The viral TikTok self-cleaning air fryer hack promises no scrubbing – but does it actually work? Here’s what happened when the trick was tested on a sticky, greasy air fryer basket
Air fryers have become a kitchen essential for many especially as you can make meals without the mess and hassle of traditional frying.
One of the key selling points is often the easy cleanup, which seems too good to be true when cooking with sticky sauces and marinades. Anyone who’s used honey, hoisin, or soy-based marinades knows that cooked-on grime can be tough to remove, leaving behind a mess that even the most optimistic air fryer owners dread cleaning.
Typically, the go-to method for cleaning an air fryer is soaking the basket in warm, soapy water for about 30 minutes, followed by a good scrub to get rid of stubborn stains. It’s effective but certainly not glamorous.
So, when Emily Saladino of Allrecipes decided to test a viral TikTok hack that promised a quick and effortless way to clean an air fryer in just five minutes, she was intrigued. The hack, which has taken the internet by storm, involves filling the air fryer basket with soapy water, setting the temperature to 350°F, and air frying it for five minutes. The idea? The heat from the air fryer will magically clean away the grime.
The viral cleaning hack seemed like a dream come true for anyone looking to save time. The premise is simple: fill the fryer basket halfway with water and dish soap, set the air fryer to 350°F, and let it run for five minutes. According to TikTok, the combination of heat and soapy water loosens stubborn grease and grime, leaving your basket sparkling clean with no scrubbing required.
After cooking a batch of honey-soy-ginger-marinated chicken thighs, Emily decided to put the hack to the test. With her fryer basket coated in dark, sticky stains, she was hopeful that this quick solution would save her the usual hassle. Following the instructions to the letter, she filled the basket with soapy water, set the fryer to 350°F, and let it run for five minutes. When the timer went off, she eagerly pulled out the basket, expecting to see a gleaming result. But unfortunately, the stains were still there. Despite the brown, greasy water that poured out, the grime hadn’t budged.
Despite the viral claims, the TikTok cleaning hack didn’t live up to its promise. While the soapy water did turn brown, suggesting that some grease had been loosened, the stubborn stains remained firmly in place. In the end, the traditional cleaning method was the only solution that worked.