Tips and Guides on How to Clean Your Air Fryer in 2021
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Want to learn how to clean your air fryer? Look no further! We’ve got what you are seeking for. Tricks and tips when using products are very useful and important. Knowing them, you will use and maintain your product properly. This Blogspot will cover the regular questions about how to clean your air fryer in a correct and easy way.
An air fryer is a new generation of small kitchen appliances designed to replace the old-fashioned deep fryers. It is designated for cooking by air, not by oil. This clever appliance uses only a very little amount of cooking oil or no oil at all thanks to super-hot air circulating inside, which gives fried food has crispy outside and juicy on the inside, just like traditional frying cooks.
People like using an air fryer because it is a healthier, more environmentally friendly alternative to deep frying food in oil. The only downside is that the machine can get dirty and greasy after cooking your favorite fried foods, which can make it difficult to clean and you may ruin your air fryer basket if you don’t know how to clean your air fryer.
Cleaning the air fryer is not as simple as a regular dishwasher, you should remember that. Read on the article is to discover how to clean your air fryer.
What happens if you don’t clean your air fryer?
It is very important to know how to clean your air fryer before and after use. Well, the answer is quite simple – food debris and oil buildup. But what happens next? Here’s what else can happen when you don’t clean your fryer. Food debris buildup can cause unpleasant odors in the kitchen if you do not clean the fryer after use. A dirty fryer also attracts pests.
As food particles have an oily texture, it is difficult for them to dry up and get solidified on the heating element and other parts of the fryer. This leads to a permanent layer of residue on these surfaces, which affects their performance and efficiency too. So make sure you clean your air fryer every time after using it (or at least once a week).
It will help boost its efficiency and boost your cooking experience too! If there is any water left in the oil drainage tray, bacteria might breed inside it and cause a number of health problems for you and your family. This can also lead to unpleasant odors in the house.
Basic steps about How To Clean Your Air Fryer
Cleaning an air fryer is quick and easy, but you have to know how to clean your air fryer so that it doesn’t get damaged! The best way to go about doing this is by following a few simple steps.
Step 1: Unplug the Fryer
The first thing that you should do when cleaning your air fryer is to unplug it. That ensures that there isn’t any shock risk and also helps with safety around small children. It’s a good idea to have a plug-in stove timer on hand for steps 2 and 3, so remember where you put it!
Step 2: Cool Down The Air Fryer
This is the second step on how to clean your air fryer. Once you’ve unplugged the machine, it’s time to move on to cool down the appliance. This is especially important if you use an oil-based cleaner like Pam or Crisco while cleaning because oil heats up much faster than water. Letting the fryer cool down will protect your machine so don’t skip this step.
Step 3: Prep Your Cleaning Station
Now that the fryer is cool, it’s time to get your cleaning station ready! To do this, you’ll need your oil-based cleaner of choice (make sure it doesn’t contain water), a clean rag or paper towels, and rubbing alcohol. You may also want to have some baking soda on hand if there are any stubborn stains on the bottom of the fryer. This will be used in Step 5 if necessary.
Step 4: Prepare & Apply The Oil-Based Cleaner
The first step when cleaning with an oil-based cleaner like Pam or Crisco is to shake the can well before beginning. Make sure you’re holding the can at least 12 inches away from the fryer and spray enough to cover the appliance in a thin layer. Remember: you’re using oil! If it gets on your floor or any other surface, make sure to clean it up right away.
Step 5: Use Alcohol To Remove Stubborn Stains
The next step on how to clean your air fryer is using alcohol to remove stains. If there’s any leftover residue on the inside of your air fryer, use some rubbing alcohol and baking soda to get rid of it. Just sprinkle a small amount onto a paper towel and wipe down the inner walls until they’re all clean. Then give them a quick rinse with water so that there isn’t any cleaning product remaining and dry with another rag or paper towel.
Step 6: Wipe Down The Exterior
Once you’ve finished cleaning the inside of your fryer, it’s time to move on to the exterior! Make sure that you wipe down all areas that have come into contact with food or oil. Cleaning this part is especially important if you use a paper towel when frying something because bits will get stuck in any little cracks and crevices.
Step 7: Wipe Down The Cooking Tray
Last but not least, you’ll need a clean rag to wipe down the cooking tray after removing excess fluids from Step 4. Just take your favorite cleaner and spray onto a rag until there isn’t any more liquid coming out. Wipe away stubborn stains by going over them one more time before putting them back into your air fryer. That should do it! That is all about the basic steps for how to clean your air fryer.
How to Clean Air Fryer Basket?
