How to Clean an Air Fryer with Baking Soda | Branch Basics

Baking soda has many uses around the home, as demonstrated in our article, Cleaning With Baking Soda (Sodium Bicarbonate): 12 Surprising Uses.

Its fine, mildly abrasive grittiness is gentle enough for tackling tough cleaning jobs without scratching or damaging most surfaces – including air fryers.

Paired with water or lemon juice, baking soda can remove built-up food gunk, grease, and grime from an air fryer basket in no time at all.

That said, we want to be fully transparent: we don’t recommend air fryers made with non-stick coatings, as they may contain harmful “forever chemicals” like PFAS and BPA. 

If you’re in the market for a new air fryer, consider non-toxic options made with stainless steel or ceramic coatings instead.

Now, let’s focus on why you’re here! In this article, we’ll show you how to clean an air fryer with baking soda, vinegar, and Branch Basics.

It’s a simple, low-effort process. Let’s get into it!

Cleaning with Baking Soda and Lemon Juice

Baking soda and lemon juice work together as a powerful cleaning duo. Baking soda gently removes grime and grease from your air fryer, while lemon juice uses its natural antibacterial properties to deodorize.

Here’s how to clean an air fryer with baking soda and lemon juice:

1. Before cleaning, unplug the air fryer and let it cool down if you’ve just used it.
2. In a small bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of baking soda, the juice of half a lemon, and 1 teaspoon of hot water. Combine well until a paste forms.
3. Pour the paste into the air fryer basket and gently scrub with a soft toothbrush or natural scrub brush. This should remove any stuck-on food and grease. Make sure to also scrub the inside walls.
4. Let sit for 10 to 15 minutes.
5. Rinse under cool running water, dry with a clean microfiber cloth, and put the basket back in the air fryer.

Cleaning with Baking Soda and Water

One of the simplest ways to clean an air fryer is with a baking soda and water paste. Spread it on and scrub, it’s really that easy to tackle stubborn stuck-on messes!

Here’s how to clean an air fryer with baking soda and water:

1. Unplug the air fryer and allow to cool.
2. Take the air fryer basket out of the unit and soak in warm water and natural dish soap, like Branch Basics Concentrate.
3. In a small bowl, mix equal parts baking soda and water to make a paste.
4. Spread the paste on the basket and on the inside of the air fryer. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes.
5. Gently scrub the paste with a natural scrub brush or soft toothbrush to remove built-up grease and grime.
6. Rinse the basket in cool running water. Use a damp microfiber cloth to wipe away the baking soda paste from the inside of the air fryer.
7. Let dry.

Other Human-Safe Air Fryer Cleaning Options 

In addition to baking soda, natural and human-safe dish soap and vinegar are great choices for cleaning an air fryer.

Here are two more safe and effective cleaning options for your air fryer.

Branch Basics Starter Kit 

Branch Basics is an all-in-one human-safe cleaning line designed to replace every cleaner and laundry product in your home with just one Concentrate.

For an air fryer, we recommend a few drops of Concentrate mixed with water (for cleaning the air fryer basket and tough stuck-on messes) and All Purpose (for wiping the interior walls, heating element, and exterior surfaces).

Here’s how to use Branch Basics to clean an air fryer:

1. Unplug the air fryer and allow to cool if it’s recently been used.
2. Blot up any excess oil and crumbs with a paper towel or microfiber cloth.
3. Remove the air fryer basket from the unit. Submerge in a mixture of warm water and a few drops of Branch Basics Concentrate. Let sit for 10 to 15 minutes.
4. Spritz a microfiber cloth with All Purpose and wipe the air fryer’s interior walls, heating element, and exterior. Wipe dry with a clean microfiber cloth.
5. Use a natural scrub brush to gently scrub the basket, agitating any stuck-on food, grease, and grime. Rinse under warm running water.

Alternatively, you can give your air fryer a Branch Basics steam bath. 

Here’s how:

1. Fill the air fryer basket with water and add a few drops of Concentrate.
2. Turn the air fryer on for 2 or 3 minutes.
3. Take the basket out and run under warm water to rinse away food and grease.
4. If needed, give the basket a gentle scrub with a natural scrub brush or soft toothbrush.
5. Wipe dry with a clean microfiber cloth.

