I’m a cooking pro – the viral TikTok air frying cleaning hack is actually really dangerous, don’t try it at home
CRISPY potatoes are better than crispy wires.
One cooking lover says not to try a viral cleaning hack for your air fryer as the only thing you’ll be frying is the machine itself.
Between shorter cooking times and the brittle finish left on food, air fryers are all the rage right now.
While some people choose to layer foil inside, the fryer doesn’t require it.
And if you’re using yours every day, a layer of grime will quickly accumulate.
TikTok lifestyle influencer Cathy warned viewers that cleaning their air fryer using a viral hack is dangerous.
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In Cathy’s recent video, she addresses the tip of using hot water and soap.
Specifically, this cleaning hack suggests filling the air fryer tray with hot water and soap and then turning it on for three minutes.
“Here’s why you shouldn’t: air fryers circulate hot air, which means if you fill this with water, you risk it getting into the circuitry,” Cathy argues.
In one clip, Cathy reveals that the wires in the back of the fryer are already a little rusted and crisp.
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Heating water in there will cause even more damage.
“Plus it could overheat because it’s literally trying to cook water,” Cathy adds.
The combination of overheating and the water inside can likely cause a fire.
Viewers were surprised that the only tips they had seen included cleaning the appliance with water.
“All the air fryer hacks say to use water,” a commenter said, to which Cathy responded: “Right- this video is about the dangers of doing that.”
One viewer sadly wrote: “So that’s why it broke.”
Since this advice was a bit of a shock to air fryer owners, they asked how they should be cleaning it.
“Just like normal dishes. Sink- dishwasher but only the basket, not the whole unit,” Cathy explained.