To know how to clean your air fryer properly, you have to discover the way to clean your air fryer basket first. Air fryer baskets are best cleaned immediately after use because grease caking over time will be difficult to remove. Although air fryers don’t require oil, residual food can build up and it is important that the basket and pan are properly washed with mild soap or no-residue dishwasher detergent.
We’ve seen many people struggle cleaning heavily used Air Fryer Baskets which has mixed results; some using aggressive methods such as steel wool but I recommend avoiding this since you could potentially scratch off the nonstick coating of your baking rack thus compromising its integrity.
How to remove air fryer basket?
This is the very first part of how to clean your air fryer. Some people get stuck when cleaning the air fryer because they do not know how to remove air fryer basket from the air fryer. Now, I am going to show you how to remove the basket easily and safely.
For removing the frying basket firstly you need to understand the mechanism of your cooker. After understanding this mechanism now follow these steps carefully:
- Firstly switch off your Fryer and unplug it from electricity
- Now put it on a flat working surface so that nothing gets damaged
- Remove food items one by one with tongs or any other utensil or take them out all at once if they are already cooked
- Place the air fryer’s cooking tray in a position where there is no damage possible tilting or dropping accidents
- Keep the handle towards you and lift the basket straight up and out of the cooker
- Clean it with a damp cloth and dry thoroughly before replacing it
- Replace food items in your fryer to cook again or transfer them to an oven or stove top for finishing
Why is there baked on grease from air fryer basket?
You might be wondering how your air fryer got covered in grease after only a few months of use. Well, there are multiple reasons for this; the most concerning one is that you did not know how to clean your air fryer properly when you first bought and used it.
Air fryers get very hot and need to be cleaned right after they cool off. If you don’t clean them properly, their heating elements can corrode. The residue from the oil may also cause a bad smell in your kitchen if not given time to evaporate.
Cleaning the basket is an important process that should be done every time you use the air fryer. I recommend carefully wiping it with a wet cloth or paper towel until all parts look dry and shiny.
How to clean baked on grease from air fryer basket?
Different people have different habits when it comes to using their air fryers. Some people like to prepare large dishes while others prefer more bite-sized food items. One of the most common struggles with using an air fryer is cleaning up after use. This is a difficult part of how to clean your air fryer.
Not only can some grease splatter during cooking, but baked on grease left behind in the basket can be a huge pain to clean off. Luckily, there are plenty of products and tips that will help you get your air fryer basket looking brand new again! Here are some great ways to remove the grease from your air fryer when using it to cook healthier meals.
- The dishwasher method: This is an effective answer to the question of how to clean the grease off of the air fryer basket if you want a quick and easy solution upon finishing air frying a meal. All you have to do is place your basket in the top rack of your dishwasher and turn it on for a normal wash cycle.
- While this can be less than an ideal option depending on what kind of dishwashing detergent you use, it’s one of the best methods for removing excess grease quickly and easily.
- The oven method: If you’re looking for something that goes above and beyond just cleaning out excess grease, this option works like a charm. All you need to do is preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, place the basket on the top rack, and let it bake in the oven for about an hour. After that, all of the baked on grease should be soft enough for you to wipe off with water or dish soap!
- The peroxide method: This is one of our favorite methods because it doesn’t require any work at all! Just pour some peroxide cleaner into the air fryer basket and seal with foil. Let it sit overnight so that this can break down excess grease and allow it to wipe right off in the morning. It’s perhaps the simplest way to get rid of any excess grease without having to lift a finger!
- The foil method: This is another method on how to clean your air fryer. If you don’t like using dish soap or peroxide cleaners, this is another great option for removing baked on grease. All you have to do is place the greased air fryer basket in the sink with boiling hot water and line it with tinfoil. After that, simply let everything sit overnight so that the grease has time to soften up and can easily be wiped out of your air fryer basket in the morning.
- The citric acid method: Finally, this is perhaps our favorite way to clean nearly any kind of kitchen tool because it’s so easy and effective! You’ll need either lime or lemon juice (it doesn’t matter which one), along with some foil and a paper towel.
- Squeeze the juice into the air fryer basket, place it on top of the foil, and throw it in your paper towel to act as a sponge. Let this sit for about half an hour so that the acid can break down any grease deposits in the basket, then take out your paper towel and wipe everything clean!
How to maintain your air fryer basket after degreasing?
Besides how to clean your air fryer, you also should know how to maintain the air fryer. Although the air fryer is a fast and efficient way to cook healthy food, many people have trouble starting it for the first time. Here are a few tips that will help you successfully maintain your device after degreasing.
