Air fryer users warned over how often they should be cleaned

Despite having been a kitchen appliance staple for donkey's years, air fryers have sky-rocketed in popularity over recent years.

With mouth-watering TikTok recipes showing off all the hanky hacks and delicious dishes that can be whipped up using the nifty appliance, it's no wonder that sales have remained through the roof.

But the real question is: is your air fryer receiving the same amount of TLC that if gives to you?

I bet the the cheese-crusted, crumb filled tray just sits there on the worktop whilst you munch away on your parmesan-baked halloumi fries or 'healthy' cheese frittata.

We're all guilty of casting it aside, aren't we? Sometimes forgetting to clean it until it's next needed. No? Just me?

Grace Cary

Well anyway, apparently it's vital to stay on top of cleaning your air fryer after every single wash, with proper care ensuring that your device lasts longer.

According to BBC Good Food, the basket of the air fryer should be cleaned every time it is used to be sure that dirt and grime doesn't become baked onto it.

Small crumbs can also become baked onto the inside of the appliance very easily, so they'll need to be scraped out after every use.

The BBC recommends however, that you only give the unit and the coil of your air fryer a deep clean every now and again.

You'll only need a handful of household items to clean your air fryer: some washing up liquid, baking soda, all purpose cleaner, an old toothbrush and a soft sponge/cloth.

To clean it between every use, firstly, make sure your air fryer is turned off at the wall. We don't want any trips to A&E over here...

And if you've only just cooked something in it, allow time for the device to cool down.

Adisak Mitprayoon

Then, take all the removable parts of the air fryer out, and detach the component parts, cleaning each part with warm water and washing up liquid, using the soft side of the sponge/cloth, making sure to get into every gap in the basket.

Caution: if you use the rough side of the sponge, you risk damaging the non-stick coating of your air fryer!

When it comes to the burned-on crumbs that you're struggling to remove with the sponge, make a paste of baking soda and water, placing it onto the stubborn bits.

Leave this on for around 20 mins, or, if you're in a rush, gently buff the solution with a toothbrush.

Lastly, just rinse out the component parts and leave it to try.

Voila, you've got a good-as-new air fryer sitting on your kitchen counterm ready to be used all over again!

Getty Stock Images

Oh, and on the subject of keeping your device in tip-top condition, one expert has warned users against cooking bacon in your air fryer.

Dietitian Brenda Peralta explained that, because bacon is extremely fatty and often comes in an awkward size, the fat can drip down and cause smoke or splatter.

She went on to say, "This can make the bacon difficult to cook evenly, and it can also produce a lot of smoke and odours", adding that this could even lead to food poisoning.

As well as this, the air fryer becomes quite a hazard due to the build-up of bacon grease and can suddenly begin to smoke.

The bacon fat splatters out across the air fryer's heating element, causing the gadget to start smoking before a smell of burnt food fills the air. Lovely...