Not sure how to clean an Instant Pot correctly? The good news is that your Instant Pot is easier to clean than you might think! In fact, all the parts of the appliance, except the exterior cooker, are dishwasher safe.
Pressure cooking is a great way to get your meals on the table quicker but you also need to keep your instant pot clean from food splatters and free of food particles.
Today I’ll be sharing how to wash, clean, sanitize and sterilize Instant Pot models correctly. I hope you find these cleaning tips super useful!
How to Clean An Instant Pot
Although the Instant Pot is super easy to clean and dishwasher safe, it’s important that you clean each piece correctly so you don’t have food particles stuck to the pot or get any unwanted smells .
There’s lots of pieces and parts that need to be removed and cleaned form the silicone sealing ring to the steam valve.
Whether you use white vinegar, bar keepers friend or hot soapy water, it does not matter, the most important thing is that the instant pot base, stainless steel pot, lid and all the small parts of your electric pressure cooker are cleaned throughly.
Wear a pair of fitting chemical- and puncture-resistant nitrile gloves before you begin to clean the instant pot. This will protect your hands from potential irritation, infection, and injury from handling chemical cleaners and possibly sharp parts. A pair of well-fitting gloves is important, especially if you’re handling small components.
Clean the Inner Pot
The inner cooking pot is the inner stainless steel pot that sits inside the cooker. It’s the part that holds your food. Since it is stainless steel, you can easily wash it in warm soapy water, or you can rinse it out and throw it in the dishwasher.
Wash The Inner Pot Every Time You Use It
This part of the Instant Pot needs to be washed every single time you use it. When it comes to my inner pot, I don’t like to use steel wool for cleaning as it can scratch the pot. Instead I prefer to use a wet dishcloth, soft cloth or sponge to give the pot a thorough cleaning.
The dishwasher can help get rid of tough stains and remove odors but using a regular sink, with warm soapy water can work just as good. After all, not everyone owns a dishwasher.
How to Clean An Instant Pot Trivet
If you use the trivet, which holds the food in your inner pot it will also need a good deep cleaning.
Since the trivet has direct contact with the food cooked in your pressure cooker, you’ll also need to wash this after every single use. You can wash it with warm soapy water or a damp cloth or you can place it in your dishwasher.
The same goes for the Instant Pot steam rack, be sure to clean the bottom and top rack after each use.
How to Clean An Instant Pot Clean the Condensation Cup
This Instant Pot collection cup collects condensation during the cooling process. If you use your condensation cup, you will only need to clean it periodically since it doesn’t get very dirty.
Simply clean it in warm soapy water, rinse and dry. You could also clean it with white vinegar and or baking soda to help remove any potential odour or smells.
How to Clean Instant Pot Lid
The instant pot lid is where the cleaning can get tricky because the lid has several pieces and parts that need to be removed and cleaned individually. Here’s what needs to be cleaned on your lid:
How to Clean An Instant Pot Steamer Steam Release Valve
The steam release valve is located on top of your lid. It is the part you flip to sealing when you want to pressure cook and flip to venting when you want to release the pressure.
To remove this valve, just pull it straight up. Once it is removed, use hot soapy water or a Q-tip to get inside the valve. This should make your instant pot steamer valve super clean.
How to Clean An Instant Pot Float Valve
The float valve is the red or silver pin that goes up when there is pressure in your Instant Pot.
To clean the pressure cooker float valve you will need to pull back the silicone cover from the underside of the valve.
Once you do that, the metal float valve will fall right out. To clean it, run it under hot soapy water and scrub gently. Use a Q-tip to clean inside the silicone cap before replacing it.
How to Clean An Instant Pot Anti Block Shield
The anti block shield is the silver piece on the underside of your pressure cooker lid. It kind of looks like a rounder thimble. It needs to be removed and cleaned.
I have found luck twisting and pushing upward at the same time to remove it. Once it is off, clean the shield with hot soapy water. Use a Q-tip to get into the crevices and ensure their is no food splatter or food particles hiding.
The Sealing Ring: How To Get Smell Out Of Instant Pot Ring
The Instant pot sealing ring is the silicone ring along the inside of your lid. Because it can absorb food and odors, you want to clean this individually after every use.
Clean your Instant Pot ring in warm soapy water or put it in the dishwasher.
For a deep clean, submerge your sealing ring in water with 1 cup of vinegar overnight. Then, rinse the ring well, and place it back on the lid.
If your sealing ring fits loosely or seems warped, be sure buy a sealing ring replacement for your 3 quart, 6 quart, or 8 quart from Amazon. They are quite cheap.
Top Tip: Using The Red Sealing Ring
I find it useful to have more than one sealing ring and I actually use different colored sealing rings for different recipes. For example I use the regular clear sealing ring for main dishes with flavor and spice such as a chili recipe and I use the red sealing ring for desserts.
This of course is optional but I received a spare red Instant Pot rubber ring when I purchased my Instant Pot model, so that is how I use my silicone rings.
The Actual Lid: How To Wash Instant Pot Lid
Once you’ve removed and cleaned the pieces and parts to the Instant Pot lid, you can clean the entire lid in warm soapy water, or you can place it in the dishwasher.
Be sure the pieces you cleaned are either put back on the lid correctly or set to the side where they won’t get lost. The lid components are very small so fitting them back together immediatley after washing is a good idea.
How to Clean an Instant Pot Exterior Cooker
The Instant Pot exterior cooker can not be submerged in water or put in the dishwasher because it contains the heating element. You can wipe the housing unit of the cooker with a damp cloth as needed.
Keep the instant pot base clean by using a damp cloth to hand wash it. Dry with a paper towel or allow it to air dry before replacing the stainless steel inner pot.
If you need to clean the inside of the pressure cooker, use a clean damp cloth and then dry it immediately.
It’s good to develop a good cleaning routine for your housing unit to keep it in top condition.
Cleaning The Instant Pot Outer Edge
The outer edge of your housing unit can be tricky to clean due to the lips that attach to the lid. My best advice is to use a q-tip of a tooth brush to get into the nooks and spaces that are hard to reach. This will ensure you remove crumbs and food particles which are hard to reach and see.
Drying Your Instant Pot Completely
After you have cleaned all the components of your Instant Pot, dry them completely, and place each piece back where it belongs so that you don’t lose them. To prevent any odors, store the Instant Pot lid upside down on top of the base of the Instant Pot.
How do you care for your Instant Pot pressure cooker? What cleaning method do you prefer? Dishwasher or hand washed? I’m sure this article on how to clean an Instant Pot will come in handy on your Instant pot cooking journey.
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