My Favorite Ways to Clean an Air Fryer
While an air fryer doesn’t get dirty like a blender or slow cooker, it still handles grease, intense heat, and moisture. Combined with the nooks and crannies, it means food and oil residue can build up pretty quickly. Regular cleaning is key to keeping your appliance safe and your food tasting great. Here’s how I care for my air fryers. (Yes, I have more than one. Here are my favorite air fryers for 2025 .)
Basic cleaning
There is basic maintenance and there is serious cleaning, but we will get to that a little later. Basic cleaning is a simple procedure that you should get used to. This will ultimately make the deep cleaning easier and simpler.
Clean removable parts.
Whether you use a basket or oven fryer, pay attention to the parts of the device that come into direct contact with the food. This may be the rack and basket, or in an oven fryer, the rack and pan. If they are removable, take them out when they are cool and wash them with a sponge and warm, soapy water.
If your grates are ribbed or wavy, they tend to trap food bits and oils that seep into the crevices. A sponge may not work, so use a bristle brush. Lather the brush and scrub hard-to-reach areas of the grates thoroughly, then rinse with warm water.
This will be sufficient for most air fryer parts, but some are dishwasher safe. Check the manufacturer’s website first, but if you have a dishwasher, your life will be even easier. Allow these parts to air dry or dry them with a towel. Do this after each use, unless you’re using a disposable container, which collects a lot of food debris and may give you some leeway.
Wipe down the interior.
You’ll probably notice that the inside of your air fryer is becoming discolored. This is due to repeated use: heat, oil, and moisture can stain over time. While you don’t have to do it after every use, wipe down the inside occasionally to prevent oil buildup.
Make sure the appliance is unplugged. Remove the air fryer racks or basket (ideally in the dishwasher or sink) to free your hands. Use the soft side of a damp, soapy sponge to wipe down the sides and gently clean the heating element. Do not scratch the heating element, even if there is something dried on it. There are ways to solve this problem…
Stubborn stains and dirt
Even with frequent maintenance, you’ll still have to deal with dirt from time to time. Here are the simplest and cheapest tools to have in your arsenal.
Baking soda scrub. This is one of my favorite methods: soda softens fat and has a slight abrasive effect, which scrubs well and removes food residue.
Mix a tablespoon of baking soda with one to two teaspoons of water to form a paste. Apply the paste to the stains with a toothbrush, pastry brush, or even your fingertip. Let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes, then scrub the dirt with a brush or the rough side of a sponge. Remove the paste with a damp sponge or paper towel and let it dry.
Vinegar Soak: Depending on the part you’re soaking, make a solution of one cup of water and two tablespoons of vinegar. (You can double or triple the amount for a deeper soak.) I pour the solution onto a baking sheet and submerge the flat racks in it to soak the air fryer racks. For basket air fryers, I leave the rack in the basket and add vinegar to it. Soak for 20 minutes to an hour, then wipe the racks down thoroughly. Rinse the parts and let them air dry.
Wet the heating element with a paper towel. If you have a strange piece of food stuck to the heating element, you have two options: let it slowly burn off the next time you use the air fryer (it will smell a little and could be potentially dangerous) or wet it with a paper towel to remove the dirt.
To soak a paper towel, make sure the machine is unplugged. If the heating element is on the top or side, turn the machine upside down – you will need gravity here. Wet and wring out a paper towel. If desired, you can add a drop of dish soap, but only a little. Apply it to the dirt stuck to the heating element (this is why we turned the machine upside down). The paper towel should be damp, but not dripping. Let it soak for about 20 minutes. Rub the stain with a paper towel. The dirt should come off at least partially, if not completely. Repeat the process if necessary.
If you see grease buildup in the corners of the grates, I recommend double cleaning: first soaking, then scrubbing with a baking soda paste. Once the cleaned parts are dry, your air fryer will be squeaky clean and ready for your next meal.