If you’re still dealing with stubborn, stuck-on food, try combining Branch Basics Concentrate with a scoop of Oxygen Boost and warm water. Let the air fryer basket sit in the mixture for 15 minutes or overnight. Gently scrub the grease and grime away.

Vinegar and Water

Another natural and human-safe option is to clean your air fryer with a mixture of white distilled vinegar* and water.

The vinegar helps deodorize food odors while loosening stubborn, stuck-on food and grease, making it an excellent choice for safe cleaning.

Here’s how to clean an air fryer with vinegar and water:

1. Before you clean, unplug the air fryer and allow to cool.
2. Blot up any excess oil with a paper towel or microfiber cloth.
3. In a small bowl, mix equal parts vinegar and water.
4. Pour the mixture into the air fryer basket and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes.
5. Gently scrub, then rinse under warm running water.

For extra stubborn messes, you can use a vinegar and baking soda paste. Mix equal parts vinegar with baking soda in a small bowl. Slather the paste onto the stuck-on food and grime. Let sit for about 10 minutes, gently scrub, and rinse thoroughly.

*Note: The acetic acid found in vinegar can be a lung irritant when used as a spray, which is why we recommend pouring the solution here. Care must be taken to avoid inhaling aerosolized vinegar. Open the windows while cleaning (spray or not), use fans, and/or good ventilation until the vinegar smell is cleared. Avoid using vinegar to clean while in the presence of someone with asthma or chronic illness.

Have Questions? We’ve Got Answers

We know cleaning an air fryer can be daunting, especially if there’s stuck-on food, grime, and grease. To help, we’re answering some FAQs.

How Often Should You Clean Your Air Fryer?

To keep your air fryer in tip-top shape, it’s best to clean it after every use. Regular cleanings prevent the build-up of old food pieces and grease, which can harden and make it difficult to clean up later.

For best results, unplug the air fryer, let it cool just slightly, then blot up any excess oil and follow one of the above cleaning methods.

At a minimum, we recommend giving your air fryer a weekly wipe-down. Use a microfiber cloth, lightly dampened with a spritz of All Purpose, to clean the basket, inside walls, heating element, and exterior.

What Cleaning Products Can I Use on My Air Fryer? 

Air fryers should only be cleaned with safe and gentle cleaning products and tools. *Always check manufacturing recommendations and precautions to ensure cleaning products chosen are compatible. 

The best solution is to use the materials and products listed above and apply them gently. This is to avoid scratching and damaging the non-stick coating often found in air fryers.

You can safely clean your air fryer with the following:

• Human-safe cleaning products - Since air fryers are used to prepare food you eat, it’s best to only use ultra-gentle, food-safe cleaning products to help keep you safe. Avoid using disinfectant sprays, wipes, and toxic oven cleaners as these aren’t designed for safe use in or on food preparation appliances (for natural disinfecting alternatives, check out our Complete Guide on How to Naturally Disinfect Surfaces). Instead, follow the cleaning methods outlined in this article using baking soda, vinegar, and/or Branch Basics Concentrate.
• Gentle, non-abrasive cleaning tools - Most air fryers are made with a non-stick interior coating, so it’s important to avoid harsh abrasive tools and metal utensils that can scratch and damage the coating while cleaning. Instead, opt for gentle tools like a soft toothbrush, sponge, microfiber cloth, or a natural scrub brush.

*Again, when in doubt, always consult your air fryer’s manufacturer’s instructions, as cleaning methods may differ.

Toss the Toxins with Branch Basics

Now that you know how to clean an air fryer with baking soda and other natural products, let’s take a look at our human-safe, ultra-gentle cleaning products.

Branch Basics is a versatile, human-safe cleaning system that uses our all-in-one Concentrate to replace every cleaner and laundry product in your home.

To get started, we recommend our Branch Basics Premium Starter Kits (available in refillable plastic or glass). Each Starter Kit comes with the Concentrate, a full bag of Oxygen Boost, and five refillable bottles to make your own All Purpose, Bathroom, Streak Free, Laundry, and Foaming Wash.

Curious how Branch Basics works? Check out: How To Get Started With Your Branch Basics Kit.

To learn more natural and human-safe ways to clean in your kitchen, check out:

• How to Polish Silverware Naturally
• How to Easily Clean a Microwave with Lemon Juice
• How to Clean & Disinfect a Wood Cutting Board