How To Clean Instant Pot After Use

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.

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.

Always Clean Your Oven After You Cook In It

Cooking in an uncleaned air fryer oven is the surest way to make cleaning it more difficult. I have been using my ovens since they came out in August and October of 2019 and I have successfully kept them clean following the simple steps of unplugging, letting the oven cool down, and then wiping with a Norwex cloth.

** I do not sell Norwex cloths, nor do I receive any funds from the selling of them. But if you want to buy them, this is the person I buy mine from. **

Norwex Envirocloth:

Also Check: How To Make Yogurt In Instant Pot Without Yogurt Button

Top Tips For Instant Pot Cleaning

• Remove the anti-block shield, a silicone nub that covers the float valve from the inside. With the shield off, you can get a better look at the float valve to confirm any blocks or clogs. Its a small part, so take care not to misplace or lose it.
• Remove the silicone sealing ring. This part easily picks up strong odors. One method to rid it of any unwanted smells is to wash it separately in the dishwasher. Make sure to select a high-temperature cycle such as sanitize.
• For general cleaning of the exterior, use a very damp sponge for blueish hard water stains, use a sponge dampened with white vinegar, followed by a damp paper towel.
• Some home cooks dont bother with eliminating the odor and opt to buy an additional silicone ring. One ring is used for sweet dishes and the other for savory dishes. In any case, Instant Pot recommends that you swap in a new ring at minimum every 6 to 12 months.

How To Clean Your Instant Pot Step By Step5 Min Read

If you have an Instant Pot, you know what a workhorse this kitchen appliance can be. From delicious desserts to marvelous main courses and other Instant Pot recipes, this is one go-to cooking essential that makes cooking and cleanup quick and easy. While theres little maintenance involved beyond post-meal cleanup, there are a few key parts under the lid that can make or break that all-important sealing power and your Instant Pots performance.

If you perform a quick post-cooking cleanup every time you use your Instant Pot, youll get ahead of lingering odors, residues and buildup. Washing the inner pot, sealing ring and lid and wiping down the outside is all thats needed for peak performance. The inner stainless steel cooking pot, sealing ring, lid and steam rack are all dishwasher safe. If you use your Instant Pot regularly, give it a good cleaning at least once a month and when you detect odors or arent getting a good seal.

Heres how to clean your Instant Pot and its parts to keep things working smoothly.

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Ways To Clean Instant Pot Liner Stains

Level 1 Minor Discoloring White Vinegar

White Vinegar you can easily remove the usual discoloring with simple white vinegar. Check out the photos below. They work like a charm!

Level 2 Stronger Stains Bar Keepers Friend

For stronger stains that white vinegar couldnt take out. You might want to invest in some Bar Keepers Friend.

They remove rust and hard water stains for Copper, Tile, Brass, Stainless Steel, Porcelain, Plastics and Glass surfaces.

They work miracle! You can easily revive your stained stainless steel liner to the shiny and fresh look. As good as new!

Level 3 Tough Stains Bar Keepers Friend + Magic Eraser

For tough old stains, youll need to kick it up a notch combining Bar Keepers Friend with Magic Eraser Cleaning Sponge.

*Note: This skillet has only been washed with warm soapy water for the past few years. Look at what Bar Keepers Friend + Magic Eraser Cleaning Sponge can do in about 5 minutes.

Jacky said he can probably make this looks almost brand new with more elbow grease.

With this combination and elbow grease, you will be able to clean off 99% of stains.

Cleaning The Instant Pot Exterior

The exterior of the Instant Pot is where the heating unit is located. It must always be clear of food debris. Never allow moisture inside of the heating unit and never run it under water or submerge it. After removing the liner for cleaning, a simple wipe down with a damp cloth inside and out will keep it working well. Make sure to follow with a soft, dry cloth to remove all excess moisture and to prevent rust from forming. If you notice that water has gotten inside of your cooker, contact the manufacturer immediately.

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Start With The Housing

When cleaning the housing unit, we dont need the dishwashing liquid or other products. We only need a clean cloth and some clean water to keep the cloth damp. When you are ready, wipe the entire unit slowly. If you get sticky residue somewhere on the unit, wipe and wipe again. The moisture will helps solving the sticking.

It is important to keep the cloth damp, not wet. Several part of the house is connected to electrical panel, which can be ruined by water. Reach tricky corner and nook to make sure all surface is clean.

You also need to clean the bottom part. This time, use a brush. A brush allows you to reach sneaky nooks and corners. If you get sticky food residue on it, use the damp cloth to help.

How To Clean An Instant Pot Lid

There is a lot going on at the top of your instant pot. Remove the lid and turn it over. Youll first remove the rubber seal that circles the inside of the lid. Next, take a damp cloth and soapy water and scrub around the edges. Its often helpful to use a toothbrush to get into the nooks and crannies on the underside of the lid.

Next, clean the anti-block shield. This is the small round or oval element that looks like a one-inch-wide pasta strainer. Gently press it toward the rim of the lid and it will pop off. Scrub the anti-block shield in hot water and soap and rinse it well before putting it back on.

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Looking For Easy Starter Recipes

Check out these Easy Instant Pot Recipes to get you started.

*Disclosure: We are an Amazon Influencer/Amazon Associate. This means that if you decide to purchase items or services on Amazon through our links on Pressure Cook Recipes to Amazon, Amazon will send a small commission to us at no additional costs to you. Thank you!

How To Clean An Instant Pot: Best Care And Cleaning Tips For Your Pressure Cooker

Here’s how to make your Instant Pot smell new again.

If you own an Instant Pot, you probably use it a lot. The addictive all-in-one electric pressure cooker is so easy to use, you might find yourself turning to it for many weeknight meals. The result? An Instant Pot that needs to be cleaned — badly.

