How To Deep-Clean Your Air Fryer

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A compact appliance that offers the benefits of an oven and a deep fryer, but without the fuss of either; The air fryer promises so much in terms of convenience. What seems to have been glossed over, however, is that it requires just as much cleaning. It's probably news to some people that you should be cleaning your air fryer after every use. But if you're guilty of letting that slide, then it's even more important that you do a deep clean at least once a month. 

To deep clean your air fryer, start by making sure that the appliance is unplugged and has cooled to room temperature. Then the removable parts, such as the basket, tray and cooking pot, and head over to the kitchen sink. After wiping out any loose particles of food, wash these parts with warm soapy water and a soft dishcloth. For any stubborn residue, try applying a paste of baking soda and water and letting it to sit for 20 minutes.

For the rest of the appliance, it's very important that you don't submerge it in water. The interior and exterior can be wiped down with a damp cloth, and if the grease can't be removed, try the air fryer steam cleaning trick with lemon and vinegar. The heating element should only be cleaned if there is food residue stuck to it –- as this can catch fire. Avoid any cleaning agents and instead brush the food away with an old toothbrush.

With all parts clean, ensure that they are completely dry before reassembling. Even if you have been cleaning your air fryer after every use, a regular deep clean will help keep your appliance in good working condition.

Now that you have a sparkling fresh air fryer, you'll want to keep it that way — and you should be cleaning the basket after each use at the bare minimum. Maintaining a clean air fryer does mean a little extra work each time you use it, but it will make next month's deep clean go a whole lot quicker. Cleaning between uses also avoids transferring smells and flavors between different dishes, and can prevent smoke from leftover grease or food. But, there are certain precautions you can take when using your air fryer to keep the mess inside it to a minimum. 

Using silicone air fryer liners like the LOTELLI KITCHEN Collapsible Silicone Air Fryer Basket Liners can cut down on the amount of regular cleaning needed, especially for the basket — and they have the benefit of being dishwasher safe. But they won't prevent oil splattering onto the interior of the appliance. When making particularly fatty foods, you can pause the air fryer and drain the grease during cooking. This will give you less of the caked-on oil to clean once it's cooled down. However, some of the hardest residue to clean comes down to one common mistake: using cooking spray in the air fryer. 

With the air fryer's reputation for needing less oil, it might make sense to give you food just a quick spritz with Pam, but this spray should be kept away from any non-stick surfaces. The lecithin in these cooking sprays creates a sticky film over time, which is not only hard to remove, but will also damage the non-stick surface. You can get the same convenient application by adding your favorite cooking oil to a refillable dispenser such as the YARRAMATE Glass Olive Oil Sprayer and do yourself the favor of making your air fryer cleaning routine much easier.