How to Clean an Air Fryer: Basket, Element, Deep Clean

How to clean an air fryer basket, heating element and interior, per the Ninja, Cosori and Instant manuals, plus what is dishwasher-safe and what to avoid.

By Maksud · Published Sep 27, 2026

To clean an air fryer, unplug it and let it cool (Ninja’s AF101 owner’s guide says about 30 minutes), then wash the basket and crisper plate in warm, soapy water, or in the dishwasher if your manual allows it. Wipe the interior with a slightly damp, non-abrasive cloth and brush food residue off the heating element. Never immerse the main unit, and dry every part before the next use.

Quick answer: the 5 steps

1. Unplug the air fryer and let it cool completely.
2. Pour out the fat, then wash the basket and crisper plate with dish soap and a soft sponge, or in the dishwasher if the manual says they are dishwasher safe. Check first: Instant’s Vortex Plus manual says its air fry basket is damp cloth only.
3. Soak stuck-on food in warm, soapy water, or use a baking soda paste.
4. Wipe the inside with a slightly damp cloth and brush food residue off the heating element.
5. Wipe the outside, then dry every part completely before plugging it back in.

Everything below comes from manufacturer manuals or independent sources, credited in each line. Kitchen Watcher did not clean these units hands-on; see how we research.

What the Ninja, Cosori and Instant manuals agree on, and where they differ

The three manuals agree on the basics: unplug, cool, never immerse the main unit, no scouring pads, and clean after every use. They differ on the heating element and on what can be washed. The biggest split is the basket: Ninja and Cosori say theirs is dishwasher safe, while Instant’s Vortex Plus 6-qt manual says to clean its air fry basket with a damp cloth only.

What you need to clean an air fryer

• Mild dish soap and a soft or non-abrasive sponge (Ninja, Cosori, Consumer Reports).
• A damp microfiber cloth or towel for wiping surfaces, which Breville’s cleaning guide lists.
• A cleaning brush for the heating element, per Ninja’s owner’s guide.
• Wooden skewers or toothpicks for food trapped in basket holes, which Consumer Reports suggests.
• Baking soda for Cosori’s grease paste.

Leave out abrasive cleaners, steel wool and scouring pads (Ninja), metal scouring pads of any kind (Cosori), and harsh chemical detergents, scouring pads or powders (Instant).

How to clean an air fryer after every use

1. Unplug and let it cool. Cosori’s manual says pulling the basket out speeds cooling.
2. Pour out the fat in the drawer, as Consumer Reports advises.
3. Wash the basket and crisper plate in hot, soapy water with a non-abrasive sponge, or run them through the dishwasher if your manual lists them as dishwasher safe. On an Instant Vortex Plus 6-qt, the manual says only the cooking tray is dishwasher safe; wipe the air fry basket with a soft, damp cloth.
4. Wipe the exterior and control panel with a damp cloth. Ninja’s guide says never to immerse the main unit in water.
5. Air-dry or towel-dry every part before reassembling, as Ninja’s guide says.

Ninja, Cosori and Instant all say to clean after every use. America’s Test Kitchen adds a reason to use soap every time: citing its science research editor, it says food residue left behind lets microbes grow and attracts pests. ATK also skips the dishwasher, since baskets take up a lot of dishwasher space.

Air fryer basket cleaning: stuck-on and baked-on grease

Start with a soak. Ninja’s owner’s guide says to put a basket or crisper plate with stuck residue in a sink of warm, soapy water and let it soak.

If that is not enough, Cosori’s manual gives a specific paste:

1. Mix 2 US tbsp (30 mL) of baking soda with 1 US tbsp (15 mL) of water.
2. Spread it on the basket and crisper plate with a sponge and scrub.
3. Let it sit for 15 minutes, then rinse.
4. Wash again with soap and water before using.

Instant’s Vortex Plus manual instead says to spray baked-on grease on accessories and the cooking chamber with a baking soda and vinegar mixture, then wipe it with a soft, damp cloth. For stubborn stains, it says to let the mixture sit for several minutes before scrubbing.

