Cleaning The Inner Pot
Lets start with the essential component of the Instant Pot, and the one that sees the most action the inner pot. Considering its made of stainless steel, its generally going to be quite easy to keep clean. You can wash it in warm water and dish soap, and it is dishwasher-safe so that you can toss it in with everything else.
Generally speaking, you wont have much trouble scrubbing any stuck food to the bottom if you soak it for a while. For removing discolouring, cloudiness, or rainbow stains, use white vinegar or Bar Keepers Friend. If you have really tough stains or want to give the inner pot a deep clean and a fresh start every once in a while, Bar Keepers Friend and a magic eraser will work wonders.
How To Deep Clean Parts Of Instant Pot
For deep cleaning the parts of instant pot, follow the steps below:
- Push the Anti-block shield from one side and check for any food residues. After cleaning and drying, push It back into its position.
- Pull the venting knob and install It back after washing and rinsing it.
- Slide the condensation collector out and drain any liquid If present. Wash and dry and slide It back.
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How To Clean An Instant Pot Including The Small Parts You Might Be Skipping
Keep your pressure cooker performing at its best with these easy cleaning tips.
The pressure cooker is the superhero of kitchen appliances. It’s our go-to gadget for whipping up quick-and-easy weeknight meals and delicious desserts in record time. It can make yogurt, cook eggs, and perform a list of other surprising tricks that make our lives easier. This multifunctional appliance can pretty much do it all, but it needs regular upkeep to continue cooking at its best. Lucky for you, cleaning an Instant Pot is a fairly simple process. Because most of the componentsincluding the inner cooking pot, sealing ring, and lidare easily removable and washable, cleanup is easy. See our step-by-step instructions on the best way to clean an Instant Pot.
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Have A Closer Look At The Sealing Ring
The sealing ring is of crucial importance to any Instant Pot, so make sure it is clean and in perfect shape. This means inspecting it for cracks, deformations, or checking if it fits just right back in its place.
If you find any problems, its best to replace it as soon as possible. Replacement rings are not expensive and they are easily available.
Thoroughly Clean All Lid Components

There are a number of lid components that require cleaning. When everything is clean and dry, reassemble the lid.
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Why Would You Want One
With an Instant Pot, you dont have to remember to defrost meat before making dinner. Thats right: you can put frozen chicken, roasts, or chops straight into the pot, add some liquids, turn it on and go do something else. Within 30-40 minutes youre sitting down to dinner!
Meat isnt the only thing it cooks, though. Add pasta, sauce, and a bit of water and go do something else. After 5-8 minutes at full pressure, your dinner is ready and perfectly cooked: all you need to do is stir.
Its brilliant at making tender, perfectly cooked rice, beans, and legumes, too.
Its so versatile that I use mine every single day. But, because it gets so much use, Id only had it for a few days before starting to wonder how to clean an Instant Pot. Well, heres how.
Wash Inner Pot And Steam Rack
The inner bowl and steam rack are made of stainless steel, so these can be washed by hand in warm, soapy water or placed in the dishwasher on either rack for tougher-to-tackle food stains or remains. Over time, you might notice water stains or discoloration on the bottom of the inner pot, which can be easily removed with vinegar. To renew the finish, pour 1 cup white vinegar into the stainless-steel bowl and let it sit for 5 minutes before pouring it out and rinsing with water. Avoid using steel wool or abrasive cleaners, which can damage the stainless-steel surface.
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Stainless Steel Inner Pot And Rack
The inner pot and the steam rack are made of food-grade stainless steel and are dishwasher safe. For the most part, you can clean the inner pot just as you would clean any stainless steel pot, whether thats in the dishwasher or by hand. If the inner pot develops surface water stains, a non-abrasive scouring cleaner made for cooking pots will bring back its shine.
You can also perform a quick cleaning of the inner pot by pouring in a cup of white vinegar, letting it soak for five minutes and then rinsing it out. Not only will the vinegar get rid of residue, it also helps remove stains. White vinegar is a natural disinfectant, cleaner and deodorizer, and it is an eco-friendly must-have for your kitchen.
How To Clean The Steam Valve
This part is a bit tricky, but it must be done.
Sometimes, when you cook foods that produce some type of foam while they cook , some food particles get into the steam valve. So, if you dont clean it from time-to-time, it can get blocked.
