Air fryers are a trusty and incredibly useful kitchen staple – once you have one, it’s tempting to cook everything in them. However, one of the downsides is that they can get dirty and are sometimes hard to clean, or worse, the food cooked in them leaves a lingering smell. Fortunately, one household ingredient has been dubbed a 'secret weapon' for air fryers by Idea Home.
The Lemon Solution
Placing lemons in your air fryer is a fast and easy way to eliminate odours. The trick involves a heatproof bowl, sliced lemons and water. Simply place the bowl inside the air fryer and turn it on for 10 minutes. This will help eliminate any unwanted smells, “leaving your kitchen smelling like a fresh, citrus wonderland,” according to Zoe McLean, senior home economist at Breville.
McLean explained that “because of their acidity, [lemons are] a great natural cleaning product that is safe to use in your air fryer.” This hack is ideal for eliminating bad smells, especially after cooking fish or other strong-smelling foods.
Standard Cleaning First
While the lemon trick is effective for odour removal, standard cleaning methods should be used before trying it. Most air fryer drawers and trays are dishwasher safe, so that is a recommended cleaning method for those parts of the appliance. If not, The Kitchn recommends using two tablespoons of baking soda, two tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide and a couple of sprays of dish soap.
They recommend cleaning the basket with a soft toothbrush for about two minutes afterwards, then using the non-abrasive side of a sponge to rinse off any excess with water. They wrote: “I was seriously impressed with the results. All of the stuck-on food, grease, smells, and most of the dark grime were completely gone once I had fully rinsed the air fryer basket.”
Quick and Regular Maintenance
This cleaning method takes only a few minutes, making it suitable for regularly maintaining your kitchen appliance. By combining the lemon odour removal trick with standard cleaning, you can keep your air fryer fresh and ready for any recipe.