- Do not put aluminum foil in the cooker
Many people like to use aluminum foil to cover the foods they’re cooking for better results. Although this may be an effective solution initially, putting aluminum foil in the cooker will leave almost insurmountable stains after only one use of the appliance. Aluminum can make your fryer look like new again!
This residue left on your hands is easy to remove with nail polish remover or baking soda paste; However, you should make sure it’s dry before using your device again.
- Rinse the basket in the dishwasher
Many air fryers come with a removable basket that collects all of the fried food you drop inside. To clean this part of your appliance, simply put it in the top rack of the dishwasher for easier cleaning next time around. If you want to make sure everything is completely clean, you can use baking soda paste or vinegar to remove any remaining oil before putting it back into your device.
- Use spices sparingly
Although many people like using spices to give the flavor of their food, these small components are great at getting stuck inside the mesh holes that allow hot air flow throughout your cooker. This causes issues when removing them all together, but there are some simple solutions for removing these granules. All you need is a little sand paper or a damp sponge to remove these stains!
- Do not add water into the basket
Another tip from many seasoned air fryer chefs is that adding too much water can damage your device. Although this may be true in some cases, you should not worry about adding a few drops of water when frying food with a small amount of oil.
If you prefer to use less oil while cooking through your device, try mixing any liquids with spices before adding them to the basket. This will help ensure everything stays dry while cooking and prevent any water from ruining your machine!
How to Clean The Heating Element Of the Air Fryer?
Cleaning your air fryer basket is necessary, but you also have to focus on cleaning other elements of your air fryer to keep it durable. Therefore, besides learning how to clean your air fryer basket, the heating element is very important to be taken care of too.
The air fryer is the healthier way of preparing your favorite foods. The heat comes from the oil-less frying method, you can say it is just like a mini oven that cooks the food by circulating hot air around it. You can prepare crispy fries without any oil or butter and enjoy them with family for lunch or dinner.
Now cleaning the element becomes essential to keep your kitchen clean and shiny. Following are some tips on how to clean heating elements in the air fryer?
Get Rid Of Oil Stains From It
How to clean your air fryer heating elements is easy. Oil tends to stick over time as they become thicker, here are some simple ways to remove the stuck oil from the heating element easily. Cleaning your appliance regularly will help you save from more difficult tasks later on. So first try to clean it with a piece of cloth dipped in ammonia.
You can also dilute it with water, if this solution fails to remove the oil stains then use vinegar. Don’t forget to dry the surface completely before using the air fryer. If everything fails then try removing these oil stains manually after removing the heating element from the unit.
Clean The Exterior Of The Unit
The exterior of your appliance will be stained by melting oils and food particles; therefore, cleaning it on regular basis is very important. Using hot soapy water is enough for quick cleaning but cleansing it on weekly basis with all-purpose liquid/spray cleansers or mild cleaners will keep your appliance shining like new.
As an alternative method, you can use non-toxic furniture cleaners or use an oil remover spray. You can also wipe down the unit with a damp towel after regular intervals of time to keep it clean and shiny.
Clean The Vents Of The Air Fryer
When learning how to clean your air fryer, you also should care about the vents. The vents on the lid are being used by your air fryer fan assist to let out cooking steam, here is how you can remove the dirt accumulated in them. Fill up two dishwasher safe bowls one with soapy water and the other with white vinegar.
Now dip the toothbrush in the soapy water bowl and place it over vent area solution inside both bowls for around 15 minutes, later rinse it under cold running water cuticle facing downwards until all chemicals are rinsed completely then dry it completely before placing it back.
Air Fryer recipes that are easy to clean after cooking
Frozen sweet potato fries in air fryer
Have you ever wanted to go for a walk in the winter time? It is really important to stay healthy even if it gets cold outside. I know you enjoy walking, but maybe it’s hard to take your workout outside during the winter months.
That’s why this frozen sweet potato fries in air fryer recipe will help you stay healthy and active throughout the year. The air fryer makes this recipe much faster than an oven. Are you ready to cook your frozen sweet potato fries in air fryer?
Ingredients:
- 3 medium frozen sweet potatoes (about 12 ounces total), washed well, ends cut off to make it easier to fit in the air fryer basket. Each potato should be about 5 inches long and 2.5 inches wide
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or coconut oil
- Sea salt or Himalayan pink salt for sprinkling on top of fries while cooking in the air fryer
Notes: It’s always better to wash your vegetables before you cook them. Did you know that washing vegetables under cold water are good enough? You don’t have to soak your fruit or vegetables in hot water because it will remove important nutrients.