Viral hacks such as hydrogen peroxide mixes, overnight dishwasher-pod soaks and air-frying soapy water are not in any of the three manuals reviewed, so no manufacturer here backs them. If the coating is already flaking, Consumer Reports says not to use the air fryer and to contact the manufacturer for a new basket or return it to the retailer; see air fryer basket coating peeling.

How to clean an air fryer heating element

Unplug the unit and let it cool fully, then pull the basket out. None of the three manuals says to turn the unit upside down. America’s Test Kitchen says you may need to invert the body to get a good look at the element, and suggests inverting it over the sink to shake out trapped crumbs.

Ninja’s guide says to clean the element with a cleaning brush to remove food residue. Cosori’s manual says to clean the coil if needed and to use a slightly moist, non-abrasive sponge or cloth on the inside.

Keep water to a minimum. ATK says to avoid getting the element very wet and, if grease has built up, to wipe it with a damp cloth and dry it thoroughly. Cosori says the heating coil must be completely dry before you turn the air fryer on, and Instant says not to rinse the appliance under a tap.

Why bother: Instant’s manual warns that without proper cleaning, food and grease splatter can build up around the element, causing a risk of smoke, fire and personal injury. On frequency, ATK suggests inspecting the element every three or four uses. Ninja lists the element brush among the steps for its after-every-use clean; Cosori and Instant give no separate element schedule.

How often should you deep clean an air fryer?

Breville’s cleaning guide, written for air fryer ovens, suggests a deep clean every one to two weeks depending on how often you cook, and more often if you cook oil-heavy recipes. An air fryer deep clean combines the steps above:

1. Treat the basket and crisper plate with Cosori’s baking soda paste, or your own manual’s method.
2. Wipe the interior cavity with a slightly moist, non-abrasive cloth.
3. Brush the heating element. Breville also says to check vents and the fan for buildup.
4. If your crisper plate has rubber stoppers, Cosori says to remove them only for cleaning, then soak them in water to refit them.
5. Wipe the exterior, and dry everything fully before reassembling.

For a lingering food smell, Consumer Reports passes on advice from NewAir, maker of Magic Chef air fryers: soak the basket and drawer in soapy water for 30 to 60 minutes. If the smell remains, rub them with a cut lemon, wait 30 minutes and wash again. A smell from a brand-new unit is a different problem: see new air fryer plastic smell.

What not to do when cleaning an air fryer

• Do not immerse the main unit or put it in the dishwasher (Ninja).
• Do not use metal scouring pads; Cosori warns fragments can touch electrical parts and cause a shock.
• Do not use harsh chemical detergents (Instant) or oven cleaner (Breville).
• Do not use metal utensils on the nonstick basket (Cosori, Consumer Reports).
• Do not run the air fryer while the coil is still wet (Cosori).
• Do not put parchment in without food on top. Cosori says circulating air can lift it into the heating coils. More in aluminum foil in an air fryer.

When air fryer grease turns into smoke

Ninja’s guide says that if the unit gives off black smoke, unplug it immediately and wait for the smoking to stop before removing the basket. Instant’s manual says to press Cancel, unplug, wait for the smoking to stop, then clean the appliance thoroughly. Cosori’s manual says white smoke from heating fat is normal, but dark smoke means food is burning or there is a circuit problem, so unplug right away. For diagnosis, see why is my air fryer smoking.

Cleaning is not a fix for every overheating problem. CPSC’s February 2023 recall of about 2 million Cosori air fryers in the US was for a wire connection that can overheat, not grease. CPSC says to stop using a recalled unit and that the model number is on the bottom label. Check your model number against the recall rather than assuming grease is the cause.

Cleaning guides and reviews for specific models

Step-by-step guides for one model:

• How to clean a Ninja AF101
• How to clean a Ninja Crispi, which uses glass containers instead of a coated basket

Reviews of the models and brands covered above (the Cosori manual cited here is for the Pro LE, not the TurboBlaze):

• Ninja AF101 review
• Instant Vortex Plus 6-qt review
• Cosori TurboBlaze review
• How to clean a blender

Consumer Reports says 51 of the 64 air fryers it has tested claim to have dishwasher-safe parts. To compare models on cleanup and other factors, see our best air fryers ranking or read whether air fryers are safe.