How To Clean Fryer Baskets With Vinegar

Grease buildup is unavoidable when cooking food with a deep fryer or air fryer. Not only does it accumulate on the inside of the fryer, but it also builds up on the fryer basket. To effectively clean heavy grease deposits on any type of fryer, use an acidic cleaner, such as white vinegar.

White vinegar is an excellent choice for cleaning food and grease deposits off kitchen appliances because of its acetic acid content.

Diluting the vinegar in water is key when using vinegar as a cleaning agent, however. The acids in straight vinegar may be harmful when cleaning certain items — especially those made of metal — so make sure to dilute the vinegar before beginning.

Deep fryer baskets tend to have more grease buildup compared to air fryer baskets, since they are immersed in oil during cooking. But you can clean the cooked-on grease off deep fryer baskets in a few simple steps using white vinegar.

1. Wipe Down the Fryer Basket

Use a paper towel or dish rag to remove excess oil if the basket recently came out of the frying oil. Wipe down and remove food particles that may be clinging to the basket as well.

2. Soak the Basket

Fill the sink with a solution of equal parts vinegar and hot water. Immerse the basket in the solution and let it soak for approximately 15 minutes.

3. Scrub the Basket

Use a nylon sponge with a bit of dishwashing liquid to scrub the basket. If the grease is heavily cooked-on and removing it is difficult, try adding a sprinkle of baking soda to the sponge and continue to scrub the basket.

4. Rinse in Clean Water

Once you are satisfied with the results, rinse your deep fryer basket in clean water.

Air fryer baskets also need regular degreasing, even if they don't sit in oil to cook the food. The food cooked in an air fryer can come out overly greasy if the baskets are not cleaned regularly. Vinegar can be used with a combination of other products to achieve the best possible clean.

1. Start With Dish Soap and Baking Soda

First, cover the basket with a layer of dish soap, which breaks down grease deposits, spreading it all over the fryer basket. (Some experts recommend Dawn over other dish soaps, although there is no real proof that it is superior.) Then sprinkle a layer of baking soda over the entire basket. Scrub the mixture with a small brush to ensure it reaches all the crevices where grease could be hiding.

2. Add Vinegar to Activate

Place the basket back in the removable frying pan, locking it in place, and add 3/4 cup of vinegar to the bottom of the pan. The vinegar and baking soda will make a bubbling chemical reaction that will break away the grease.

3. Add Boiling Lemon Water

Place half a lemon in water and bring the water to a boil. Pour the boiling lemon water into the pan with the basket and let it rest overnight.

4. Clean Up the Remaining Grease

Remove the basket from the mixture and use the mixture in the air fryer pan with hot running water to clean up the remaining grease deposits that were not removed the day before. Use the soft side of a sponge to clean the pan and the basket to avoid any harmful scratches and wipe completely dry using a soft cloth before reassembling the air fryer.

5. Repeat if Necessary

If the first round of treatment does not remove all of the grease buildup, repeat the process. It should not require more than two cleaning rounds to get the basket clean and free of grease.