Knowing how to clean an Instant Pot is key if it is an everyday fixture in your kitchen. After all, the better condition your Instant Pot stays in, the longer you can keep whipping up delicious meals in it. Cleaning an Instant Pot is all about saving time, as with its cooking functions. Thankfully, the inner pot, sealing ring, lid, and steam rack are dishwasher safe.
In the long term, it’s good to give your device a deeper clean once every month to maintain both the aesthetic quality and longevity of your pot and keep it hygienic, too! Instant Pot is a hugely popular brand, as seen in our guide to the best Instant Pots, so with the occasional deep clean, your pot should look as good as new for a long time.
First, before any cleaning commences, ensure your Instant Pot is unplugged and suitably cooled down, as the temperatures it can reach can be extremely high. It’s also super important to remember that the cooker base of your Instant Pot cannot get wet during the cleaning process, as the microprocessor may become seriously damaged. Instant Pot advises using only a ‘slightly damp cloth to clean the cooker's inside,’ always remembering that the cooker base should never be immersed in water.
Whether you're always whipping up a stew, baking tasty treats, or using your Instant Pot as an air fryer, it's time to get cleaning.
How to clean an Instant Pot's exterior
Simply wiping down the outside of your Instant Pot with soapy water after each use keeps food residue and stains away. Or, as Instant Pots are bulky gadgets, if you’re looking to store them away, it's doubly important to ensure the exterior is clean to avoid lingering smells while in storage. Microfiber cleaning cloths are a worthwhile tool for this task, as they won’t mark your pot's sleek stainless steel appearance.
The rim of the pot is trickier to clean; the Instant Pot website recommends using an old toothbrush to reach these difficult areas around the edges. Alternatively, you could invest in specialist foam rim cleaner brushes for a more thorough clean, which are available to purchase in a kit with a microfiber cloth on Amazon.com.
How to clean Instant Pot inner pots
For households with one of the best dishwashers, cleaning the inner pot is as easy as putting it in with your other dishes; this is another way the Instant Pot lives up to its name. For those without a dishwasher who plan on manually washing their pot, use a soft pad to rinse and clean the inner surface of the stainless steel. Never use an abrasive scourer to wash your inner pot, as it may irreversibly mark the steel finish.
To ensure its longevity, you should take steps to deep clean your inner pot once every month. Instant Pot recommends placing one cup of white vinegar in the bottom of the inner pot to rest for five minutes before giving it a further rinse. This will leave the surface nice and shiny and eradicate any ‘rainbow stains,’ a persistent discoloration issue for Instant Pot users. Tougher stains caused by hard water can be eradicated by scrubbing with a damp sponge soaked in vinegar or lemon juice.
How to clean an Instant Pot lid and sealing ring
After everyday use, it’s fine to place the Instant Pot's lid in the top rack of your dishwasher or wash it in soapy water by hand. Remove the sealing ring and anti-block shield before washing to ensure the lid thoroughly cleans. The anti-block shield can especially become splattered with food during the cooking process and, therefore, should be cleaned regularly, too, with warm, soapy water.
The sealing ring is crucial to the Instant Pot's operation as it affects the pressure cooking element. Take care when washing it, inspect it carefully before use, and replace any broken sealing rings before they cause serious damage to your pot. Replacement rings are available 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.
The Instant Pot sealing ring can also be placed in the dishwasher or manually washed as with the lid. A persistent issue for Instant Pot users is the smells from cooking sticking to the sealing ring. The Instant Pot website advises allowing the ring to dry completely before inserting it back into the pot to avoid this. A more extensive step would be investing in separate rings for sweet and savory foods, which 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.
How to clean Instant Pot attachments
One of the accessories included with the Instant Pot is the steam rack; this component is dishwasher safe and can go in alongside the inner pot and lid. It’s good to regularly check the condensation collector attached to the machine; it can simply be hand-washed and returned once dry.