Instructions:
- Cut off the ends of all 3 potatoes so they will fit inside the basket of an air fryer, and cut each sweet potato lengthwise into 8 wedges. This makes it easier for the fries to cook evenly without burning or overcooking on one side. If you want thinner fries, simply slice each potato in half lengthwise then cut into 4 – 6 wedges per half.
- Gather all of your ingredients.
- Assemble your air fryer and plug it in to heat up.
- Pour the olive oil into a large bowl or dish and toss sweet potatoes with oil to coat well. Toss again after you pull them out of the oven later, so they don’t stick together as they cool and crisp up on their own! Sprinkle with sea salt and other spices you prefer at this time (I love cayenne pepper).
- Place sweet potato wedges inside the air fryer basket keeping space between each piece because wedges will shrink during the cooking process. If your fries are too crowded, the air fryer won’t be able to circulate hot air properly around them making them soggy instead of crispy! We don’t want that.
- Set the air fryer to 400 degrees and cook for 25 minutes (no need to shake or flip during cooking). The fries should be golden brown and crispy. If they need more time, set for another 5-10 minutes.
- Once cooked thoroughly, remove from the basket onto a paper towel lined tray and let cool so fries don’t stick together as they crisp up on their own! Repeat the above steps with the remaining potatoes if you would like to serve two people at the same time.
- Let them cool enough to eat without burning your fingers! They’re just as good cold as they are hot but we all know how is better because it’s fresh and warm.
Air fryer frozen potato wedges
The best part of having an air fryer is that you can easily cook various foods without worrying about the fats. The absence of oil prevents the food from sticking in the basket and taking up your precious time to clean it. Moreover, do not forget to try this easy air fryer frozen potato wedges recipe!
Ingredients:
- 1/2 bag (450 g/16 oz) Frozen Potato Wedges / French Fries / Baked Potato Wedges
- 1 tablespoon of Olive Oil or Vegetable Oil if needed for brushing potatoes before seasoning them with spices. Remember that using less oil will give you healthier results!
- 1 teaspoon of Italian Seasoning
- Garlic Powder (optional)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions:
- Place potato wedges in a large bowl and add in the oil and mix well until the potatoes are fully covered in oil.
- Sprinkle generously with salt and top it off with some fresh ground black pepper. Sprinkle over the rest of the ingredients and toss to coat all the potatoes evenly.
- Place potato wedges in an air fryer basket in a single layer (if necessary use an extra frying pan or baking sheet to make sure they do not overlap).
- Bake in an air fryer preheated to 390°F for about 20 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through. Brush with additional oil if needed for extra crispiness.
- Serve immediately.
Curly fries in air fryer recipe
The air fryer has become a must-have appliance in almost every kitchen. It is such a nice gadget for all health-conscious folks and people who want to cook without using too much oil while still getting the same taste and crunchiness.
This curly fries in air fryer recipe makes use of only 1 tablespoon of oil and you’ll get delicious curly fries out of it! Let’s check how to make them:
Ingredients:
- 2 cups of French fries (fresh or frozen)
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1/2 teaspoon of chilly powder
- 1/4 teaspoon of pepper powder
- 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder
Instructions:
- Chop the potatoes into long thin slices – as long as you can. 1/8″ is a good thickness for the curly fries to come out perfect. If you have a round-shaped slicer, use it for cutting the potatoes instead of chopping them with a knife.
- Now take a large size mixing bowl and add all the ingredients except oil and potatoes. Mix well until everything gets combined well.
- Add the cut fries to this seasoning mixture and mix again so that they get coated evenly with the spices mixture we just made. Leave it for 10-15 minutes to allow all those flavors to seep into the fries better.
- Pour an equal amount of cooking oil in your air fryer pan then place a single layer of prepared french fries on top of it before closing the lid. Cook on high (default setting of air fryer) for 5 minutes at 180 degrees C, then change the setting to 165 degrees C and cook for another 3-4 minutes until fries turn crispy golden brown in color.
- Serve them hot with your favorite dips like ketchup or tomato sauce taking care not to burn yourself as they are really very hot!
Notes:
- You can use any type of potatoes you have or prefer for this recipe, but the best results are obtained using Russet potatoes.
- Do not overcrowd the pan with so many fries as it will impede proper cooking and may result in uncooked fries inside while overcooking the outer ones resulting in soggy curly fries.
- You can also use different flavored seasoning powders like Mexican chilli, garlic etc to change up the taste/flavor of your fries but do not add more salt as these flavorings already have some in them.
Frozen chicken strips in air fryer recipe
You are looking for a new method to cook frozen chicken strips? Or you are just looking for delicious recipes to make chicken in the air fryer oven? How about an easy recipe for crispy, non-greasy Frozen Chicken Strips in Air Fryer. They are ready in less than half an hour and very tasty! Here is how it’s done.
