Everyone washes the air-fryer basket, but almost no one looks at the top of the appliance. Yet grease droplets are carried upward by the fan and collect on the heating element; there, they are reheated with every use. That is why, before cleaning, the appliance is unplugged, allowed to cool, and turned on its side or upside down. Never pour water inside it at any stage.
In most homes, cleaning an air fryer is limited to the basket. The basket and drawer are visible and easy to wash. The part of the appliance that actually gets dirty is out of sight: on the ceiling of the housing, just above the basket, there is a heating element, with a fan behind it. Grease droplets lifted from the food are carried upward with the air and stick to these two parts. It is impossible to see this area while the appliance is upright, so grime builds up for years without being noticed.
The accumulated grease has two effects. The first is odor: old grease stuck to the heating element heats up again, burns, and transfers that smell to the food being cooked that day. This is often why a cake baked after fish smells like fish, and the basket is not to blame. The second is efficiency: the insulating layer on the element slows the transfer of heat to the air, so the appliance takes longer to do the same job. A heavily soiled appliance produces smoke even when run empty; this is the clearest sign that it is time to clean it.
Cleaning starts with a safety step. Unplug the appliance from the outlet and wait until it has cooled completely; the heating elements remain hot for a long time even after the appliance is switched off. Remove the basket and drawer and wash them separately. Then turn the appliance on its side or carefully upside down; in this position, the heating element on the ceiling and the fan blades become visible. Before turning the appliance upside down, make sure no liquid remains inside; otherwise, water may run into the electronic compartment.
Wipe with a damp, non-dripping cloth. Wet the cloth with hot water and a drop of dish soap, wring it out thoroughly, and wipe the heating element and the area around it. Do not wedge the cloth between the elements or bend them; if there is thick buildup, leave the cloth on top of it for a few minutes to soften the grease. Clean the fan blades with a dry brush; do not get them wet, because the fan bearing is a lubricated mechanism. When finished, wipe the surfaces with a dry cloth and leave the appliance upright until it is completely dry.
There are a few firm prohibitions. Do not immerse the appliance housing in water, hold it under a faucet, or pour water inside it. Do not spray cleaner directly onto the inner surface; liquid can run into the space behind the heating element. Metal scrapers and steel wool remove the coating from the interior surface. After cleaning the appliance, run it empty for a few minutes and check for any odor. Set the cleaning frequency by observation, not by the calendar: if there is an odor or smoke when it runs empty, or if the ceiling looks coated with grease, it is time to clean it.