How to Clean an Instant Pot
Having cooked many Instant Pot recipes over the years, the one thing I’ve learnt is How to clean an Instant Pot correctly. Cleaning your Instant Pot is not only important for health reasons, but it also ensures your food cooks properly every time you use it.
Today I’ll be sharing a few Instant Pot cleaning tips to keep your food-grade stainless steel pot clean and hygienic.
Contents
Best Instant Pot Cleaning Tips
There are a few basic steps to follow when cleaning your Instant Pot:
Remove Food Particles
Start by removing any leftover food particles from the inner pot. This can be easily done using a spoon or spatula and is best done while the pot is still warm.
Remove Stuck on Food
Next, use a sponge or scrubber and some dish soap to remove any other food residue that may be stuck on the pot. Be sure to pay special attention to areas around the inner ring where most of the food tends to accumulate.
Using a Soft Toothbrush to Clean Your Pressure Cooker
Finally, you may want to use a soft toothbrush to clean any food that is stuck in the pressure cooker valve. This helps prevent blockages and makes it easier to pressurize your Instant Pot.
Overall, cleaning your Instant Pot is not difficult and simply involves a bit of effort and attention to detail.
How to Clean an Instant Pot That Smells?
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 unwanted smells or food odors coming from your pot.
Using Vinegar to Remove Odors
An Instant Pot has lots of pieces and parts that need to be removed and cleaned from 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 thoroughly
When cleaning your Instant Pot you may want to wear a pair of fitting chemical- and puncture-resistant nitrile gloves for cleaning. This will protect your hands from potential irritation, infection, and injury.
How to Clean the Inner Pot
The inner cooking pot is the stainless steel pot that sits inside your pressure cooker unit.
Since the inner pot is stainless steel, you can easily wash it in warm soapy water, or you can rinse it out and throw it in the dishwasher.
Is the Instant Pot Dishwasher Safe?
Yes. Many users have successfully cleaned their Instant Pot in the dishwasher and report no problems with this method.
If you prefer to wash it by hand, simply use a sponge or scrubber to clean off any food stains that may remain on the inner pot.
Wash the Inner Pot Every Time You Use It
The inner stainless steel 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. I
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 well.
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.
How to Wash Instant Pot Lid
Once you’ve removed and cleaned the pieces and parts of the Instant Pot lid, you can clean the entire lid in warm soapy water.
Can I Put My Instant Pot Lid in the Dishwasher?
Yes, you can place the Instant Pot lid in the dishwasher. Be sure the pieces are placed 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 immediately 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.
How to Clean the Instant Pot Trivet
If you use the trivet or a steam rack to hold the food in your inner pot it will need a good clean after each use.
You can wash the trivet with warm soapy water or a damp cloth or you place it in the dishwasher.
The same goes for the Instant Pot steam rack or steamer basket, be sure to clean the bottom and top rack after each use.
How to Clean an Instant Pot Sealing Ring and Remove Odor
The Instant pot sealing ring is the silicone ring along the inside of your lid. The ring can absorb food and odor so 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, you will need to buy a replacement sealing ring for your 3 quart, 6 quart, or 8 quart to ensure the pressure can build next time you cook.
How to Clean an Instant Pot 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 odor or smells.
How to Clean an Instant Pot 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 there is no food splatter or food particles hiding.
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?
More Instant Pot Advice and Tips
Here are more tips for cooking with your Instant Pot