In order to clean it, just follow these simple instructions:
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Instant Pot Air Fryer Lid With Roast Bake Broil Reheat & Dehydrate
Expand your culinary collection with Instant Potâs new Air Fryer Lid and turn your regular Instant Pot into a powerful air fryer. Our innovative EvenCrisp technology guarantees a crispy crunch and golden finish, every single time. Air Fry, Broil, Bake, Roast, Reheat and Dehydrate directly in the Instant Potâs inner pot for big savings on time, space and clean-up. Finally, you can combine the tender results of pressure cooking and the golden crisp of air frying with one quick switch of the lid.
The Air Fryer Lid brings a whole new set of skills to your kitchen, making it fun and easy for anyone to prepare great healthy meals â fast. Whip up tender ribs or a nice big chicken in your Instant Pot, then use the Air Fryer Lid to give every morsel a beautiful finish.
Conveniently, the Air Fryer Lid remains unattached to the cooker base, so it is easy to maneuver, easy to clean and comes with a protective pad for safe and easy storage. The lidâs control panel features buttons for your various needs, and the display is bright and easy to read. 6 preset Smart Programs help you get cooking with just the touch of a button, or you can modify the settings for a totally customized cooking experience. After loads of rigorous testing the results are in⦠and they are delicious.
Bring on the heat
Cook and crisp
One appliance, two lids, infinite possibilities
Cleaning Instant Pot Float Valve & Silicone Cap
To remove this, simply pull back the silicone cover from the underside. The metal float valve will then fall right out!
To clean, run under hot soapy water and scrub gently. To get inside the silicone cap, use a Q-tip! It works great to dry it too.
Once clean and dry, stick the metal float valve back in the lid, then put back on the silicone cap.
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Clean The Cooker Base
Never put the cooker base in water.
To clean, wipe down the inside of the cooker base with a damp microfiber cloth. Make sure to get any debris out of the bottom of the cooker base and around the heating element.
Use a damp microfiber cloth to wipe out the lid locking channel. If theres any dried on gunk, clean with an old toothbrush.
Wipe down the outside of the cooker base and the cord, then wipe the entire base dry with a clean microfiber cloth.
Wash and dry the condensation collection cup and set it aside.
Instant Pot Sealing Rings Odor

Ah! So this is the question we get asked a lot about Instant Pot Cleaning!
How to get rid of the Instant Pot Sealing Ring Odor?!
Easy Solution:White Vinegar many users like to soak the silicone sealing ring in white vinegar, then air dry it to get rid of the stinky smell.
Best Solution: Extra Silicone Sealing Rings we believe the best solution is to have 2 pairs of Sealing Rings 1 for Savory dishes, 1 for Sweet dishes. Then, you wont have to worry about the smell cross-contaminating between savory and sweet dishes!
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The Proper Way To Clean Your Instant Pot
To clean your Instant Pot, wipe the outside of the cooker with a damp cloth, and wipe it down inside as well, being sure that the heating element stays dry. Scrub around the lip with an old toothbrush, if need be.
Hand wash the lid, the inner pot, and the lid before cleaning the lid, though, it’s best to remove the sealing ring and anti-block shield. The shield is not dishwasher-safe, so it should always be hand-washed in warm, soapy water. The condensation collector is another non-dishwasher safe part. Although it doesn’t need to be cleaned every time you use the Instant Pot, you should remove it every so often and give it a gentle hand washing.
Removing Smells From The Instant Pot Lid
There are two great methods to rid the silicone sealing ring of any foul odors:
1. Place the silicone sealing ring inside a large vessel and soak in a solution of 1 part vinegar and 1 part water overnight.
2. Place the silicone sealing ring inside the lid, along with any other parts that you’ve hand washed . Pour 2 cups of vinegar into the Instant Pot insert. Close the lid, turn the pressure valve to the ‘sealing’ position. Steam for 2 minutes.
Instapottin’ with Poonam is a great YouTube channel dedicated to all things Instant Pot. In this video, Poonam shows you how she cleans her Instant Pot.
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Periodically Rinse The Instant Pot Parts
*Note: We rarely take out the parts on the lid for cleaning. But if your Instant Pot needs a deep cleaning, here are the steps.
a. Anti-Block Shield you can push it on the side to lift it up to check for food residual or liquid. After rinsing and drying, press it down in position to install it back in.
b. Instant Pot Steam Release Valve remove it for washing by pulling it straight out.
c. Condensation Collector simply slide it out, pour out the liquid , and give it a quick rinse.
