I’m a cleaning whizz – the viral hacks that are destroying your air fryer & why you can’t use Fairy and water

WASHING-UP liquid, baking soda and kitchen foil – just some of the few viral hacks that promise to keep your air fryer sparkling clean.

But according to one expert, these tricks can actually do more harm than good – with the possibility of even destroying your air fryer.

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Fabulous chatted to a cleaning whizz to find out all the Dos and Don’ts of air fryers[/caption]

To find out more about the Dos and Don’ts of the handy appliance, Fabulous chatted to Mira Yordanova, owner at TopCleaningGB, who debunked popular cleaning hacks.

“When it comes to cleaning your air fryer it’s important you’re choosing methods which are not only effective but safe for both the appliance, and yourself,” said Mira.

Fairy & hot water

One such tip, which has taken social media by storm, includes filling up your air fryer with hot water and dish soap.

But despite being branded a life saver by some, the trick, which has won a whopping 407.5million views on TikTok, ”should be avoided at all costs”.

Mari explained: ”Firstly, most air fryers aren’t designed to hold this much water so you could end up breaking your appliance.

”If the water from the cleaning solution enters the internal electrical components you could end up short-circuiting your air fryer – or worse, causing a fire.”

Moreover, the whizz added that the washing-up liquid may also leave a soapy aftertaste in your food – dinner ruined.

”Lastly, water and electricals is never a good mix and could lead to a serious injury. So this is one hack I’d recommend avoiding.”

Bake off?

Baking soda has become all the rage in the cleaning community, where people swear it makes their kitchens and toilets sparkle.

Luckily, as an inexpensive cleaning agent, this baking staple is a safe alternative in Mira’s opinion.

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She said: ”The basket and the grilling plate can be removed on most air fryers and so one hack which is both effective and safe, is the use of baking soda.

”The abrasive nature of this household product means it can be very effective at lifting residue and grease.”

The guru went on: ”As shown in many TikTok’s, simply create a mixture with a little water and rub on to the grilling plate and basket, gently scrub with a microfibre cloth and wash away!”

If you need a little extra help to remove tough food residue, the pro advised to add in dish soap and leave to soak.

Alternatively, a mixture of white vinegar and baking soda can also be used, Mira claimed.

Marissa Pysarczuk