Your air fryer comes in handy as an oven and skillet, but that also means it comes into contact with a host of foods and sauces. As food is placed in its base, air fryers catch all of the crumbs and oils from whatever food is fried. The highest temperatures that an air fryer can reach up to 500 degrees. This level of heat can cause oil crumbs and oil to become hazardous once fried twice or even three times.

There’s also the air fryer that has a filter, which needs to be replaced every three to six months. Filters also hold crumbs and oil so they need to be cleaned regularly between fries as well. If you’re unsure about how to keep this cooking device in tip-top shape, read along to learn how to clean and maintain an air fryer.

Best Practices for Cleaning an Air Fryer

Before you dive into washing the basket and pan of the air fryer, you’ll need to let it cool after frying. This way, you can prevent burning yourself. Once it’s at a cool temperature, you can scrub the inside and outside of the basket and pan as you would any dish. Soaking them, along with your filter, in warm soapy water also does the job for those tough stains or gunky buildup. The chamber of the machine that has a chord must not be submerged or it won’t continue to function properly. However, you can wipe down the chamber of the air fryer with a warm soapy towel.

If that sounds like more work than you’re willing to do, feel free to toss the basket and pan in your dishwasher if the air fryer is dishwasher-safe. Beyond cleaning, though, here are some ways to maintain your air fryer.

Best Practices for Maintaining an Air Fryer

When frying your food, using parchment paper at the base of the pan makes cleanup that much easier. Sure, crumbs and oils could still seep through. However, it’s not as much as if you fried your items directly on the bottom of the pan. It’s best for these parchment paper circles to have holes in them. That way the circulating heat can move through the paper layer.

Most importantly, a clean air fryer minimizes the chance of foodborne illness contaminating your food items and making you sick. By cleaning it regularly, making sure unwanted food doesn’t stick around and wiping it down, you can make the best of your fried food recipes.