How to Clean an Air Fryer (Because It’s Looking Pretty Greasy in There)

You might have thought air fryers would be a passing fad, but their popularity among French fry-loving home cooks persists. In case you’ve never used one before, an air fryer is a countertop convection oven that can cook just about anything to a crisp with the help of high-powered fans that circulate even heat. The one thing the appliance can’t do? Clean itself.

Like every other gadget in your kitchen, these puppies will get quite gross unless you give ’em some TLC from time to time. (FYI, the longer you wait, the bigger the chore.) If yours has seen better days, read on to learn how to clean an air fryer, even if you’ve never done it before. (We won’t judge.)

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.

Our best advice is to buck up and give your air fryer a quick clean after every use so you can spare yourself a bigger job down the road, especially if you are using it for crumby foods, meat or anything coated in a sauce or marinade. You’ll thank us later, promise.

_{Taryn Pire is PureWow’s associate food editor. A former bartender and barista, she’s been writing about all things delicious since 2016, developing recipes, reviewing restaurants and investigating food trends at Food52, New Jersey Family Magazine and Taste Talks. When she isn’t testing TikTok’s latest viral recipe, she’s having popcorn for dinner and posting about it on Instagram @cookingwithpire.}