If you’re anything like me, which means you hate the idea of cleaning by hand, you’re probably familiar with the pain of washing items having ridges, for example fridge shelves, oven shelves and air fryer baskets.
It only makes sense to fall back to the dishwasher and see if it can render some help in this scenario.
As far as the former is concerned, fridge shelves are “okay” to put inside the dishwasher so long they’re aren’t made from cheap plastics and are stir clear of any electronic components in or on them, as for the latter, here’s the takeaway:
Air fryer baskets are perfectly safe to put inside the dishwasher for cleaning. A normal wash and dry cycle should do the trick of cleaning and drying, however baskets having stains on them should be treated first before putting inside the dishwasher to ensure satisfactory result.
The steps for cleaning air fryer baskets are pretty simple and easy to follow.
Below we show you them, and also discuss other air fryer items you can put inside the dishwasher for cleaning.
At the end, you’ll also learn how to clean the housing unit of the appliance while the basket and it’s holder are having a nice treat in the washer!
How To Wash Air Fryer Basket In The Dishwasher
Air fryer baskets are built sturdy and ready to withstand heat, because they’re literally the medium that separates your fries from the heating coils during cooking.
It only makes sense that ALL fryer baskets, regardless of brands, are perfectly safe to put inside the dishwasher since the temperature inside a dishwasher really never shoots beyond 65 C even during the rinse cycle.
To be 100 percent sure however, you can always consult the owner’s manual, the manufacturers website.
Before proceeding with the exact steps to clean your air fryer baskets in the dishwasher, there are a few things you should bear at the back of your mind.
- Tackle stains first before putting baskets for cleaning in the dishwasher in order to obtain satisfactory results.
- Ensure to treat stains as gently as possible to prevent creating scratches that can destroy non-stick coating of the baskets and pan. In light of that, use only wooden or plastic items to scrape off buildups from the surface. How to properly tackle stains is discussed below.
- Use only gentle dishwasher soaps to prevent damage to non-stick finishing on the baskets. Avoid abrasive cleaners or metallic sponge.
Now, for the steps,
- Eject your air fryer basket and pan and let them cool down completely.
- Gently scrape any visible food particles on the surface of the basket into the dust bin.
- Place in the top rack of the dishwasher.
- Run a normal cycle, then a dry cycle.
- Replace back into the housing unit.
Voila! And your air fryer basket is now clean!
How To Wash Air Fryer Basket By Hand
Washing the air fryer basket by hand is also another option you have, and to do that, remove any grease or visible build up from the basket surface using a wooden spatula or any soft item, then soak in warm soapy water for about 15 minutes.
Afterwards, use a soft sponge to clean the basket then rise and let dry completely before attaching back to the body.
Depending on how soiled the basket is, you may not need to soak for upto 15 minutes in hot soapy water prior to cleaning.
For the type of detergent to use, employ only dishwasher soaps or any other gentle soap having no abrasives in it.
Removing Stains On The Air Fryer Basket
You may have a stubborn buildup on the basket during cleaning, and the best way to remove that is to soak the basket in a hot soapy water (water containing a dishwasher soap capable of dissolving oil and grease) for upto 15 minutes.
That should loosen them easily. For harder stains, use a liquid degreaser.
What Other Air Fryer Equipment Are Dishwasher Safe?
Food Separator Insert
This is an additional accessory that comes with some air fryers like those from the Power Air fryer XL distributed by tristar products. This serves the purpose of separating food items in the basket. The food separator insert is also dishwasher safe and should be cleaned in the top rack.
Outer Basket holder
This is the pan that holds the air fryer basket and it is perfectly fine to put in the dishwasher. Because it normally collects drips of oil and other build ups, you want to empty it first and remove the scrapes from the surface before putting it on the top rack of the dishwasher. All other instructions that apply for the air fryer basket also apply to the basket holder.
Rotating Mesh Basket
This is the basket that rotates inside the air fryer, used typically for roasting nuts or making fries. It’s also safe to put inside the dishwasher at the lower or top rack, whichever has enough room at the point of cleaning. As with the basket and it’s holder, you should also brush off build ups prior to cleaning, and consider soaking for 15 minutes in hot soapy water when the stain is stubborn.
Air Flow Racks
This is typically used for cooking crispy goods like pizza and snacks, and also for dehydration. Because it’s typically made from steel, it’s perfectly safe to put inside the dishwasher to clean.
Drip Tray
These collect drips at the bottom of the air fryer when using the mesh basket, and if you happen to use them often, you’re free to put them in the dishwasher to clean. Make sure to avoid scraping the surface with abrasive materials that can destroy the coatings.
Skewer and Adjustable Skewer Racks, Rotisserie Shaft, Fork, Fetch Tool and Stand
These are all made from steel and are perfectly fine to clean in the dishwasher.
How To Clean The Main Housing Unit
The fryer basket, fryer basket pan and the rest of the accessories mentioned above are the only parts of the air fryer that can go inside the dishwasher for cleaning.
The housing unit, from anyone’s sound reasoning, should not go inside the dishwasher. It contains the circuitry that commands the control of the fryer and that can easily get destroyed by hot water spritz.
While you cant wash the housing unit in the dishwasher, or submerge inside a warm soapy water to cleanse, there’s a technique to ensure it always remains clean after every use.
First, before anything, make sure to unplug the appliance and if you just finished using it, allow to sit untill cool. Then dip a soft sponge in a solution containing warm water and dishwasher soap or any mild detergent free from abrasives.
Wring until only damp or slightly mosit, then use it to clean the exterior and interior of the air fryer. If the heating elements have food particles stuck on it, perhaps in the form of ash, use a soft brush to gently scrape them away.
After cleaning, allow components to dry completely before putting them back in olace. If storing for long term, keep air fryer in it’s original box and away from hot or wet areas.
What Other Things Are Dishwasher Safe?
Aside your air fryer basket and accessories, you can put fridge shelves in the dishwasher, yeti drinkware, baby bottles and even bleach for disinfection.
Tips For Using An Air Fryer
- Avoid overfilling the fry basket to prevent food from reaching the heating elements.
- Never pour oil into the fry basket, air fryers only need oils applied to the bakes aritcle themselves and in very little quantity only.
- After using the air fryer, if you intend cleaning the housing unit, allow to thoroughly cool first before attempting to do so, as the interior can reach really high temperatures which can cause serious burns.
- Always clean air fryer after every use to prevent gunk and grease build up.
Final Thoughts
Air fryer baskets are totally fine to put inside the dishwasher for cleaning.
They’re typically made from steel or other studry materials alike hence the reason why they can withstand the hot water bath of the dishwasher.
Aside the fry basket, the outer basket and other steel or metallic accessories that come with an air fryer such as skewer rack and drip tray are also safe to put inside the dishwasher.
Do not hesitate to put items at the bottom rack when there is not enough space at the top rack.
