How To Clean Instant Pot Base

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How To Clean Outside Of Instant Pot

Instant Pot Complete Cleaning

The outside of the Instant Pot, and the Instant Pot base, should not be submerged in water or cleaned using running water.

A damp cloth is all Instant Pot recommends for cleaning them.

I definitely recommend that for the inside of the Instant Pot too.

But for the lip and the outside, there are some additional ways to get it really clean, without having to use water. This time well use Bar Keepers Friend Stainless Steel Cleaner and Polish. .

It works amazing at removing smudges, dirt, fingerprints, and more without using any water! I use it when cleaning stainless steel appliances in my kitchen. You just need the spray and a microfiber cleaning cloth.

Instructions on How to Clean Instant Pot Outside

1. Spray a small amount of Bar Keepers Friend Stainless Steel Cleaner and Polish onto the outside of your Instant Pot. A little goes a long way.

2. Fold your microfiber cloth in quarters, and begin wiping the spray with the grain of your stainless steel, scrubbing gently as you go along the entire outside.

3. Flip your microfiber cloth over to a dry side, and then buff the cleaner away, again, cleaning with the grain.

Thats it! Its fast, easy, and safe for your Instant Pot! And works amazing!

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How To Clean An Instant Pot Exterior

Cleaning the exterior of your Instant Pot is easy if you do it after each use. Because the housing includes the cord, the control panel, and the heating element, you should never submerge the unit in water.

Use a clean, damp cloth to wipe down the exterior, then dry it to a shine with a soft cloth . If you notice food residue around the outside rim, use a soft toothbrush to loosen it before wiping the exterior.

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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:

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Clean The Inside Base

The very first thing you should do is unplug your Instant Pot.

Never clean it when its plugged in, even if it is turned off!

Then, use a damp cloth to wipe down the inside of the base of the Instant Pot. There shouldnt very much here that is tough to clean. After you wash the base, turn it around and wipe the outside of the pot too.

Before you finish this step, use a dry cloth to remove all the water that your rag might have left behind.

Always Clean Your Oven After You Cook In It

How to Clean an Instant Pot

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:

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Clean Instant Pot Lid And Components

Before cleaning your pressure cooker’s lid, the anti-block shield and silicone sealing ring should be removed and cleaned separately. The anti-block shield is a small round or oval element installed underneath the lid. To remove the anti-block shield, use your thumb to gently push the piece toward the lid rim and lift up to pop it off. Hand-wash the shield in warm, soapy water and wipe dry with a clean cloth. Remove the sealing ring and inspect it carefully for cracking, warping, or other damage, which are signs you need to replace it. The sealing ring can be hand-washed in soapy water or placed in the dishwasher. Because it is heat-resistant, you can place it on either rack of your dishwasher.

With the anti-block shield and sealing ring removed, wash the Instant Pot lid in warm, soapy water or place it on the top rack of the dishwasher. Once clean, check the lid’s steam release valve and float valve to ensure they’re clear of food particles that could prevent the cooker from maintaining pressure. If needed, remove and hand-wash the cup that collects condensation.

Clean Inside The Instant Pot

You dont want to forget to clean the inside of the Instant Pot machine itself. Liquids and food can slide right down the sides of the machine, if youre not paying attention when youre serving food out of it. Take damp warm washcloth and wipe down the inside. You dont want your washcloth to be saturated with water, just enough to make a little damp. Ring out any extra water. We just want to be able wipe things down inside of it, and remove any kind of debris build up.

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Clean The Nooks Crannies And Surfaces

Now were doing the actual cleaning of the base!

The hardest part of the Instant Pot to clean is the little lip around the outside. To clean that, I wet a paper towel with a vinegar/water mixture and use a fork to kind of wedge the paper towel in the lip, gently scrubbing back and forth. The surface of this part is surprisingly nonstick, so this trick usually gets all of the food spills off.

After that, its easy! I use that same vinegar/water mixture to clean the inside and outside .

Once your lid and condensation collector come out of the dishwasher, reattach the sealing ring and the valve, add the collector to the back of the pot, and youre done!

See? So much better. Youre ready for another month of lots and lots of Instant Pot cooking.

Check out more of my cleaning posts here and my Instant Pot posts here!

