Air fryer cleaning hack makes grease 'glide off' in minutes 'with no scrubbing'

26 November 2023 , 18:00

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Air fryers can become horribly greasy after use (stock image) (Image: EXPRESS)

Air fryers are amazing when it comes to cooking small batches off food cost-efficiently, but they can be a nightmare to clean.

They are the iPhones of cooking appliances - everyone seems to have one, with their popularity only growing in the past few years. They are energy-efficient and easy-to-use for a host of delicious and easy to make dinners. Whilst there is an abundance of air fryer tips and tricks floating around the internet, it's not easy to find a good way of keeping it clean.

Used on a regular basis without cleaning, air fryers can accumulate thick grease and stubborn food burnt on food stains which can lead to hours of scrubbing with little success. One woman, who found herself in the very position, took to Mrs Hinch Cleaning Tips Facebook page, where fans of internet sensation Sophie Hinchliffe share their own hacks, to glean some advice on how to clean her air fryer.

One Facebook user wrote: "Hi, what does everyone use to clean their air fryer, please? I haven't stayed on top of cleaning mine and there is a lot of dried-up grease in the basket."

The cleaning wizards in the group instantly took up the challenge of answering the woman's question in the comments section, sharing their best hacks. One multi-use item that many agreed on was to use soda crystals.

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One helpful social media user suggested "I use soda crystals, I fill the basket with hot water and add 250g of it leave for 10 minutes and it all comes clean after using a sponge." Others agreed, with one saying: "I soak the basket in hot water with soda crystals as soon as cooking is ready. Leave it till we eat, then wash as normal as I wash other dishes."

A third said: "I boil a kettle and, as soon as I remove the food, I pour boiling water into the basket and add a quarter of a bag of soda crystals. By the time I've eaten, I can just give it a quick wipe down with a sponge and the grease glides off. Then I just rinse it out. Easy!"

Soda crystals can be bought cheaply from Sainsbury's and Tesco for £2 for a 1kg bag, and as only 250g of the product needs to be used, it amounts to about 50p per use.

Mariam Khan