Air fryers have become a staple appliance for quick and easy cooking, but keeping them clean is essential for performance. Cleaning expert and TikTok creator Chantel Mila (Mama Mila) shared a method that requires no scrubbing, using just two common kitchen items: baking soda and washing up liquid.
How to Deep Clean an Air Fryer
Start by removing the basket from the air fryer and placing it in the sink. Cover the basket generously with baking soda, ensuring stuck-on food and grime are fully coated. Then drizzle washing up liquid over the baking soda, followed by pouring boiling water from a kettle over the mixture. The baking soda will fizz, helping to loosen burnt-on residue. Let the ingredients sit for a while to break down grease and grime.
Once the stubborn spots have loosened, pour away the dirty water. No scrubbing is needed. For tougher areas, a paste of baking soda and washing up liquid can be applied.
Why This Method Works
Baking soda acts as a mild abrasive, breaking down greasy residue, while washing up liquid contains surfactants that reduce surface tension, allowing water and oil to mix. The dish soap also targets bacteria that baking soda cannot reach. Additionally, baking soda is a natural deodoriser. Dr Oetker explains: “Most nasty smells in the air contain some sort of acid. As an alkali, baking soda reacts with those acids and neutralises them.”
