How to Clean an Air Fryer: Basket, Heating Element and That Smell

Short answer: After every use, once the basket has cooled a little, wash the basket and crisper plate in hot soapy water and wipe the inside of the drawer. Once a month, unplug the unit, turn it over when cool, and wipe the heating element and fan guard with a damp cloth. Never use steel wool or abrasive pads on the non-stick, and never get water into the top where the element and fan live.

A clean air fryer cooks better. Grease left on the element smokes and makes everything taste burnt, and old oil in the basket goes rancid and sticks. The daily part takes two minutes.

After every use (2 minutes)

1. Unplug it and let it cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Warm is fine; hot is not, because hot non-stick dropped into cold water can warp.
2. Pour off the grease from the bottom of the drawer into a container, not the sink.
3. Wash the basket and crisper plate with hot water, dish soap and a soft sponge or brush. Pull the plate out; grease collects under it.
4. Wipe the inside of the drawer and the drawer’s outside with a damp cloth.
5. Dry everything before putting it back. Water trapped under the plate starts smelling within a day.

If there is nothing greasy, a rinse and a wipe will do. Do not skip it after fatty food.

Baked-on grease and stuck food

Soak the basket and plate in hot water with a squirt of dish soap for 20 to 30 minutes. Most residue lifts off with a sponge after that.

For the stubborn patches:

• Make a paste of baking soda and a little water, spread it over the spot, wait 15 minutes, then scrub gently with a soft brush. An old toothbrush is good for the holes in the crisper plate.
• Do not use steel wool, scouring powder, or the green side of a sponge. They scratch the coating, and food sticks to scratches.
• If a plate is badly coated in carbonized grease, soak it overnight. It is almost always recoverable.

Monthly: the heating element and fan

Grease splatters upward during cooking and bakes onto the heating element. That is where smoke and a burnt smell come from.

1. Unplug the unit and let it cool completely. Not warm. Cold.
2. Take the drawer out. Turn the air fryer upside down on a towel, or tilt it so you can see the element and fan guard in the roof of the chamber.
3. Wipe the element with a damp (not wet) cloth. For built-up grease, a cloth with a little dish soap, then a clean damp cloth, then dry. A soft brush gets into the coils.
4. Brush loose crumbs from the fan guard. Do not try to remove the guard.
5. Let it dry fully, at least an hour, before plugging it back in.

Never spray anything into the top of the chamber and never submerge the main unit.

Weekly: the chamber and the outside

Wipe the inside walls of the chamber (where the drawer slides in) with a damp cloth. Grease mist settles there. Wipe the outside and the control panel with a slightly damp cloth; a dry one for touch panels.

Smells

Burnt smell while cooking: grease on the element (see above), or drippings burning in the bottom of the drawer. For fatty foods like wings and bacon, put a tablespoon of water or a slice of bread in the bottom of the drawer under the plate; it stops drippings from smoking.

Lingering food smell (fish, garlic): wash as usual, then run the empty fryer for 3 minutes with a small oven-safe dish of water and a tablespoon of white vinegar or half a lemon in the basket.

Plastic smell in a new fryer: wash the parts, then run the empty fryer at its top temperature for 15 minutes with a window open. Repeat once or twice. This is normal for the first few uses and fades. If it does not fade after a week, that is a reason to return it.

Liners and foil

Parchment liners made for air fryers (with holes) cut cleaning time and are fine to use, with two rules: never preheat with an empty liner in the basket (it blows up into the element), and never block all the holes, or the food steams instead of crisping. Foil is fine under food but should not cover the bottom of the basket for the same reason.

What not to do

• No steel wool, scouring pads, or abrasive cleaners on non-stick.
• No oven cleaner or bleach anywhere.
• No water into the heating element housing or the fan.
• No washing a hot basket in cold water.
• No storing it with grease still in the drawer; it goes rancid and that smell is hard to get out.

FAQ

Can I put the air fryer basket in the dishwasher?

Most baskets and crisper plates are labeled dishwasher safe. They will be fine, but the non-stick coating lasts longer with hand washing, and dishwasher heat can dull it over time. If you use the dishwasher, put the parts on the top rack.

How do I get baked-on grease off the basket?

Soak it in hot water with a squirt of dish soap for 20 to 30 minutes, then scrub with a soft sponge. For stubborn spots, make a paste of baking soda and water, spread it on, leave it 15 minutes, and wipe. No steel wool or abrasive powders on non-stick.

Why does my air fryer smell like burning?

Grease and crumbs on the heating element, usually. Unplug it, let it cool fully, turn it over or reach in, and wipe the element with a damp cloth or a soft brush. If it smokes while cooking fatty food, add a tablespoon of water to the drawer under the plate to stop the drippings from burning.

How do I get rid of the plastic smell in a new air fryer?

Wash the basket, then run the empty fryer at its highest setting for 15 minutes with a window open. Repeat once or twice. The smell is from protective coatings and manufacturing residue burning off, and it fades after a few uses. If it is still strong after a week of use, return the unit.

Can I use oven cleaner on an air fryer?

No. Oven cleaners are caustic and will damage the non-stick coating and can corrode the heating element. Dish soap, hot water, baking soda and vinegar are all you need.