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 warm, soapy water for 10–15 minutes 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 strip the nonstick coating faster than the dishwasher does, and a scratched coating is what eventually causes food to stick and burn.

Check and Clean the Heating Coil Every Few Uses

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. Do this every few uses, or immediately if you notice smoke on startup — that’s almost always burning grease on the coil, not a malfunction. Never spray cleaner directly onto the element or submerge the main unit housing in water.

Run a Deep Clean Monthly 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 monthly deep clean for regular users (or weekly for daily use) keeps that buildup from becoming a smoke or odor problem. If odor has already set in, mix equal parts vinegar and lemon juice in a bowl, set it inside the empty basket, and run the air fryer at 350°F for 3 minutes, then let it sit for 15 minutes before wiping the interior down. This loosens baked-on grease in the vents at the same time it neutralizes the smell.

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 — both the basket and rack are dishwasher-safe, and the compact dual-basket design means less surface area to scrub after a typical two-person meal.

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 dual-rack oven-style layout has more interior surface area than a basket unit, so a monthly 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 →