This guide provides a detailed guide on how to clean an air fryer, including steps for assembling the air fryer, warming it for 3 minutes, inserting the basket, setting the temperature to 370 degrees F., and “frying” the soapy water for 3 minutes. After that, drain, rinse, and repeat (if needed) to soak in water. Scrub with a sponge, treat tough residue, dry, and inspect the air fryer.
To clean the interior and exterior of the air fryer, use a damp cloth or sponge to wipe down the interior, avoid using abrasive cleaners or scouring pads, and wipe it again with a clean damp cloth and then a dry cloth. Wipe the exterior with a damp microfiber cloth or nonabrasive sponge with a splash of dish soap. Mix baking soda and a little water into a paste and brush it all over the inside, except for heat coils.
To clean the inside of the air fryer, start by knocking out any crumbs and wiping up any visible oil. Gently wipe out the interior, including the coil, using a towel and warm water. Use a sponge/cloth with a water and washing-up liquid solution or an all-purpose cleaner (trying to opt for an eco-friendly cleaner).
Remove all trays, racks, and parts and wash them in the dishwasher or by hand. Wipe the interior and exterior with a soft, damp cloth. The go-to air fryer cleaning method is to soak the chamber in warm, soapy water for at least 30 minutes, then tackle any residue.
📹 How to CLEAN Air Fryer & KEEP IT CLEAN! Stinky? New? Watch THIS!
⏱️TIMESTAMPS⏱️ 0:00 How to Clean an Air Fryer 0:54 New Air Fryer Smell Hack 1:17 How to Maintain Your Air Fryer 1:26 …
📹 DON’T Boil Water in your Air Fryer! 🫢 😱 This is How I Clean My Air Fryer Basket and Heating Element
In this video, I’m going to be showing you how to clean an air fryer. Boiling water is a hazard waiting to happen! I”ll show you how …
One BIG improvement I would like to see manufacturers implement is a removable electric coil. Coils on electric stoves are removable, so the technology is there. It would make it so much easier to keep the air fryer clean, and that is a big plus where food safety is concerned. Yes, you can clean your air fryer, but you cannot fully clean behind that coil, and that is a huge negative for me.
The next development in air fryers needs to be making the burner area removable and/or somehow able to be disassembled for cleaning. This is probably the biggest problem area for air fryers right now. That burner area necessarily gets dirty and is very hard to clean effectively in every air fryer design that I’m aware of.
Please keep in mind that even when unplugged you can still get shocked, and shocked bad. Capacitors can retain a charge for days or weeks, and if you touch them you can be badly shocked or die, this is how people die when messing around with trashed microwave. Right to Repair needs to include Right to Clean. I cannot believe these things are so hard to clean I have an Air Fryer Oven, and when cleaning it the other day I notice how nasty the top was. I bought some oven cleaning stuff and sprayed on it hoping it would allow me to easily wipe it off….nope, it also dried up on it making it even worst. I tried using toothbrushes and everything else and nothing worked so I was left with no other option but to take it apart. I had already taken it apart before after spraying Dawn Power Spray in it and forgetting about it, which it ran down the sides into the bottom. So I took it apart out of fear of it damaging something which I didn’t need to do because theres no electronics in the bottom of the air fryer. Taking it apart is easy, theres maybe 9 screws on the bottom and then like 5 on each side, and the metal case just pulls off. The burner element is also easy to disconnect, it just has 2 electrical connectors you pull off….In the article its likely the blue and red wire going to the burner. Then I ran into trouble. The top burner is held on with a screw on mine….a screw that needs the smallest screw driver in the world, and was screwed on by the strongest man i the world it seems.
