The short answer
Wipe the basket after every use and it rarely needs a deep clean. For baked-on grease, a baking soda paste worked into the mesh lifts residue that soap alone leaves behind, and running the empty fryer with soapy water for 5 minutes steams loose the corners a cloth cannot reach. Never use a dishwasher or steel wool on the basket — heat and abrasion warp the plastic and strip the non-stick coating.
Most air fryer damage is not from cooking — it is from cleaning. Abrasive pads scratch the non-stick coating, dishwashers warp the basket’s plastic housing, and the smell that will not go away is almost always trapped oil in a spot nobody thinks to check.
The three-minute daily wipe
Do this every time and you rarely need a deep clean:
- Unplug and let the unit cool for 30 minutes — the heating element stays hot longer than the basket.
- Pull the basket and pan, and soak both in hot water with a squirt of washing-up liquid for 10 minutes.
- Wipe the interior chamber with a damp microfibre cloth. Do not spray cleaner directly onto the heating element.
- Dry everything fully before reassembling — trapped moisture is what causes the musty smell.
The hacks that actually work
Baking soda paste for the basket mesh
Grease that has baked onto the mesh does not come off with soap alone. Mix baking soda with a little water into a paste, work it into the mesh with an old toothbrush, leave for 15 minutes, then rinse. This lifts carbonised oil without scratching the coating — steel wool and abrasive sponges will.
The steam-clean shortcut
Fill the drawer with an inch of water and a tablespoon of washing-up liquid, run the empty air fryer at 180°C for 5 minutes, then let it sit for 10 minutes before wiping. The steam loosens baked-on residue in the corners a cloth cannot reach, and it takes less effort than scrubbing.
Lemon and water for smell
Persistent food odour is usually oil that has soaked into the basket’s plastic, not the metal parts. Simmer water with a few lemon slices in the basket at a low setting for 5 minutes — this works far better than air fresheners, which mask the smell rather than remove its source.
Cotton bud for the vents
The air intake vents on the back or bottom collect a surprising amount of grease mist. A cotton bud dipped in warm soapy water gets into the slats that a cloth cannot reach — this is the spot most people never clean, and it is often the actual source of smoke on the next use.
| Never do this | Why |
|---|---|
| Dishwasher for the basket | Heat and pressure warp the plastic housing and can crack non-stick coating over time |
| Steel wool or abrasive pads | Strips non-stick coating, which then flakes into food |
| Submerging the main unit | The heating element and electronics are not sealed for water |
| Cleaning while still hot | Thermal shock can warp non-stick surfaces and risks burns |
When the smell will not go away
If the lemon-water method does not clear it, the odour is usually trapped in the gasket seal around the drawer or in scratches in a coating that has already started to fail. At that point the fix is not cleaning harder — it is checking whether the coating has visible flaking, which means the basket needs replacing rather than deeper scrubbing.
For the parts of an air fryer that get missed even by people who clean it regularly, see What Actually Kills a Non-Stick Pan.
A weekly routine that prevents most problems
- Wipe the basket and pan after every use — do not let oil sit and bake on for days.
- Do the baking soda paste on the mesh once a week if you cook anything greasy.
- Check the vents monthly with a cotton bud.
- Never use cooking spray directly in the basket — it builds a sticky film faster than oil from food does.
Common questions
Can I put the air fryer basket in the dishwasher?
Check the manual first — some newer baskets are rated dishwasher-safe, but many are not. Repeated dishwasher cycles run hotter and longer than most manufacturers designed the plastic housing for, and it is the most common cause of premature warping. Hand washing is the safer default.
Why does my air fryer smoke on the next use after cleaning?
Usually residual moisture in the vents or a spot of grease left in a seam that was not dried properly. Make sure every part is completely dry before reassembling, and check the vent slats specifically — they are the part most people skip.
Is the smell inside the basket normal?
A faint smell after cooking strong foods is normal. A smell that persists after washing usually means oil has worked into the coating or gasket. Try the lemon-water steam method before assuming the basket needs replacing.
How often should I deep clean an air fryer?
Weekly if you use it several times a week, especially for greasy food. The daily wipe-down handles most of the maintenance; the baking soda paste and vent cleaning are the weekly steps that stop residue building up in the first place.
Can I use oven cleaner on an air fryer?
No. Oven cleaner is formulated for enamel and bare metal and is too aggressive for non-stick coatings — it will strip them. Stick to washing-up liquid, baking soda paste, and the steam method above.