Warning to air fryer owners over two ways you should never clean them

Sally McLean
·3-min read
Cleaning air fryer using sponge.
-Credit:Getty


They are the third most used appliances in our kitchens and used more than conventional ovens. But how do you clean your air fryer?

The popularity of the air fryer was summed up in a Good Food magazine survey which concluded that they are now 'part of everyday life for the majority of UK households'. Only the toaster and the microwave are used more.

When it comes to cleaning them though, there are those who used soap and water, those who use the dishwasher and those who follow social media hacks which promise to save time and effort.

READ MORE: New UK Government update on State Pension age compensation for WASPI women

READ MORE: Warning over illegal 'bin stuffing' and £400 fines as councils look at reduced collections

But there are two ways you should never clean your air fryer according to an expert.

Dr Richard Anderson, food hygiene expert at High Speed Training, has warned against putting the drawers into the dishwasher, even if they are labelled as 'dishwasher safe'. He explained: "Even though some air fryers are labelled as dishwasher-safe, dishwashers can strip the non-stick coating on the air fryer components."

Air fryers should only be cleaned using soapy water and a sponge -Credit:Getty
Air fryers should only be cleaned using soapy water and a sponge -Credit:Getty

Instead he suggests that for stubborn, baked on grease use a dishwasher tablet. He said: "Try filling the tray or drawer with water, drop in a dishwasher tablet and leave to soak overnight. Then, simply rinse clean the next day."

Dr Anderson has also issued an alert over a social media hack which advised cleaning the air fryer by filling it with water and turning it on.

He said: "Despite being a popular internet trend, never fill a running air fryer with water to clean it, as this can damage the appliance.

"Always ensure your air fryer is completely dry before using it again, as moisture in the wrong places can cause your air fryer to malfunction.”

The best way to clean it is to:

1. Unplug your air fryer and allow it to cool down completely.

2. Remove all the parts and accessories, including the tray and any baskets.

3. Clean each item with warm, soapy water and a soft, clean cloth. Use an old toothbrush to get into the corners and each part of the basket to ensure it’s cleaned thoroughly.

4. To remove stubborn dirt or burnt-on food, leave the part to soak for a few minutes before cleaning. Alternatively, make up a paste with bicarbonate of soda and water then gently work this into the area with a toothbrush until the dirt comes loose.

5. Rinse each air fryer accessory in clean water and leave it to air dry.

6. If the basket still has an unpleasant odour after cleaning, sprinkle some bicarbonate of soda into the basket and leave it to absorb the smell for a few hours, then rinse clean.

Dr Anderson also suggested using air fryer basket liners whilst cooking which can drastically reduce clean up. Silicone or other reusable liners are best as these can be re-used again and again, cutting down on waste.

And he recommended cleaning the appliance after every use but making time for a monthly deep clean to keep it in good, useable condition. This practice will mean your food tastes better, lowers the chances of bacteria that can cause food poisoning and even reduce the chance of smoke and potential fire hazards.

Dr Anderson added: "“It’s recommended that you give your air fryer a light clean after every use and a deeper clean every month, or every few uses if you regularly cook greasy foods.

"A light clean after each use means removing small crumbs that may burn, wiping in and around the appliance with a damp cloth to remove surface dirt and hand washing the air fryer basket.

"For a monthly deep clean, you’ll need to clean all the accessories and inside the appliance more thoroughly to remove burnt-on food, grease and odours.”

Latest stories

  • First, tourists abandoned Santorini. Now locals have been forced to flee

    Not even during the dark days of the pandemic was the island this empty.

  • Amanda Holden's spa-worthy feature at £7m family home

    Amanda Holden's home in Surrey is worth £7 million and there's one element of the gorgeous home that wouldn't look out of place in a luxury spa…

  • ‘The last plant left’: can Rapa Nui’s extinct tree be resurrected?

    Seeds from the last toromiro, unique to remote Easter Island, were taken away in the 1960s. Now, after a crucial discovery gave hope for its survival, it is making a return

  • How heating rocks could help solve the climate crisis

    Scientists at Stanford University developed carbon capture technique they say is more practical and cost-effective

  • Costco Just Released "Titan," the Sprawling Shed They'll Ship and Install for FREE

    Whether you want an artist studio or guest bedroom, you can build the space of your dreams with Costco's Gorilla "Titan" shed. It ships and installs for free.

  • Sri Lanka train derailed after smashing into elephants

    A Sri Lankan passenger train derailed Thursday after smashing into a family of elephants, with no passengers injured but six animals killed in the island's worst such wildlife accident, police said."The train derailed, but there were no casualties among the passengers," police said, adding that wildlife authorities were treating two elephants who survived the crash.

