An air fryer is an electrical device that needs care. Keeping your air fryer clean will also help increase its longevity.
But how often do you need to clean it? Do I need to Wash Air Fryer after every use?
Given that I use my air fryer multiple times a week, wouldn’t that be a bit oo much?
I rush to search for the manual I got with my new air fryer. Do I need to Wash Air Fryer after every use?
Do I Need to Wash Air Fryer After Every Use?
According to the manual instructions in my Phillips air fryer, the appliance should be cleaned after every use.
I am happy the manufacturers understand the importance of hygienic cooking appliances. I cannot think of putting my raw food in a used basket/compartment for cooking.
There will always be leftover residue. That is a breeding ground for germs, offensive smells, and tasteless odors.
The food tends to take up the smell and taste of leftovers.
The air fryer has a wonderful box compartment that can cook your food without oil. As it contains electrical and mechanical parts, allow me to tell you the correct way to wash your air fryer after every use
How to Wash the Air Fryer After Every Use?
Before delving into details, I must tell you that only the non-electrical parts of the air fryer need to be washed.
By non-electrical parts, I mean the removable parts of the air fryer body – the basket and the pan underneath the basket.
The outer body of the air fryer just needs a quick wipe with a damp cloth. As it does not come in contact with food, there is no need to wash it.
Also, the non-removable part of the air fryer has an electronic board that should NEVER come in contact with water.
After wiping with a damp cloth, followed by a swipe with a dry towel. Don’t leave moisture on the control panel.
Following are the instructions I found for my Phillips air fryer. These generally apply to all air fryers, though I would recommend you to read your instructions manual.
Go through the general instructions and then follow the cleaning method specified by the brand.
The basket and the pan are made of non-stick material. To avoid damage to the coating, do not use harsh abrasive cleaners or scouring pads.
Let your air fryer cool down before proceeding with the step-by-step instructions :
- Remove the pan along with the basket. Turn it upside and allow the food debris to fall.
- Dislodge the basket from the pan. Wipe both surfaces with a paper napkin to remove the grease and oil.
You now have two options. You can put them in the dishwasher or clean them by hand.
For long shelf life, brands recommend hand washing when you can. The non-stick layer remains intact, and there is no fear of eroding or chipping away.
For hand washing
- Add a mild detergent to lukewarm water and make a soapy solution. Pour inside the basket and the pan. Allow them to soak for 30 minutes. If it is dirty and there is a lot of stuck debris, soak the pan overnight. You may also add a liquid degreaser to the soapy water solution.
- Take a soft sponge(non-abrasive), scrub, and remove the grub. Wash and leave them to dry on a towel.
For Dishwashing
- Place the pan and the basket inside the dishwasher. There is no need to remove the rubber stopper from the pan. Do not stack on top of each other. Place them in a large comfortable area with good access to all its surfaces.
Also read: Are Air Fryer Parts Dishwasher Safe?
Cleaning the Open Part of the Air Fryer
The where you put the pan and the basket into the air fryer is called the open part.
It should be cleaned with a soft sponge dipped in soapy water.
- Turn the air fryer upside down for easy access. Use a soft sponge or cloth and dip it in a warm soapy water solution. Gently wipe the surface.
- Clean the debris from the heating element with a soft brush or sponge dipped in soapy water. Do not use a hard brush or you might end up damaging the coating of the heating element.
- Use the soft brush for hard-to-reach areas.
- If the heating element has stubborn gunk, spray the part with a baking soda+ water solution. Allow it to absorb the solution for 10-15 minutes. Wipe it away.
- If the debris still does not dislodge, do not apply undue pressure. Place the pan inside the air fryer with a cup of water. Enter the temperature setting of 180 for 15-20 minutes. The water will moisten the food debris so you can easily peel it away.
After cleaning, follow by wiping a dry cloth everywhere.
Allow the air fryer and all its parts to dry up completely before using it again.
For more information or support, visit your brand website or call customer care.
Also read: Air Fryer Smells Like Plastic
Here are some frequently asked questions :
How Often Should I Clean the Outside of the Air Fryer?
An occasional clean-up is sufficient for the outside body of the air fryer.
Only the parts coming in contact with food need to be cleaned regularly.
Take a damp microfiber cloth or any cloth and give the body a good wipe. Follow by a dry wipe. Do not leave moisture on the control panel for the risk of malfunctioning.
Use the air fryer only after it has dried up completely.
Also read: What Utensils Can Be Used in Air Fryer?
How to Know When it is Time to Deep Clean My Airfryer?
Two signs will help you to know it is time to stop procrastinating and clean your air fryer.
One is a foul odor, and the second is smoke. This happens when the food particles repeatedly burn to give a bad smell.
The smoke comes out due to the repeated burning of food crumbs.
The food cooked inside gets a bad taste as all the odors will get absorbed inside it.
How Often Should I Clean My Air Fryer?
As often as you cook. Let me put it this way, you wouldn’t want to serve fresh food on a used dirty plate. It is unhygienic and may give you a bad stomach.
The same thing works on the appliance you are using to cook that food. Keep it clean every time you use it to be free from germs.
The longer you wait, the harder you will have to toil to clean the food debris. Repeated cooking makes the food particles hard.
Are There Any Accessories to Keep My Air Fryer Clean?
You can use a soft sponge, a microfiber cloth, and a soft brush. The cleaning solution can be a non-abrasive dish cleaner, baking soda, or a degreaser.
Use oils with high smoking temperatures, so your oils don’t burn. You can use olive oil or avocado oil. Your air fryer will also have less grease inside after cooking.
Spraying the surface of the air fryer before placing food will help to dislodge the food particles.
You can also place foil or parchment paper. I prefer eco-friendly parchment papers.
Here is a link to one such parchment paper. It is unbleached, made from wood pulp, and has a food-grade silicone coating. Choose yours according to the size and shape of your basket.
Using parchment paper will help to collect the oil drippings and food debris. All you will need to do is remove them and just give a good wipe to the pan and basket.
You can also use disposable foil liners for baking food. These are easy to carry and remove from the air fryer.
The best thing is that there will be no drippings. You don’t have to work hard to clean your air fryer.
Anything good in an oven will be good in the air fryer. You can also use foil sheets for an easy clean-up later on.
Summary
You should clean your air fryer after every use. Only the removable parts that hold food should be washed.
An air fryer is an electronic appliance, the parts carrying the electric components should not be washed, but wiped with a damp cloth.
I have covered in detail how to wash your air fryer. You have two options- dishwasher or hand cleaning.
Opt for hand cleaning when you can, it increases the shelf life of coatings inside the air fryer.
Use helpful cleaning accessories for washing, like a sponge, brush, cloth, non-abrasive liquid dishwasher, degreaser, etc.
If you don’t have time to clean, use parchment papers, foils, or liners while air frying. It will collect food debris and grease.
Keeping your air fryer clean will give you a healthy gut and tasty food each time you use it.
For specific information or support, read the instruction manual of your air fryer brand. Remember, the maker knows best his creation!
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