Air fryers are a popular way to cook food, but cleaning them can be a bit of a faff. Luckily, there’s a hassle-free method you can use that will clean your appliance while you eat your dinner
Air fryers have become a staple in many households in recent years, adored for their cost-effective and healthier way of cooking food, although they can be tricky to clean. The popular kitchen gadget is perfect for cooking smaller portions, saving money, and offering a healthier alternative to traditional frying by using significantly less oil.
While the cooking times are quick, users often find that cleaning them can be the most laborious part, due to the oily residue that builds up inside.
Given their compact size and awkward design, air fryers can be challenging to clean thoroughly. However, no one really wants the hassle of an intensive clean-up after a meal.
The good news is that there’s a simple solution that allows you to clean up while enjoying your meal, and it seems people are only just discovering the method.
One cooking enthusiast looking for easy ways to keep their air fryer clean hit the jackpot when another user shared a fantastic tip on Reddit. It essentially allows your air fryer to self-clean while you’re eating, reports the Express.
They posted: “Hi, I was wondering if anybody knows any cleaning hacks, because I have been told that cleaning air fryers can be notoriously difficult.”
The response that caught people’s attention came from someone who recommended an almost effortless self-cleaning method during mealtimes. One Reddit user shared their tip, saying: “What type do you have? I have the bucket style. After I cook, while it is warm, I put warm water and soap in the bucket. Let it sit while you eat. By the time you finish eating, use a sponge to clean. Problem solved.”
Another person revealed their cleaning approach, explaining: “Put a little dish soap in the basket, if you have a removable tray with the grate holes, leave it in. Add hot water until you can see dirt or oil on the sides. Let it sit this way for 10-20 minutes. Take a microfibre cloth or very soft sponge, gently clear the sides and bottom with the water still in it. Remove tray, wipe with a cloth or soft sponge. Rinse completely with cold water, and you should be good to go.”
However, we’d advise proceeding carefully and checking your air fryer’s manual before trying this approach, just to make certain water doesn’t end up somewhere it shouldn’t. Giving your air fryer a swift clean after each use is worthwhile, but thorough deep cleans can happen less often, depending on how frequently you use it.
Another brilliant trick to maintain your air fryer’s cleanliness has been endorsed by Mrs Hinch, also known as Sophie Hinchliffe, a well-known cleaning influencer. She recommended a useful tip that could minimise the daily chore of washing the appliance.
She suggests lining the air fryer with baking parchment to catch any drips and spills. The mess mainly accumulates on the liners, she added, sparing the appliance from grime.
Sharing her wisdom with her 4.8 million followers, the cleaning guru stated: “[Here’s my] air fryer I don’t know what I did before I got this guys, it’s so good. I bought one because my cousin has one, and she said it’s amazing. So I got the same one as her.”
Sophie pointed towards the parchment paper and added: “These are from Amazon – baking liners. And I use them to keep it quite clean inside. Brilliant little hack.”