I wash my baskets properly after each use, then they don’t need a deep clean, I also wipe around and over the elements once cooled and unplugged from the wall socket with a damp cloth after each use, takes 2 minutes, then once a month or so, I clean around the elements using a toothbrush brush and cleaning solution as you did, but, because they are wiped over after each use they are usually in pretty good shape. After I have deep cleaned, I leave them open to air dry any dampness there maybe before using. ❤
Finally!!! Someone addressing the mess that builds by the heating coil!! Ironically, earlier this week I had the best success to date cleaning that area of my air fryer. I used a Magic Eraser (Dollar Tree hack version), a pretty good share of elbow grease along with one of the soft cloth wipes you used. Like you said… not perfect but a lot better than it was.
Baskets are never the problem, they’re easily cleaned every time, it’s the gunge you can’t reach that annoys me. Every brand I’ve looked at has the same problem. Whoever designed them wants a good kick! Best I’ve managed is a small bottle brush wrapped in a cut down and sewn on microfibre cloth. The wire stem of the brush gives enough stiffness to put some pressure on the grease to scrub and it’s narrow enough to get into most of the area, just not all of it.
I handwash my air fryer basket and inner drain basket with a soft bristle brush after every use. As soon as it has cooled completely, I wipe out any excess grease, then fill it about halfway with water to let it soak so food residue does not dry and harden before a thorough washing. When the heating coil and inner chamber have cooled, I turn the air fryer upside down to make cleaning the inside easier. I use one of those blue shop towels dampened with warm water to thoroughly wipe off the heating coil and the entire surface of the inner chamber. I fold the edges of the shop towel to squeeze it in between the rings of the heating coil. If necessary, I will use some dampened Q-tips to reach through the heating coil to wipe the metal surface behind it.
I actually had to disconnect the heating element of my air fryer so that I could access the fan blades. I had a sort of calcium deposits all on the ceiling of my fryer, and especially the fan blades. I used a Brillo pad to scrub the blades and ceiling of the fryer. It actually cured that new smell that forced me to stop using the fryer in the first place.
I clean my fryer after every use. Sometimes it is a quick rinse and sometimes more in-depth, it depends on what I made in it. I don’t cook foods that splatter a lot, which helps keep the top burner area clean. There is a splatter screen one can get for the Cosori Pro 2, but I don’t recommend it after trying it myself. Sure it can help hold back the mess, but due to the small holes it increases cook times exponentially and can be frustrating. I was afraid chicken would splatter a lot, but it doesn’t. I don’t make bacon in the air fryer, that is a train wreck, microwaves are for bacon in my book. I also do not make steaks and the like in the fryer, I have to have those grill marks. Grill pans (and BBQs for those who have them, I don’t sadly) are for steaks and the like in my book. I like the foil liner idea for the lower basket mentioned in the comments. I don’t know why I never thought of it. Although I am wondering if there is a problem using it with the non-stick coating over time? I also use the parchment liners without the holes when I cook most things. I did pick up some of that Dawn Power Wash (nuke bomb stuff). It works well, but I don’t have a sprayer in my (not sure I can call it a kitchen) so I have to try to use the faucet of the sink, which is an Olympic event given the size of the basket verses the dimensions of the sink and faucet. I’m going to pick up those rags though! Dollar Tree can be ones friend as well.:)
Good gosh, girl, I don’t do any of that. About every 3-4 weeks, a spray oven off on a paper towel and wipe it on the inside and walk away. When I get around to it, I come back and wipe all that off. That’s for the inside. For the baskets, I put them in the dishwasher probably every three or four days and at least once a week. My cosori blaze looks like brand new all the time except up above that top coil. It looks fair but definitely could look better if I knew how to do it.
First of all for me I’m not a big fan of the parchment paper in the af but to each their own I do make small foil trays to cook like fish or even mini meatloaves, second I wipe up the basket and the pan as soon as the food is done cooking with paper towels like Cooking bacon for instance I remove the bacon then wipe the inside of the basket then separate the basket and bottom and wipe the underside of the basket, then empty the grease in the pan into whatever you store bacon grease in then wipe up the pan. Much easier if done while hot but be careful not to burn yourself. I use my af every day so after about a year or so I simply buy a new one because of the build up under the burner.
