Air fryers remain among the UK's most popular kitchen gadgets, making mealtimes quicker and easier. But proper maintenance is crucial to ensure the appliance doesn't compromise cooking performance and efficiency. Experts recommend cleaning air fryers after every use, with periodic deep cleans to remove stubborn food remnants and dirt from hard-to-reach areas.
Two Kitchen Staples for a Sparkling Air Fryer
Cleaning guru Chantel Mila, known as Mama Mila on TikTok, recently shared her top cleaning tips. For air fryers, she says you need just two everyday kitchen essentials—bicarbonate of soda and washing-up liquid—and no elbow grease. Start by removing the basket and placing it in the sink. Sprinkle a generous amount of bicarbonate of soda over any stubborn grime, then drizzle washing-up liquid on top. Pour boiling water over the combination, causing the bicarbonate of soda to fizz and lift burnt-on food. Let the mixture soak, then pour away the dirty water. No scrubbing required. For particularly stubborn areas, you can make a bicarbonate of soda paste.
How the Ingredients Work
The combination of bicarbonate of soda and washing-up liquid cuts through greasy residue, ideal for grimy kitchen surfaces and dirty pans. Washing-up liquid increases surfactants—molecules that reduce surface tension between two substances—helping water and oil blend more effectively. It also targets bacteria that bicarbonate of soda alone cannot reach, keeping the air fryer clean and safe. Dr Oetker explains that bicarbonate of soda works as a natural cleaner due to its gentle abrasive properties, shifting stubborn grime without causing wear and tear. Vanguard Cleaning notes that its alkaline chemical properties deodorise and absorb lingering unpleasant odours. Dr Oetker adds: "Most nasty smells in the air contain some sort of acid. As an alkali, baking soda reacts with those acids and neutralises them." Both staples surround and lift grease and dirt particles, making light work of stubborn stains and grime.