Youre Only Using Water
You probably know that you need to add at least 18 fl oz. of liquid for the pressure cook mode to work properly, but you dont have to just use water. Any semi-clear liquid can be used instead. Trading out water for other liquids can add another dimension of flavor to your recipe.
Some good options are:
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How To Clean An Instant Pot Multicooker
Watch our video to see a step-by-step guide or follow the tips below.
How to Clean an Instant Pot Inner Pot
Taste of Home
The inner pot is made of stainless steel, so you can wash it in warm, soapy water or throw it in the dishwasher. Since the food touches the pot directly, youll definitely need to wash it every single time. Here are 7 must-make recipes for your Instant Pot.
How to Clean an Instant Pot Steam Rack
Since the steam rack sits in the inner pot and makes direct contact with the food, youll need to wash this after every use, too. If you have room in the dishwasher, you can put it in there. Otherwise, handwash and dry completely.
How to Clean an Instant Pot Steam Release Valve and Float Valve
Instapot Instant Pot Pressure Cooker
Its important to wipe off food particles that get on these valves. You dont want anything blocking themthat would only hinder your future Instant Pot endeavors. Check out these new Instant Pot accessories youll definitely want to use!
How to Clean an Instant Pot Anti-block Shield
Taste of Home
After every use, remove the shield from the lid. After handwashing it, wipe it with a soft cloth and dry completely. Make sure to secure it in place on the lid before using it again. Make sure you dont use your Instant Pot to make these 5 dishes.
How to Clean an Instant Pot Sealing Ring
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How to Clean an Instant Pots Exterior
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How to Clean an Instant Pot Lid
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How to Clean an Instant Pot Condensation Cup
What Happens If You Get The Cooker Base Wet
Katie says, Since all but one of the Instant Pot parts are dishwasher safe, its not uncommon for people to assume the whole model can be placed in the dishwasher, but that is not the case. The cooker base should never be submerged in water. However if the cooker base gets wet, just make sure to let it dry completely before using again.
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How To Clean Instant Pot
Have been cooking in your Instant Pot for a while and wondering how to make it sparkling clean again? In this post, you will learn the basics of how to clean the Instant Pot part by part, remove stains, and make your favourite kitchen appliance last.
Were naturally inclined to take care of the things we love, and any real cook will agree that their kitchen appliances deserve the best treatment. Its not just loving its practical. The better we take care of those things, the longer they last. In todays post, we want to share a few tips on how to clean your Instant Pot, so that your affair can be a life long one.
With all the wear and tear on the Instant Pot if you use it as often as I do regular cleaning is a must. Of course, youre probably quite accustomed to cleaning out the pot, but even that can build up with tough-to-scrub spots. Theres more to keeping your Instant Pot in tip-top shape than that too. Noticing a weird smell lingering on the seal? Wondering whats falling in the cracks?
Heres what you need to know about cleaning your Instant Pot.
How To Clean Instant Pot Ring And Remove The Odors

Instant Pots silicone ring is porous and absorbs odours easily that cannot be removed with dish or dishwasher soap. However, good news is it usually does not affect the taste of food. For example, lid after cooking Instant Pot beef stew can be hand washed and used for making Instant Pot oatmeal without sweet porridge tasting like garlick-y stew.
Silicone ring tip: Any cooking utensil and silicone sealing ring washed in a dishwasher with mainstream dishwasher detergent, will absorb the taste and smell of synthetic fragrances. It is because silicone material is very porous. To avoid this unpleasantry and for health reasons, we use this natural dishwasher detergent and it works wonderful!
To remove the odour from the sealing ring, soak it in a solution of cold water and vinegar overnight, about every few months or as often as you wish. Place ring in the inner pot of Instant Pot or large bowl, cover will cold water until it is fully submerged, and add 1 cup white vinegar. Leave on the counter overnight, then rinse and make sure to place back in the lid correctly and most importantly tight.
Storage tip: Storing lid upside down allows air to flow through and helps to eliminate cooking smell from the Instant Pots inner pot and the lid.
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The Pot Is Showing A Burn Message
This is a sign that the food might burn or the pot might suffer damage. It may be because the water is scarce in the pot and is not reached the bottom and sidewalls of the pot. Let the pot cool down If you have been sauteeing on high heat.
Layer the starches and sauces for complex meals and elevate your meal with the help of a cooking rack. After sauteeing a vegetable or sauce, make sure the pot is clean of any bits and pieces before moving to the next cooking process.