First, make sure your machine is powered off, unplugged from the wall and cool to the touch. Before you start have a look at your machine’s instructions for care and cleaning and always follow these.
Remove the basket, pan and crisper plate (what removable parts your machine has will depend on the model) from your air fryer and leave it to soak in warm, soapy water, making sure it’s fully submerged. Accessories can be soaked alongside if needed as well. Leave these for 10 minutes or so before you scrub clean with a soft sponge. If residue doesn’t come away easily, you can leave to soak for a little longer. If you can’t get into some of the crevices, use an old toothbrush.
Don’t use a steel sponge or an abrasive detergent, or you risk damaging the non-stick. For any truly stubborn marks, you can apply abicarbonate of soda and water paste to the area, leave it to work its magic for a few minutes, and then scrub clean.
If you’ve previously been washing parts of the machine that ware dishwasher-safe on the eco setting of your dishwasher, switch to the normal or auto cycle to clean them more thoroughly once in a while. But, hand washing is generally a gentler and more focused way to wash an air-fryer, and it should help them last longer too. Once clean, dry the parts and set them aside for now.
You won’t just find residue in the basket itself, as the food you’ve been cooking will have undoubtedly have spit and spread grease across the inside of your air fryer as well.
Dampen (don’t saturate) a microfiber cloth ,such as a Microfibre Cloth and wipe around the inside of your air fryer. Avoid the heating element on the ceiling for now; we will deal with this in a moment. Focus solely on the sides and base of the interior, removing any crumbs as theyfall.
Now you can turn your air fryer onto its side for a better view and better access to the heating element. If you spot residue here, this needs a clean too. You can gently scrub this using a dry, soft bristled toothbrush, dampening the element if necessary with a cloth, but take great care not to apply excessive moisture here. Carefully brush away any stuck-on residue, moving in the direction of the element. Give this sufficient time to dry once you’ve finished.
Finally, take a look at the outside of your air fryer. It can get very greasy here, particularly around the control panel, so this often needs a wipe down too. A damp microfibre cloth should do the trick, although you can apply a drop of washing up liquid to your cloth for particularly greasy areas. Just be sure to wipe the soapy residue away afterwards with another damp cloth.
You can use a toothbrush to dislodge any residue around the buttons or dials. Dry the outside as best you can afterwards with a clean cloth, then leave to air dry.
If you’re dealing with a stainless steel air fryer, there may be finger marks present despite your best efforts. You can buff the exterior to a shine with a few drops of distilled white vinegar on a lint-free cloth. Work in circles to remove unsightly marks.
Your air fryer should now look and work as good as new again. Wait until all of the parts are completely dry before re-assembling and using it.