How To Clean An Instant Pot Lid And Sealing Ring

How to Clean Your Instant Pot w/a GENIUS HACK!

After everyday use, its fine to place the Instant Pot’s lid in the top-rack of your dishwasher or wash it in soapy water by hand. Remember to remove the sealing ring and anti-block shield before washing to ensure the lid gets a thorough clean. The anti-block shield especially can become splatted with food during the cooking process, and therefore should be cleaned regularly too, with warm soapy water.

The sealing ring is a very crucial element of the Instant Pot as it affects the pressure cooking element of the machine’s operation. Take care when washing it, inspect it carefully before use, and replace any broken sealing rings before they cause any serious damage to your pot. Replacement rings are available to buy online and are usually needed after about a year of use. The Instant Pot website recommends repurchasing the branded rings, as any other replacements will void your 12-month warranty.

As with the lid, the Instant Pot sealing ring can also be placed in the dishwasher or carefully manually washed. A persistent issue for Instant Pot users is the smells from cooking sticking to the sealing ring. To avoid this, the Instant Pot website advises allowing the ring to dry completely before inserting it back into the pot. A more extensive step would be investing in separate rings for sweet and savory foods, as this can prevent cross-contamination of smells. During a deep clean, some users have found soaking the rings in white wine vinegar can also prevent lingering odors.

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Cleaning The Rim Of The Instant Pot

The food caught between the rim of the Instant Pot can be hard to clean. For this, I use a DIY solution. Wrap a kitchen towel or microfiber cleaning cloth around a chopstick or anything pointy, and clean by moving the towel around the rim. I have also successfully used a paper towel to clean the rim.

You can also use a small brush to get in the rim and remove the residues. Here is a great brush that some users have been recommending to get into the rim âFoam Brush. Wet the brush with some water. If there is too much grease, you can add a drop of soap on the brush and move it along the rim. Then use another foam brush to dry the rim.

Cleaning The Sealing Ring Of The Instant Pot

You might have heard of or experienced first hand about the food smell lingering in the sealing ring. The good news is that it can be cleaned. The sealing ring is dishwasher safe . However I usually prefer to wash it by hand.

Getting the odor out of the sealing ring of the Instant Pot

White Vinegar works like a charm here too. Just soak the sealing ring in a vinegar + water mixture overnight and rinse it in the morning.

Another thing I have done is to have two sealing rings, one for sweet and other for savory foods. Instant Pot sells a set of red and blue sealing rings, so you can easily distinguish the one you use for sweet v/s savory dishes.

Another option to clean the sealing ring is to add 2 cups of white vinegar and some lemon juice to the instant pot liner, and running the “Steam” function for 2 minutes. Then remove the vinegar and rinse the liner and sealing ring. Let the sealing ring air dry. Some people have liked to show some sunlight to their sealing ring, which also helps to remove the odor.

A recommendation from me is to keep the lid open when you are not cooking, by attaching it to the side of the instant pot handles. See picture. This helps to reduce the odors in the ring as it is not closed and can get some air. Of course, this only applies if you have the space to keep the instant pot on the counter.

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How To Clean Instant Pot Steam Rack

Steam Rack is used for placing the food inside it and to provide steam to the food which is being cooked. Maybe your instant pot does not contain a rack because sadly all instant pots do not come up with this rack. Its a kind of basket, I would recommend you to use a steam rack if you use your instant pot on a daily basis. The best part about the steam rack is that it is dishwasher friendly. You can easily deep clean it by using your dishwasher.

Ways To Clean Instant Pot Liner Stains

How to Clean an Instant Pot Pressure Cooker

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.

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How To Deal With Smelly Silicone Rings

Soaking them in vinegar as described in step five above should help, but its also best to keep your silicone sealing rings separate. When setting up your Instant Pot, wed recommend you keep one ring for savory recipes and the other for sweet to avoid those cross-odor flavors in your meals, suggests Katie.

Most Instant Pots come with two silicone sealing rings, but if you only have one, its a good idea to buy another.

Instant Pot Sealing Ring 2-Pack, $8.31 from Walmart

Different colors will make it easy to remember which one is which.

