If you own an air fryer (and use it regularly), you’re probably no stranger to the sticky residue buildup from baked on grease. Here is a step-by-step tutorial on how to clean an air fryer basket… including the best degreaser to dissolve that sticky residue.
Honestly, I was about to give up on cleaning my air fryer basket. The sticky residue seemed resistant to everything I tried. My go-to kitchen degreaser did absolutely nothing. I even tried a magic eraser (which I later learned was a bad idea because it could scratch the non-stick coating). Attempt after attempt failed… until now.
I finally figured out how to clean an air fryer basket; even the burnt on grease. I am literally doing a happy dance as I write this tutorial, I’m that thrilled about it.
What You Need to Clean An Air Fryer Basket
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Ingredients Needed to Clean A Greasy Air Fryer
- Dish Soap– I recommend Dawn for this because it is the best thing I have found to cut through grease.
- Baking Soda– Baking soda is a mild abrasive that removes stuck on grease and residue
Supplies Needed to Clean An Air Fryer
- Paper Towels– These are simply used to remove any grease or food prior to cleaning
- Non-Scratch Scour Pad– Make sure you are using a non-scratch scour pad as most air fryers are made using a non-stick surface, which can scratch with a regular scour pad.
- Cleaning Gloves (Optional but highly recommended)- Baking soda can be drying to the skin, so wearing gloves during scrubbing is definitely recommended.
How to Clean An Air Fryer
Prior to cleaning an air fryer, make sure it is cool. You do not want to start this process immediately after cooking, as there is a high likelihood of burning yourself.
Start by removing the air fryer basket from the air fryer and use a dry paper towel to wipe up any grease and food residue from the grate and basket.
Place the air fryer grate back into the basket and drizzle in some dish soap. I recommend Dawn for this job because it cuts through grease better than anything else I have found.
Fill the air fryer basket with water until it’s just above the grate.
Place the basket (or in my case, baskets) into the air fryer and set it to “Air Fry” for 5 minutes, at a temperature of 400°. This process heats the water, allowing the steam to help loosen the greasy grime from the air fryer basket.
When the time is up, do not remove the basket right away; instead, let it sit in the air fryer for an additional 10 minutes.
Carefully remove the basket from the air fryer, as the basket and water may be hot, and dump the water. If you are not dealing with burnt on grease, you can simply wash the air fryer basket and tray, rinse with warm water, dry and put them back in the air fryer.
If you are dealing with sticky residue build up in your air fryer basket, keep reading.
How Do You Get Baked On Grease Out of an Air Fryer Basket?
Remove the grate from the air fryer basket (as long as it is cool enough to handle). Then add a generous amount of baking soda to the air fryer basket. Approximately 1/4 cup.
Then add in a squirt of dish soap.
Prior to starting the next step, I highly recommend wearing cleaning gloves as baking soda can be very drying to the skin.
Wet a non-scratch scour pad and start scrubbing until a paste forms. (You need the scour pad to be wet in order to form the paste with the baking soda and dish soap.) Use this paste to scrub the air fryer basket and grate.
As you are scrubbing, feel free to add more baking soda and/or dish soap if the paste starts to thin. You really need that paste to clean the burnt on grease.
This is where the magic happens…
I am telling you, baking soda and dish soap will remove baked on grease from an air fryer basket… it might take a little effort, but it will work! Take a look at these results!
And a close-up…
I must not clean the bottom of my air fryer trays very well, because that was a whole lot of baked on grease!
Common Questions About Cleaning Air Fryer Baskets
Is There Anything I Can Do to Reduce Food & Grease Build-Up In My Air Fryer?
Yes… but (There’s always a “but” right?) There are air fryer basket liners that you set into your air fryer prior to cooking. I tested these air fryer basket liners, and while they definitely reduced the greasy buildup, the quality of food was negatively affected. Nothing was quite as crispy, which is what I want when using an air fryer.
UPDATE: As I went to grab the link to the air fryer liners, I noticed they now make ones with holes in them to allow the air fryer to work properly! And they come in a variety of shapes and sizes… might have to give those a try!
How Often Should I Clean My Air Fryer?
It is always a good idea to wash your air fryer basket after each use, but it doesn’t have to be quite the process described above. You can simply wipe off the food and grease with a paper towel and hand wash the grate and basket with a little dish soap and warm water. As mentioned above, heating the water and dish soap in the air fryer helps loosen food particles and grease, so you may want to try that if you need a little extra cleaning power.
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