Cathy, I had already bought an Emeril (the 1st one) countertop air fryer before I found your website and all your wonderful advice. I can’t find anything on cleaning the blower? area except one guy who turns the thing on its side. Plus he doesn’t show how to get any moisture out of that area. Will using baking soda and water burn off if I use that, do you think>> I wish I had waited now to get a Cosori! And I won’t hold you responsible if anything happens to it. Thank you!
I got rid of my air fryer because it was too dirty and impossible to clean well. I bought a ninja speedi, and I am so happy. Very easy to clean, you just need to use the steam feature, then open the lid and clean it. Do this every week and your ninja speedi will be clean all the time. I will only buy again an air fryer if a new technology arise allowing you to clean the top easily.
Great, practical, and necessary information, thank you! I clean after every use, and I avoid foods that will make a pretty big mess. I just do not like to clean behind greasy foods. What is the life expectancy on most of these air fryers if they are well maintained? Let us say the air fryer is used once a day for five days each week, just as an example.
Oh thank you so much for the tip on the hydrogen peroxide and baking soda. Is it a 1 to 1 ratio of each? I do clean mine regularly after use. The Ninja I have has long blades but not easy to get to due the heating coils. I do what I can with a damp paper towel and my skinny fingers in that area. I worry I’ll mess up those heating coils.
Hi Cathy!!! I use the Silicone pads. My AF always get grease in . I usually soak it in hot dish soap. I don’t use that Dawn power wash.I never can get mine real clean. I do the best I can. It never looks real nasty tho…Thank you for these tips. I will buy that Dawn Power Wash. Great article my dear friend!!!…🦋
I clean my AF every Time i use Fatty stuff. Breaded stuff often only needs a quick pull, over at the sink with kitchen towel to get rid of the crumbs. I got little Backing Tray that fits into my cosori and this does the job well. No mess anymore. Esp. for Chicken wings, they go an rack and i add backing paper the fat drips on the paper meat gets juicy and crunchy.And tray is cleaned in mimutes, when theres more i soak it Water and dish soap. Done. The worst i have is i wont getting rid of the oily resudues even put i boiling water and fat remover. After did Chickpeas since than the fat has burned in even after careful cleaning, no chanche, also the no stick is damage even with very careful cleaning. I have some sucess with a silicone sponge for cleaning dishes, soft enough for the basket and get rid of raw left opvrs and getting better into side vents.
If your air fryer has a persistent plastic smell there may have been bits of packaging foam broken off that worked its way further inside your machine. the machine should have been in a sealed plastic bag to stop this but I’ve seen appliances where they have been taken out of the bag then repacked and the box sealed as ‘new’. Potential fire hazard.
you can use a silicone baking liner under the holed tray for droppings, also I think these smaller air fryers were meant to be utilized up to about 5y years and possibly be tossed for the new model because they did not provide a way to clean the burner areas properly. I think the key is to get to the areas that have grease or caked on dirt clean as much as possible and a rule of thumb could be the smells when it cooks– do you smell old cooked food smell or the new cooking food smell. I agree with others that cleaning as soon as possible or by a routine will keep the fryer in good condition longer, but ymmv. IMO, the air fryer needs to be cleaned at least weekly or every 1 to 10 uses depending on frequency and/or types of foods cooking. Going longer than 10 uses (especially greasy foods) is nasty and you shouldn’t have an air fryer, imo.