Clean The Sealing Ring Anti

Remove the silicone sealing ring, then remove the anti-block shield by gently using your thumb to push it toward the rim of the lid â itâll pop right off.

Hand wash these components in warm, soapy water. Double-check the valves on the lid to make sure theyâre clear of food particles that can prevent the Instant Pot from maintaining pressure. Let the pot and its components air dry or wipe it down with a soft cloth.

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Tips To Prevent Burning In The Instant Pot

  • USE ENOUGH LIQUID: Most recipes will need at least 1 cup of liquid to create pressure and prevent burning. This rule of thumb can vary with food like meat and fruit that release liquid as the pot is heating up.
  • AVOID THICK LIQUIDS: Liquids that are thick like tomato based sauces and sweet sauces like BBQ or Teriyaki are often the culprit of the dreaded Instant Pot BURN message. Add them after the food is cooked or add water to the pot to thin them out before pressure cooking.
  • DEGLAZE THE POT: If you saute vegetables or sear meat in the pot, you will likely have browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Add a splash of liquid and use a wooden spoon to scrape them up before pressure cooking.
  • CHECK THE SEAL AND PRESSURE RELEASE KNOB: The silicone seal must be installed correctly and the knob turned to a sealed position to prevent the liquid from inside the pot from evaporating. If the liquid evaporates, the food inside will burn on the bottom of the pot.

Looking For Easy Starter Recipes

How to DEEP CLEAN your INSTANT POT | Dirty Instant Pot? Watch this! Instant pot cleaning tricks

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!

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Cleaning Instant Pot Gasket For Steam Release

On the top of your Instant Pot lid is the steam release valve. To remove this, just pull straight up!

Once removed, clean it with hot soapy water, using a Q-tip or some other small brush to get inside the valve. The Q-tip also works well for cleaning around the base of it, especially if you cant get a towel to clean in that space.

Once both are clean and dry, reassemble.

Deep Clean Instant Pot

Every few weeks, or sooner depending on usage, the Instant Pot will need a deeper clean than the every day method.

Lets start with this extremely dirty lid of mine. I cooked pasta in the Instant Pot and upon quick release, a bunch of starchy water started spitting out of the venting knob. It definitely needed a deep clean after this happened.

Ew, so gross and dirty!

And filthy on the bottom of the lid too.

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For Cleaning Instant Pot Ring

i- You can clean your instant pot ring in the dishwasher as it is safe to clean the ring in it.ii- Another easy method to clean an instant pot ring is to put it in vinegar and water. Make sure to add water in a dilute and in very small amounts.iii- Now clean it using dish soap and leave it to dry.iv- if you dont like to use dish soap, you can also clean the sealing ring of your lid in a dishwasher.

How To Clean Instant Pot Lids

Instant Pot Water Test

The lid to an Instant Pot might seem tricky to clean, but heres a lifesaving tipthe lid is dishwasher safe!

To stick the lid in the dishwasher, take out the sealing ring and pop off the sealing valve cover on the outside and pop all of the pieces into the sink or the top rack of your dishwasher.

Pro Tip: Instant Pot recommends keeping your clean lid upside down on top of the pot until you are ready to use it or until everything is completely dry.

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How To Clean Instant Pot Lid

When it comes to cleaning the lip on the top of the Instant Pot base, you should again avoid using water, or only use a damp cloth.

I found that a microfiber cloth, dry or damp, does a great job.

However, because the lip of the base has an overhang at multiple points, it can be hard to clean in the crevices around it.

Thus clean the Instant Pot lid base part, I used some small handheld pan scrapers I had, and put them inside the microfiber cloth to shove in those tight spaces.

It worked really well!

You could use a spatula or knife, or another long thin object in your kitchen.

When it comes to cleaning Instant Pot lids themselves, there are multiple parts that need attention:

  • Sealing Ring
  • Lid itself

Thankfully, the entire lid can be placed into the dishwasher no problem.

However, it is recommended you remove the Instant Pot sealing ring and anti-block shield from the lid for better cleaning.

You can also wash Instant Pots by hand with just warm soapy water.

But, for more detailed instructions head over to my full posts on how to clean Instant Pot Lids and my other one specifically on how to clean Instant Pot sealing rings.

And that should do it! Now you can keep using your Instant Pot and have it look brand new!

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