Ingredients
- 1 pound or 450 g of fresh or frozen chicken breast strips (skinless & boneless)
- The juice of 1 lemon
- 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- 1 teaspoon of hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon of fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
Instructions:
- Place your chicken strips into a large bowl.
- Squeeze the lemon juice over the chicken pieces, then sprinkle them with garlic powder, salt, hot sauce and parsley.
- Toss everything together to coat evenly in the seasonings. Add in 2 tablespoons of flour and toss again until chicken is well coated.
- Shaking off excess flour before placing the chicken strips in the air fryer basket is very important! Otherwise, they will come out too crispy when baked with flour coating on it!
- Arrange the seasoned chicken pieces onto an oiled rack inside your air fryer basket, not overlapping each other if you can.
- Turn on your air fryer to 380F or 190C, making sure that you have preheated it for at least 5 minutes before baking the splatter screen closed. Bake for 15-20 minutes until strips are cooked through and crispy turning them after 10 minutes. The cooking time may vary depending on the size of chicken strips so keep an eye on them.
- Serve right away or let cool off a little bit before eating, if you want to avoid burning yourself! Enjoy!
Notes:
- You can substitute seasoned flour with self-rising flour instead if don’t have it in hand.
- Drizzle some olive oil over chicken while tossing in seasonings, this way they would come out more crispy because of nice browning.
- You can slice chicken breasts into strips yourself or buy them pre-diced which saves some time.
- Adjust the amount of hot sauce to your liking, if you don’t like it spicy leave out this ingredient.
- Chicken breasts are not always equally sized so cooking time might vary depending on their thickness. If they are thick – bake them a bit longer, if they are thin – reduce the baking time. Adjust cooking times according to your preferences.
Searching for an easy to clean air fryer?
Learning how to clean your air fryer would be much easier if you have an easy-to-clean air fryer. And NuWave Brio 6-Quart Air Fryer is definitely a perfect choice for you if you are seeking it. The nonstick and dishwasher safe basket helps customers to clean up very easily and quickly.
This product is one of the best NuWave Air Fryers on Amazon. It lets you cook all kinds of meals and snacks quickly, efficiently, and with little mess or preparation time required compared to other options available today.
You can adjust this air fryer’s temperature from 100°F to 400°F for a variety of dishes that suit your preference in terms of cooking times as well as taste preferences like crispiness level (light vs dark).
The reheat/preheat buttons make it even more convenient by saving you some steps before using the device while six popular preprogrammed dishes provide added convenience if you want an easier option when starting out without prior experience working with this appliance.
The NuWave Brio is a great large air fryer for those who want to cook delicious fried food with less fat and calories. It uses superheated air that cooks your favorite treats without the use of oil, allowing chefs to remain in complete control throughout cooking.
FAQs about How to Clean Your Air Fryer
When using an air fryer, you may encounter some questions that come to your mind. How to clean your air fryer is a common question that many people ask, but there are also some more questions that you would like to know the answers to.
Do I need to clean my air fryer after every use?
Yes, it is very important to clean your air fryer after every use. This will prevent the build-up of oil in your air fryer basket and at the bottom of the cooking pot which can damage your appliance. It’s best to keep your air fryer clean by wiping away excess or fallen food during cooking with a brush or cloth that has been soaked in water.
This will help to minimise the need to scrub the air fryer basket or cooking pot which can damage the non-stick coating. You shouldn’t put your air fryer through an intense cycle of dishwashing as this may damage it.
Can you clean an air fryer with oven cleaner?
No, you shouldn’t! Oven cleaner is basically acid. It can damage your non-stick coating, discolor it or even eat through the metal parts of your air fryer.
Can you put plastic in an air fryer?
Plastic is not recommended for use in the air fryer. If any are put in it may melt or distort. You can use anything contained within a metal mesh filter, although they are not necessary to the function of the oven, you can find these at Amazon, Bed Bath & Beyond or other kitchen supply stores.
Conclusion about How to Clean Your Air Fryer
Air fryers are a popular appliance for cooking delicious fried foods without all the extra calories and grease. However, it is important to remember that these appliances need regular cleaning too – especially if you’re not using them often. In this article, we provided information on how to clean your air fryer so that it will be ready when you want to use it again!
Don’t forget about maintenance in order to get the most out of your investment. It may seem like a lot of work at first glance but with proper care and attention, an air fryer can provide years worth of enjoyment. I hope this article helps you know how to clean your air fryer!
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