Say goodbye to food odors in your Instant Pot by using household cleaning products
Betty Gold is the former senior digital food editor at Real Simple. Parker Wiper Seals
An Instant Pot can be used to make anything from rice and eggs to soup and yogurt. Knowing how to clean an Instant Pot is important for its general maintenance and for avoiding lingering food odors from staying in the appliance. The more you use your Instant Pot, the more you'll notice how easily food can get trapped in all the nooks and crannies of the lid, pot, and pressure release valve. Plus, the silicone sealing ring in the lid should also be cleaned. Follow our easy steps to clean your Instant Pot and keep it odor-free.
Ensure your Instant Pot is unplugged and has completely cooled down before you clean it. Gather any necessary supplies ahead of time and avoid working near electrical outlets.
You should clean your Instant Pot after each use. How deep you clean it depends on the food cooked in it and how dirty each component got during cooking. With that said, you should give your Instant Pot a good, deep clean once a month with baking soda and vinegar. This will help to maintain that all parts are working properly and that no debris is clogged within the appliance.
To clean an Instant Pot with dishwashing liquid, make sure to use a detergent that is good at removing grease.
First, take all of the removable parts apart: Remove the inner cooking pot, the steam rack, the condensation collector, the lid, the lid's sealing ring, and the anti-block shield underneath the lid.
Wipe down the outside of the Instant Pot with a damp dishcloth. This outer base must remain dry; be sure not to add water to it after removing the cooking pot.
You can wipe the inside of the base, but limit the amount of water used on the rag, since again, you want to keep this outer base dry.
To clean the inside of the Instant Pot, use a small brush to clear out any food trapped in the inner cooking pot, on the lip or edges of the outer base, or in the crevices of the unit.
Fill a sink with hot water and degreasing dishwashing liquid. Thoroughly wash all the individual parts with a sponge, except the outer base.
If you've soaked and scrubbed your Instant Pot and still smell last week's curry chicken, one part is to blame: the silicone sealing ring. Because it's made from silicone (which is prone to absorbing odors) and is the end-point for a lot of concentrated, super-hot steam, it can get pretty stinky. Luckily, cleaning the Instant Pot silicone sealing ring is super simple.
Carefully remove the silicone sealing ring from your Instant Pot's lid.
The sealing ring is dishwasher-safe, and most of the time, placing it in the top rack of your dishwasher will get rid of unpleasant odors.
If you don't have a dishwasher or smells are still lingering after the dishwasher cycle, try cleaning the sealing ring with our favorite cleaning agent: vinegar.
Set the steam setting on your Instant Pot for two minutes. Once the cycle has finished, remove the sealing ring and completely air-dry it before replacing it.
In addition to using vinegar, try tossing in a few cut up pieces of a lemon or orange rind to help remove any lingering smell.
To keep an Instant Pot clean long-term, be sure to wipe and clean it after every use by washing the parts with soapy water and removing stuck-on food. Every so often, you can also clean the inner pot of the unit with vinegar to remove any discoloration marks or water spots. (Simply add 1 cup of vinegar to the pot, let it sit for about five minutes, pour out, and rinse).
We also recommend keeping a couple of extra silicone sealing rings on hand—this way, you can use one for savory dishes and save the other for sweets. Plus, after rigorous use, the ring may deteriorate. If you notice any cracking, leaking, or deformation in your sealing ring, replace it immediately.
Wiper Ring Seal To keep your Instant Pot odor-free, try these tips: