesn’t do the job, you may have to go another route.
This is how you clean an air fryer basket or tray with burnt leftovers or baked-on grease.
- Mix baking water and soda into a paste.
- Gently scrub the component using a soft sponge or piece of cloth.
- Wash with water.
- Let it dry.
How To Prevent An Air Fryer From Sticking By Seasoning It
To further improve the non-stick properties of the air fryer’s components, you should season them. While most manufacturers claim that their products have a
It may be smart to season the basket/tray before cooking something greasy that sticks easily. The seasoning prevents the food from sticking and the components from peeling, as they will require less maintenance. Seasoning an air fryer basket is a quick procedure that’s well worth the effort.
This is how you season an air fryer basket or tray to keep it from sticking.
- Whether it’s a basket or a tray you’re seasoning, the first thing you need to do is make sure the component is cleaned thoroughly and somewhat dry.
- Place the basket or tray in the air fryer and let it run for 5 minutes at 400F
- Remove halfway through (2:30-3m)
- Take a paper towel and smear it in coconut oil. Don’t use excessive amounts, we only want a thin layer of coconut oil.
- With the paper towel covered in oil, wipe the air fryer basket or tray to apply a thin layer of oil.
- Put the component back in the air fryer and let it run for the remainder of the 5 minutes.
How To Clean The Outside Of An Air Fryer
Keep in mind that the air fryer is an electric device and should therefore not be soaked in water. The removable parts are safe to soak in water but the core should not.
When cleaning the outside of the air fryer, avoid soaking wet sponges or cloth. With a bit of bad luck, the liquid may find its way inside the air fryer and render the display or the entire device useless.
Cleaning the outside of the air fryer should be done with a damp piece of cloth, achieved with a little bit of soap and very, very small amounts of water. Wipe down the entire appliance twice, one time with the mixture and the cloth, the second time with a paper towel.
Cleaning An Air Fryer With Baking Soda
Baking soda is the swiss army knife of chemicals. Combined with a bunch of different things, baking soda can achieve a wide array of results. One of its useful areas is cleaning, more specifically, cleaning an air fryer.
The most critical zones can be cleaned using a mixture of water and baking soda, use just enough water to create a paste-like texture. Apply the texture where it’s needed and let it sit. Then, gently scrub the area (using a soft sponge) until the wished-for results are achieved.
Now, if the part cleaned is removable, rinse it under running water. If not, take a paper towel and remove all the baking soda.