Regular use may lead to grease accumulation, uncomfortable odours, and reduced performance if you do not clean the appliance on a regular basis.  Photo Credit: istockphoto
Food

How To Clean Your Air Fryer In 5 Minutes: The Ultimate Maintenance Hack

Air fryers are gradually emerging as one of the most important kitchen appliances that can make crispy and delicious food with minimal oil.

Renu Baliyan

When you cook several air fryer recipes, the food residue and oil buildup may start impacting the efficiency and tastes. When you prepare food in a dirty air-fryer, it may produce smoke, unpleasant smells, and cook food unevenly. Consistent cleaning can significantly enhance the lifespan of your appliance and you will be able to prepare hygienic and tasty meals.  

Air fryers are gradually emerging as one of the most important kitchen appliances that can make crispy and delicious food with minimal oil. Whether you desire the mouthwatering fries, samosa, paneer, or chicken, the appliance can prepare all with effortless ease.

However, regular use of the appliance may lead to grease accumulation, uncomfortable odours, and reduced performance if you do not clean it on a regular basis. However, you can heave a sigh of relief as you can clean the air-fryer within a few minutes without spending hours in the kitchen scrubbing.

Why Regular Cleaning of Air Fryers is Essential

When you cook several air fryer recipes, the food residue and oil buildup may start impacting the efficiency and tastes. When you prepare food in a dirty air-fryer, it may produce smoke, unpleasant smells, and cook food unevenly. Consistent cleaning can significantly enhance the lifespan of your appliance and you will be able to prepare hygienic and tasty meals.  

Cleaning Tips

1. Unplug the appliance and allow it to cool: Make sure you always unplug the air fryer and let it cool properly before starting the cleaning process. Never attempt to clean a hot air fryer as it can damage the parts and cause burns. Once the temperature is normal, you can remove the basket and tray. It will take hardly 1 minute.

2. Instant Soak For Smooth Cleaning: Now fill the basket with lukewarm water and add some drops of dishwashing liquid. Allow it to soak for 2 minutes. It helps in loosening the oil buildup and stuck food that can make the process of cleaning effortless. You should always avoid use of steel scrubbers as the can damage the non-stick coating. The process may take 2 minutes time.

3. Smooth Scrub, Rinse: Make sure you use a soft sponge or brush to clean the air fryer's basket and tray. Most of the oil buildup and food residue will come off easily after soaking. Now rinse with clean water and wipe dry with the help of a soft cotton cloth.  It may take 1-minute time approximately.

4. Wipe Interior: With the help of damp cloth, you can gently wipe the interior of the appliance. Be careful of the heating element area, avoid using excess water. If you spot stubborn and hard grease, the paste of baking soda and water will prove helpful. It will hardly take 30-seconds time.

5. Deodorise: If the appliance smells too oily or emanating smell of stale food, you can wipe it with a cloth dipped in lemon water or a solution of vinegar mixed with water. It can effectively eliminate bad odor and keep the air fryer fresh.   

Some Essential Maintenance Tips  

  • Make sure to clean the basket of the appliance after every use to prevent oil and grease buildup

  • Refrain from overcrowding food to bring down spills  

  • You may line the basket with parchment paper containing holes for smooth cleaning  

  • Avoid immersing the main unit in water

Therefore, we may conclude here that you can clean your air fryer in just 5-minutes with the aforementioned tips that will help in keeping the appliance clean and odor free. Regular cleaning will help in improving the performance and allow you prepare delicious food.  

5 Practical Tips for Air Fryer Safety 

1. Check Air Fryer Temperature Limits

Make sure that you read the air fryer manual properly to completely comprehend the temperature limits and maximum fill lines. Make sure you check the basket and drawer of the air fryer before starting the cooking as skewed drawers may halt the safety switch from engaging. These small but important checks will boost air fryer safety right from the beginning.

2. Ensure Proper Placement

It is one of the key safety tips when it comes to air fryers. It is of paramount importance to keep your fryer on a flat surface that can offer heat-resistance qualities with approximately 12-15 cm clearance on every sides, according to report. It is significant to keep the device away from wooden items, curtains, and paper towels. Avoid placing it under low cabinets when you spot steam coming into contact with the underside.

3. Avoid Airy Fryer Hazard: Electrical Safety

It is crucial to plug the air fryer directly into wall socket instead of any extension. Avoid loose adapter as it can increase temperature and increase air fryer hazard dangers.

4. Use Gloves

It is important to use gloves as you pull the drawer in the middle of cooking as hot steam can come out and lead to air fryer burns. Always prefer to slide the basked out on a trivet instead of directly putting on plastic laminate, added vijaysales.com report.

Keep Children and Pets Away: As you use the appliance, you must ensure that children and pets are away when you open the drawer.

5. Air Fryer Cleaning Tips

Never clean the air fryer when it is hot. Unplug the device, allow it to cool, and then start the process of cleaning. You should prefer an instant wipe after every cooking as it will stop the residue from burning when you use the device again. You should wash the basket and tray with lukewarm and soapy water with the help of a soft sponge. Avoid using metal scourers as they can strip the non-stick.

Keep Vents Dust Free: Try to keep the vents free from dust as it will allow heat to escape. Consistent care will bring down smoke and decrease air fryer fire hazard possibilities.

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