With the current cost of living crisis, many people have turned to their air fryers over their ovens to keep energy prices down.
But with constant use, air fryers can quickly become dirty. To combat the grease and the grime, cleaning experts recommend using baking soda - but does it really work?
Express journalist Angela Patrone tried out the cleaning hack to see if the cheap supermarket staple could really make her air fryer look as good as new.
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Angela said: "After seeing fans of cleaning sensation Mrs Hinch share their baking soda air fryer cleaning hack across social media, I couldn't resist putting this nifty trick to the test."
She added: "My air fryer was in a sorry state, having cooked bacon and breaded chicken in it days before. The air fryer’s basket was covered in crumbs, chunks of food debris and grease that had dried up."
Angela used Dri-Pak Bicarbonate of soda which retails for £1 at Home Bargains but can also be purchased from Ocado and Robert Dyas for £2.50.
However, any baking soda can be used. Angela began by boiling the kettle, as hot water is essential to help soften the grease so that the baking soda can lift away the stains.
While the kettle was boiling, she covered the bottom layer of the air fryer basket with baking soda, liberally spreading it around. Once the water had boiled she poured it into the basket - just enough to cover the areas that had grease on.
Angela then let the water and baking soda sit for five minutes, after which point the water had turned brown and bits of food were rising to the top of the water.
Angela said: "Tipping away the liquid from the air fryer into the sink I noticed the amount of grime, crumbs and grease in the water."
She then used a microfibre cleaning pad to wipe off the remaining stains. Angela said: "I was surprised that it came off so easily and that I didn’t need to scrub."
As there was baking soda left in the drawer of the air fryer she used it to wipe over the sides of the basket thoroughly to ensure there was no grease and grime left. She then gave the air fryer basket and drawer a quick rinse before drying it with a tea towel.
Angela said: "The air fryer basket looked brand new and was free of any food debris. As the exterior of the air fryer wasn’t bad, I just used a damp cleaning cloth to wipe it down.
"Using baking soda not only made cleaning my air fryer so much easier but it also helped to get rid of the food odours left in the basket."
Before trying this hack, remember to read the air fryer manufacturer’s guidelines for cleaning. It's also important to unplug the appliance and allow it to cool down before attempting any cleaning.
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