Air fryers have become increasingly popular in recent years thanks to their ability to make quick dinners and crispy snacks brilliantly easy. But cleaning them is another story.
Over time, grease splatters and grime can build up inside, leading to smoky smells and residue.
Fortunately, there's a simple, eco-friendly cleaning trick for the bits of your air fryer you can't usually reach, using a cheap kitchen staple you probably already have at home: lemon.
Costing as little as 35p, lemons can help to freshen up your air fryer, loosen greasy residue and tackle lingering smells in its inner working – all with minimal effort on your part.
Here's exactly how to use a lemon to clean a greasy air fryer.
Why lemon works so well for cleaning an air fryer
Lemon is naturally acidic, which helps to cut through grease and grime. When heated with water and washing-up liquid, it also creates steam which helps soften baked-on residue inside the air fryer – including those areas that are hard to reach.
First things first: clean the tray after ever use
The easiest way to stop grease building up is to wash the tray and insert of your air fryer with warm soapy water after every use.
It may sound obvious, but regular cleaning prevents grease from hardening and becoming much more difficult to remove later on.
How to deep clean your air fryer with lemon
When your air fryer is ready for a deep clean, here's what to do.
Step 1: Let the air fryer cool completely
Make sure your air fryer has cooled down fully before cleaning it. Unplug from the mains for safety.
Step 2: Wipe the heating element
Turn the air fryer upside down carefully and use a sponge or soft cloth to wipe the heating element and any areas you can reach easily. This helps remove grease that often causes smoky smells.
Step 3: Steam clean using lemon
For the areas you can’t properly reach, let the air fryer do the hard work and steam clean itself.
Fill the tray with:
- Two to three inches of water
- A squirt of washing up liquid
- One chopped lemon
Run the air fryer for 10–15 minutes, checking it every now and then.
If the water in the tray looks brown or greasy, empty it, refill with clean water and more washing-up liquid, then repeat the process. You may need to do this three or four times for heavily used air fryers.
The steam helps loosen grease inside the appliance, while the lemon helps to get rid of any lingering food odours.
Air fryer cleaning mistakes to avoid
When cleaning your air fryer, be sure to avoid:
- Using abrasive scourers or steel wool – these can damage the surface of your air fryer, especially if it is non-stick
- Spraying harsh oven cleaners inside
- Cleaning while your air fryer is still warm
- Letting grease build up for months at a time
As with most appliances, gentle regular cleaning is the best way to keep your air fryer pristine and working properly for longer.
How often should you deep clean an air fryer?
As a rule of thumb, for most households:
- Wash removable trays after every use
- Wipe the interior weekly
- Deep clean every couple of months
A lemon might not be the first thing you think of when cleaning an air fryer, but this inexpensive kitchen staple can help cut through grease, freshen lingering smells and make deep cleaning much easier. Plus, at just 35p, it’s one of the cheapest cleaning hacks around – what's not to love?
Need a new air fryer? These are the three top rated models following our sister brand the Good Housekeeping Institute's rigorous testing...
Scoring a spectacular 95/100 in testing, this large air fryer is GHI's top pick for families thanks to its two drawers, which you can sync to be ready at the same time. It's a bestseller for good reason.
Ninja CRISPi Portable Air Fryer
Tying for top scores at 95/100 across GHI's tests, this compact model is made up of a 'PowerPod' which snaps onto one of two glass containers, depending on how much you're cooking. It uses 50% less energy than a normal oven too.
Another top scorer at 95/100, this digital air fryer combines air and steam frying to achieve healthier meals and a range of textures. It even has an in-built steam clean function and dishwasher safe parts for easier cleaning.
Cara is Commissioning Editor at Country Living, covering everything from style and interiors to sustainability, artisans and the great outdoors. She has previously worked for Good Housekeeping, Homes & Gardens, House Beautiful, Prima and Red, and has an MA in Magazine Journalism from City University and a BA in Music from the University of Oxford. Follow Cara on Instagram @caralaskaris or Linkedin.