This guide lays out the tips and tricks every Instant Pot owner needs to know. We’ll cover everything from removing stuck-on food from its stainless-steel cooking pot to keeping its lid nice and clean. We’ll even tackle ways to remove stubborn smells likely coming from the silicone ring.

Read more: How to use your new Instant Pot | The best Instant Pot deals right now | 15 healthy Instant Pot recipes for breakfast, lunch and dinner | Does the Instant Pot destroy nutrients in your food while cooking? | The best paleo Instant Pot recipes

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Is The Instant Pot Dishwasher Safe

Yes, the sealing ring, lid, and steam rack can all be put into the dishwasher, as well as the inner pot of the Instant Pot. You might want to hand-wash the lid as it does have pieces that can come out in the dishwasher, like the steam handle release and float valve.

You may also be able to put accessories such as springform pans, steamer baskets, pot-in-pot pans, etc. in the dishwasher but be sure to check the product manual for those accessories.

Cleaning Shiny Part Of Instant Pot Lid

When it comes to cleaning the stainless steel lid of the Instant Pot, both inside and outside, you can, again, clean with hot soapy water.

However, if there is some hard water spots, or discolorations, I always recommend Bar Keepers Friend.

The regular can powder will work great, but if you prefer, you can also use the one designed for cleaning pots and pans, or grab the stainless steel cleaner, which will also work great for cleaning the outside of the Instant Pot base.

For more about that, see my last post about cleaning Instant Pots.

I hope you can keep enjoying your instant pot, even more now that it is sparkling clean!

For more great kitchen cleaning tips, check out the following posts:

Read Also: How To Start A Instant Pot

How To Clean An Instant Pot Steam Valve

Once youve removed the anti-block shield and the sealing ring, check the Instant Pots steam valve. This area can get gunked up with dried splatters or small particles of food. We dont recommend attempting to remove it.

Use a damp sponge to clean around the valve before putting the lid back together. If it seems to have a build-up of food around it, put a tiny drop of liquid dish soap onto a soft toothbrush and lightly scrub the area. Wipe with a clean, damp cloth to remove any soap residue.

Photo via Rachel Belkin

Thoroughly Clean All Lid Components

There are a number of lid components that require cleaning. When everything is clean and dry, reassemble the lid.

Also Check: What Does Burn Food Mean On Instant Pot

Inner Pot And Steam Rack

The inner pot and steam rack are the easiest part of cleanup. The pot and rack go into the dishwasher dirty and come out sparkling clean. Of course, you can always hand wash if you prefer.

After a few washes, if you start to notice water stains or a blueish rainbow effect on the bottom of the pot, don’t panic. Its totally harmless. You can remove the spots with a gentle non-abrasive cleaner, like Bar Keepers Friend or scrub with a sponge soaked in white vinegar. For tougher spots, soak in white vinegar for 5 minutes and rinse. Spots begone!

Scrub The Cooking Pot

Instant Pots come with an inner pot made of stainless steel that can handle a lot of cooking methods — even searing and browning meats. The drawback, though, is that bits of food and char can really cling to it. Rice can be particularly stubborn. Here are a couple common scenarios.

Blueish stains. The Instant Pot is like any stainless-steel cookware and can develop blueish stains caused by minerals in water and food. To remove these stains, simply soak the pot in white vinegar for about 5 minutes and rinse away. If there’s more, soak a sponge in vinegar and use a little elbow grease.

Stuck-on food. To get rid of any build-up or food stains, first try soaking the pot with a little dish soap and warm water. The treatment significantly softens stuck-on junk that should then scrub away easily. If that doesn’t work, it’s time to try Bar Keeper’s Friend, which is safe for stainless-steel cookware like the Instant Pot’s pot. Sprinkle a little bit on the affected area, then use a soft, damp sponge to work away the grime. Rinse thoroughly, and you’re set.

The pot is dishwasher-safe, too, so you can pop it in on the bottom rack for deep cleaning.

Instant Pot lids have many parts that can get dirty or clogged.

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How To Deep Clean The Instant Pot

When you have the time a deep clean of the Instant Pot makes all the difference! To deep clean, the Instant Pot, begin by taking the inner pot out of the base.

Deep cleaning the inner pot

Next, clean the inner pot by buffing off smudges on the inside and outside using a microfiber cloth. If you notice discoloration or a rainbow appearance, follow the steps below.

How to remove blueish/rainbow Stains on the inner pot

Stainless steel tends to discolor over time. This takes the appearance of a blueish/rainbow discoloration. If your inner pot appears blueish it cleans off two simple ways, with vinegar or Bar Keepers Friend.

Clean the inner pot with vinegar

Clean the inner pot with Bar Keepers Friend

Tips

Dishwasher

How To Clean The Instant Pot Heating Element

The heating element is the toughest part to clean. First, always make sure your instant pot has completely cooled off before attempting to clean the heating element. Youll also want to unplug the unit entirely. Dont use anything wet or damp on the heating element itself. Even a small amount of moisture could ruin the electric components if it is still damp when you go to use it. Instead, use a dry cloth or a moderately abrasive pad, but dont press too hard or you could damage the burner. The best way to keep this part clean is to avoid exposing it to food particles, so be careful whenever you remove the inner pot!

Recommended Reading: What To Do When Instant Pot Says Food Burn

How To Clean The Instant Pot Base

The base and element are not dishwasher safe, so these must be cleaned by hand. Do not put the base in water either due to the electrical parts. Instead, grab a damp non-scratch scrubber.

Directions For Cleaning A Pressure Cooker:

Always consult your pressure cooker’s instruction manual before cleaning.

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