No matter how scary your fryer basket is looking, follow these simple steps to give your air fryer a deep clean. It will be good as new in no time.
What You’ll Need:
- Soft-bristle brush
- Microfiber cloths
- Dish soap
- Baking soda
How to Clean an Air Fryer:
1. Unplug the appliance. This one is pretty straightforward.
2. Wash the grease tray (aka baking pan). Just pull out the drawer (ideally while it's still warm, but not too hot to touch), remove the grease tray and use a paper towel to wipe away excess oil before washing the tray in warm, soapy water. (Note: Some air fryers have dishwasher-safe components, so you can always consult the user guide to see if you can cut a corner here; otherwise, err on the side of caution and hand-wash.)
3. Wash the basket. Clean the frying basket in hot, soapy water (a brief soak might be helpful for stuck-on gunk) and use the soft-bristled (i.e., non-abrasive) brush to gently scrub. If you have a basket with grates or lots of tiny holes, use a toothpick or skewer to clean out the gunk.
4. Dry the removable parts. It’s important to promptly and thoroughly dry both the grease tray and frying basket with a microfiber towel (Swedish dishcloths and Scrub Daddy sponges are popular, too) before putting them back inside the appliance.
5. Wipe down the interior. With that (now damp) microfiber cloth and a spot of dish soap, quickly wipe down the interior of the air fryer to remove any grease that’s been left behind after cooking. Next, grab a fresh microfiber cloth, get it damp and wipe the interior again to remove any soapy residue.
6. Clean the heating element. The heating element itself can be cleaned with the exact same wipe-down procedure described in step five. However, if there’s actual food stuck to it, you should remove that first by scrubbing it with a soft-bristled brush and a slurry of baking soda and water. When the scrub and wipe-down is finished, dry the heating element with a clean cloth.