  • Dramatic Moment Woman Is Rescued From Storm Drain

    A woman stuck in an underground storm drainage system in San Bernardino, California, was rescued by local firefighters on the morning of Tuesday, February 18, dramatic footage shows.San Bernardino County Fire said that at around 10:20 a.m. its crews responded to reports of a person stuck in a storm drain tunnel near the county courthouse in the city.After arriving at the scene, firefighters were able to communicate with the woman, and after realising she had no room to turn around, they coached her to “inch herself backwards about 20 feet” to another access point.The woman had no obvious injuries, but was nevertheless transported to a local hospital, firefighters said. They added that it wasn’t clear how long the woman had been trapped underground.Footage released by San Bernardino County Fire shows the rescue operation. Credit: San Bernardino County Fire via Storyful

  • Holy Modernism Week! Adam West’s Former Palm Springs Home Has Been Transformed Into a Contemporary Bat Cave

    Local designer Michelle Boudreau conceptualized the sleek, contemporary residence as an homage to Batman.

  • 'Skilled Napper' Bear Licks Frozen Pond While Dozing in New York Sanctuary

    A Syrian brown bear was seen licking ice while half-asleep on a frozen pond in upstate New York, footage released in mid-February shows.This footage captured by the Orphaned Wildlife Center shows a 17-year-old Syrian brown bear named Jenny lying down and licking ice on a frozen pond in Otisville.“Here’s Jenny, the ultimate embodiment of bear laziness during the winter season,” read the post on YouTube. “Prepare to be amazed and possibly amused, as we witness nature’s most skilled napper in action.”Founded by Jim Kowalczik, Susan Kowalczik, and Kerry Clair in 2015, the Orphaned Wildlife Center nurtures its animal residents, in the hope they can be returned to the wild.The center often shares videos and updates about the animals in its care to its YouTube channel and Facebook pages. Credit: Orphaned Wildlife Center via Storyful

  • Beluga whale plays with kids at aquarium in China

    This is the adorable moment a beluga whale plays with two children on their visit to Chimelong Ocean Kingdom in Guangdong, China on February 17.

  • People Are Sharing the Best Cleaning Tips They Ever Received

    They're too good not to share.

  • Subsea fibre optic cable deliberately cut for the 2nd time between N.S. and N.L.

    Telecommunications giant Bell is exploring surveillance options in the Gulf of St. Lawrence after one of its subsea fibre optic cables between Cape Breton Island and Newfoundland's west coast was recently severed for the second time.David Joice, the company's director of networks, said it's suspected that an anchor or a piece of gear, such as a trawling net, snagged the cable last Dec. 24. He said the cable was then brought to the surface along with the gear, and deliberately cut by someone."The

  • 14 Courtlandt Place in Photos

    The 1920s mansion in Houston, Texas, listed for $4.2 million, was built by the family of late lumber magnate William T. Carter, Sr.

  • What to do if there's a moose at your door? This B.C. woman had to figure it out

    When Chelsea Coles opened her door on Monday morning, it took her brain a while to figure out what was going on.Despite temperatures well below -30 C when factoring in the wind chill, a blast of heat hit her instead.And then she saw the moose."I scared her, she scared the crap out of me, I jumped back, she jumped up, and the deck was really slippery, so she was sliding all around," Coles said, speaking to Radio West host Sarah Penton from her home in Fort St. John, in northeastern B.C."I could h

  • European Commission urges end to tax reform deadlock in energy cost-cutting plan

    A leaked draft of a keenly awaited Action Plan for Affordable Energy suggests cutting green levies and VAT could ease costs for European consumers – but tax reforms have been deadlocked since 2021.View on euronews

  • Venomous snake found in box of grocery store bananas

    An "unwanted hitchhiker" was found in a box of bananas at a New Hampshire grocery store on Friday, according to Rainforest Reptile Shows. A store employee at Market Basket in Manchester, New Hampshire, discovered the reptile in a shipment of bananas, according to the New Hampshire Fish and Game Law Enforcement Division. A conservation officer responded to the employee's call and the 18-inch snake was delivered to Rainforest Reptile Shows, an education company that hosts interactive programs and cares for about 300 reptiles through its nonprofit RRS Oasis.

  • Giant 65-Foot Sinkhole Swallows Up Street, Residents Evacuated: 'Absolute Nightmare'

    Philip Collins, deputy dean of engineering at Brunel University of London, told the AP a ruptured water main could be behind the massive collapse

  • See inside this luxurious Victorian property for sale at offers over £1.5 million

    An unlisted Victorian property in Nayland, on the Suffolk/Essex border, is on the market for offers in excess of £1.5 million.

  • Characterful cottage in north Norfolk for sale at £650,000 guide

    A detached cottage with character features is for sale in Wickmere, near Aylsham, at a guide price of £650,000.

  • Dramatic weather map shows London being drenched by a deluge of rain - exact time and date

    It is going to be a soggy Sunday with both the BBC Weather and Met Office experts forecasting 'heavy rain and strong winds'