How to Clean Your Air Fryer

During the cooking process, your air fryer can get just as dirty as your oven. This is because things like grease drips and spills, food crumbs, smoke residue and more can cover the interior of the air fryer. Unfortunately, cleaning your air fryer can be just as challenging as cleaning your oven. Let’s look at how to clean your air fryer the easy way.

Why It’s Important to Keep Your Air Fryer Clean

The food remnants and grease residue in your air fryer can produce foul-smelling smoke when you cook. This smoke can fill your home and may even set off the smoke alarm in severe cases. The smoke also impacts the taste of your food.

Plus, when your air fryer is dirty, it works less efficiently. Ultimately, this makes the air fryer less efficient at heating your food. As a result, additional wear and tear occurs, and your air fryer will eventually need to be replaced sooner.

How Often Should You Clean an Air Fryer?

Almost everything you cook in your air fryer will leave behind grease and food remnants, so basic cleaning efforts are needed after each use. The food basket and grease tray are removable, so pull them out and wash them by hand.

A more thorough cleaning is required from time to time as well. The frequency depends on how often you use the air fryer. With regular use, clean your air fryer weekly.

Step-by-Step: How to Clean Your Air Fryer

Cleaning this small appliance can seem daunting, but it’s actually a quick, straightforward process.

• Disconnect the electrical cord from the power outlet.
• Slide out the grease tray and food basket. Wash these by hand with hot, soapy water. Use a grease-cutting liquid dish soap for easier cleaning.
• Using hot, soapy water, dampen a cloth. You can scrub away the grease using the cloth, but don’t use an abrasive scrubber.
• Focus on the air fryer’s exterior and door handle.
• To remove lingering grease, food crumbs and soap, use fresh water and a clean, soft cloth.
• Dry off the removable parts, interior and exterior with a microfiber cloth.
• Once the air fryer is completely dry, you can plug the cord back in and slide the tray and food basket into place.

Dealing with Stubborn Grease or Odors

Stubborn grease and odors are signs that your air fryer needs deep cleaning. To get started, use the basic cleaning steps already described. Then, clean the heating element using soapy water and a soft brush. Remove the soapy water and dislodged residue with a clean, damp cloth.

Then, dry the heating element. After cleaning the heating element as well as the interior and exterior of the air fryer and its removable components, reassemble the air fryer. Generally, deep cleaning is beneficial on a monthly basis. You might be inclined to use some of the same oven cleaning products that you use to clean the oven, but you should not use these harsh chemicals in your air fryer. These cleaners, including degreasing products, will damage the non-stick material in the air fryer.

In addition, any residue left behind can penetrate your food and may have negative health effects. In addition to avoiding harsh chemicals, don’t use abrasive scrubbers. These can also damage your air fryer’s non-stick coating.

Tips to Keep It Clean Longer

Cleaning your air fryer after each use is the best way to keep it clean for longer periods of time. By doing so, you can potentially go longer between deep cleaning efforts.

There are a few additional steps that you can take to keep your air fryer clean longer.

• Cover the grease tray with parchment paper or a silicon liner. Replace the parchment paper or clean the liner after each use.
• Don’t overload the food basket. Doing so can result in more splatters and crumbs, and some of these could land on the heating coil.
• Never use a dirty air fryer. The heat will bake on grease and burn food remnants, and this makes it much harder to clean the air fryer.

Like your air fryer, your other kitchen appliances as well as the sink, counters and more can make your kitchen stinky and filthy. Because this is the area where food is prepared and perhaps even consumed, keeping your kitchen clean is crucial. Cleanzen is your trusted source for professional home cleaning services. For kitchen cleaning service and full home cleaning assistance, contact Cleanzen today.