I am in a tropical climate and if I leave behind a crumb I can get an ant infestation. It happened with the air fryer. So the pan, the outside part, sometimes little bits of food get in there I guess because I saw ants crawl out. I blew it out with compressed air – but can I submerge the whole pan in water? Not just wash the inside? thanks
I am looking for a scrubbing bubbles type of cleaner that will do all the hard work. I just wanna rinse the basket out. The closest thing to a great scrubbing bubbles type cleaner is 2 cups of hot water, a few squirts of dishwashing liquid, about 3 tablespoons of baking soda, and about a half a cup of white vinegar of about 5% acidity. I put the ingredients in the basket and waited about 20 mins. I then give the basket a scrubbing and rinse. This method does a good job cleaning it. ***A word of warning. Teflon is toxic, and contains forever chemicals that stay in your body forever, even with a good detox method. Avoid air fryers that use Teflon coating for the basket and crisper tray, and get one that uses stainless steel.
I have 2 comments. 1) NEVER pull the plug out the way you did!!! Hold onto the thick part which holds the prongs. By pulling the cord, you risk damage to the plug unit, and can cause electric shock if the connection is broken. 2) I have a model chosen by my hubby, and not me. The fan section is permanently attached to the lid. I can’t turn it over, either. I will try the cloth as suggested. Also, even though it says all the removable parts are dishwasher safe, I have discovered that the non-stick coating was damaged, and now those pieces are rusting. So very sad. 😢😢😢 I would suggest that pieces are washed only by hand.
Or just don’t buy one. The junk getting around the heat element and the fan ruins it completly. Air Fryers manufacturersv really need to come up with a new desing that’s easer to maintain at home. I won’t eat anything from a device that is so dirty…I send mine to reclycing dump when I saw I can’t get it cleaned up there.
As I am preparing to remove my food, I turn on my hot water, it take a bit of time to get to my kitchen. Take the food out, a couple shots of Dawn and hot water. After dinner, my dish brush on the grate and my scrubber sponge on the container. Occasionally if there is room, in the dishwasher. Still like new
Everything I’ve cooked in this unit has come out great youtube.com/post/UgkxD4Qeo-HRLxMfom_PDinM_SBfes00qJsB ! Everything tastes so good. Some of the recipes I’ve changed a little to improve the taste. For instance, for french fries which call for no oil, I spray them with olive oil and season them with salt and pepper. They come out great! It makes the best toast I have ever eaten. The recipe I use calls for lightly buttering both sides of the bread. It calls for cooking at 400 degrees for 5 minutes on one side and then 2 minutes on the other side. This time has a lot to do with the kind of bread you are using…so keep an eye on it. Also, the fans in this Ninja are a lot stronger than other air fryers. So lay a metal spoon or something on the bread to keep it from flying around. It’s a little extra work to use your Ninja as a toaster but it is worth it!
It hard clean around heating area with hands .i try cutting off peice of srub pad try cleaning sides around heating coil .i try using old toothbrush that didn’t work but i guess i have try get one of those brush u were using in airfryer.i don’t think baby bottle brush will work .but i look for long flexible brush .i try dish soap see if that work .i have oven cleaner but i not going use that on air fryer because it different working machine. Maybe ajax may work .did u put like plastic around hole inside airfryer so none dish soap get inside of it after done srubbing and wiping it out .u can peel plastic off .i do that when i srub inside best i can get it clean .
Thank you for being so thorough. Your tips for using a bottle brush to clean under the coils nd adding boiling water to the basket so the steam could soften the grease prior to cleaning were most helpful. I have a Corsori and there’s very little room underneath the coil to clean the fan blades. I clean the air fryer after every use but was mainly concerned with the coils over and under. Thank you!
hi there, thank you for a great article, i do almost what you do, but my element is much tighter,, im going to invest in a handheld steamer, and maybe try a little oven cleaning foam first, and see how that goes ? hopefully one day a manufacturar will invent a removable element,and fan, wouldnt that make life easier LOL . Again, thank you for taking time to make this article, regards Gary 🙂
Very informative article,thank you. I clean the basket and crisper tray as you illustrate HOWEVER: I did not follow the manual instructions and use a spray bottle for oil but instead used cooking spray (which many recipes direct) and now there’s a sticky ‘coating’ on it–do you have any suggestions as to what cleaning agent I could use for that?