How to Clean Your Air Fryer Properly: Basket & Coil (2026)

How do you clean an air fryer properly? Grease left in the basket or on the heating coil doesn’t just make the unit look dirty — it burns on the next cook, throws off the crisping airflow, and is the most common cause of smoke and lingering odor. Five steps cover it end to end.

Wipe Down the Basket After Every Use

Once the basket has cooled, rinse it and the crisper tray under warm water and wipe out any loose crumbs or oil before they harden. Taste of Home recommends doing this after every use rather than letting it sit — skipped cleanings compound fast, since the next cook re-cooks whatever residue is left behind. A nonstick basket like those on the Chefman and Ninja units above wipes clean in under a minute when it’s done immediately; wait a day and the same job takes a soak.

Soak and Scrub Stuck-On Grease

For grease that’s already dried on, soak the basket in hot, soapy water for 20–30 minutes, as Taste of Home advises, to loosen it before scrubbing with a soft sponge or brush. The Kitchn tested several deep-clean methods and found a paste of 2 tablespoons baking soda, 2 tablespoons hydrogen peroxide, and a couple sprays of dish soap, worked into the basket with a soft brush for about 2 minutes, was the most effective on baked-on residue. Rinse thoroughly afterward. Avoid steel wool or other abrasive scrubbers — they can damage the nonstick coating, and a scratched coating is what eventually causes food to stick and burn.

Check the Heating Coil After Each Use

The heating element sits at the top of the cooking chamber, above the basket, and it catches oil splatter every time something greasy cooks. After the unit is unplugged and fully cool, wipe the coil with a damp cloth or a soft dish brush to remove any visible residue. Taste of Home says to check the coil after each use; wipe it whenever you see residue, and check it straight away if you notice smoke on startup, which is often grease burning off the coil. Never spray cleaner directly onto the element or submerge the main unit housing in water.

Run a Regular Deep Clean to Stop Smoke and Odor

Beyond the basket and coil, grease works its way into the vents and the interior walls of the cooking chamber over time. A regular deep clean keeps that buildup from becoming a smoke or odor problem. If odor has already set in, Taste of Home says food particles are usually trapped somewhere inside: with the unit unplugged and cool, scrub the interior with a paste of baking soda and water, using a scrub brush or an old toothbrush, then wipe it clean.

Dry and Reassemble Before Storing

Air-dry the basket and crisper tray completely before putting them back in the unit — trapped moisture on a nonstick surface encourages the coating to break down faster and can leave a musty smell inside a closed unit. Wipe the exterior housing with a damp cloth and leave the basket out (not reinserted) for the last stretch of drying time if you’re storing the unit for more than a day or two.

The Right Gear Makes It Easier

Some air fryer designs are simply easier to keep clean than others.

Chefman Air Fryer 6 QTChefman Air Fryer 6 QT — a single 6-quart nonstick basket, and both the basket and rack are dishwasher-safe.

Ninja Air Fryer Pro 4-in-1Ninja Air Fryer Pro 4-in-1 — a nonstick basket and removable crisper plate that go straight into the dishwasher, which matters if hand-washing after every use isn’t realistic for your routine.

Midea Flexify Pro 10+4Midea Flexify Pro 10+4 — the larger oven-style cavity has more interior surface area than a basket unit, so a regular deep clean matters more here to keep the vents and racks free of buildup.

Still deciding between a basket air fryer and an oven-style unit? See our Air Fryer vs Toaster Oven Combo guide →See our Air Fryer vs Toaster Oven Combo guide →