Deep clean your air fryer without scrubbing using just 2 kitchen items

A cleaning guru shared her go-to method for deep cleaning an air fryer using two common kitchen items – and there’s no need for scrubbing

Air fryers have established themselves as one of the most beloved kitchen appliances, making meal preparation considerably faster and more straightforward, particularly during hectic weekdays. To maintain the appliance in good working order, it is advisable to clean it after each use.

That said, cleaning can sometimes be neglected, meaning you may occasionally need to carry out a thorough deep clean to preserve its condition and ensure it continues to cook efficiently. A deep clean is particularly effective at tackling stubborn food residue or built-up grime lurking in hard-to-reach areas.

To help restore your air fryer to a gleaming finish, cleaning expert and TikTok creator Chantel Mila (Mama Mila) has shared her preferred technique.

Better still, there’s no scrubbing required whatsoever. You’ll only need two items already found in your kitchen to get the job done, reports the Express.

How to clean air fryers

Begin by removing the basket from the air fryer and placing it in the sink. Chantel applies a generous coating of bicarbonate of soda to the basket, making sure any stuck-on food and grease is thoroughly covered.

Next, drizzle over some washing-up liquid, before pouring boiling water from the kettle over the mixture, washing away the fizzing bicarbonate of soda.

This process helps to dislodge any food that has burnt onto the air fryer basket. Leave the mixture to do its work and soak in the basket for a period of time.

Once you are satisfied that all the stubborn grease and grime has been sufficiently loosened, drain away the dirty water. There should be no need to scrub at all.

While you can simply combine the ingredients and allow them to work in tandem, creating a baking soda paste offers additional benefits for tackling more stubborn areas. The pairing of baking soda and washing-up liquid is particularly effective at breaking down greasy residue, owing to its mildly abrasive properties, making it well-suited for cleaning greasy kitchen surfaces and cookware.

Incorporating washing-up liquid increases the concentration of surfactants — molecules that lower the surface tension between two substances. These surfactants facilitate the mixing of water and oil.

Washing-up liquid also assists in targeting bacteria that baking soda alone may not eliminate, helping to ensure the air fryer remains hygienic and safe for use.

These two common household products work to remove persistent stains and grime by encasing and lifting grease and dirt particles from the affected surface. Baking soda also functions as a natural deodoriser, helping to eliminate any lingering odours following a comprehensive deep clean.

Baking brand Dr Oetker explained the reason baking soda is so good at banishing unwanted odours: “Most nasty smells in the air contain some sort of acid. As an alkali, baking soda reacts with those acids and neutralises them.”