How to Clean Your Instant Pot

Your Instant Pot plays an undeniable role in preparing the most scrumptious meals. Since such cooking can leave it dirty or messy, all you need is some TLC to make it squeaky clean. In fact, the best thing about an Instant Pot is that it easy to keep it odorless and clean. Also, bear in mind that failure to give it keen attention can cause spices or other strong smells to stick around. Here are some ways on how you can keep your Instant Pot clean as follows:

Outside Housing (this is the part that has buttons on it and plugs in)

Before starting to clean this part, ensure that you unplug your Instant Pot from the socket. Then, use a microfiber cloth that you’ve dampened with water containing several drops of dish soap to wipe the outside part. Furthermore, use a damp cloth to wipe both the black inner housing slot and rim. Once that is done, take a clean cloth and buff it dry. In this case, bear in mind that the unit houses the electronic components, thus it ought not to be immersed in water.

Stainless Steel Insert

Since this section is where food is cooked, it has to be cleaned thoroughly each time before using your Instant Pot. In fact, this stainless-steel insert is safe for dishwashing, which means that you can safely pass it through your regular cycle with other dirty dishes. In case stuck food particles are proving to be a nuisance, just add hot, soapy water. After half an hour, the pot should be clean. Furthermore, make sure that you renew the finish of inner stainless-steel insert by soaking or wiping it in white vinegar in case you spot a rainbow effect on it.

Lid

Make sure that you hand wash this piece using warm, soapy water. You can then towel off or air dry it, which in most cases is enough. However, once you spot gunk accumulating on the valve, it is time to deep clean the lid. Here is an in-depth look at how to clean all the various sections of the lid as follows:

Silicon Ring

In this case, the options are few. The silicone ring cannot only be removed but also put on the dishwasher’s top rack.  In case this part begins to stick, do not hesitate to soak it in 1 cup white vinegar and 4 cups hot water for about 15 minutes. Otherwise, you can add 2 cups of white vinegar or water coupled with some lemon rind to your Instant Pot. Then, turn on the “steam” program for about 2 minutes, specifically with the sealing ring in place. Once you do that, you can then leave the sealing ring to air-dry.

Another method for cleaning it is making a paste with a little water and baking soda before rubbing it all around the ring. Then, make sure that you store the silicone ring overnight, particularly in a zip-top bag, and rinse it in the morning.

Once the ring is completely dry, return it inside the lid. Although this task involves a little wrangling, it becomes easier each time. The sealing ring’s groove snaps into the stainless-steel sealing ring rack, primarily on the inside part of the lid. Also, it is vital that the sealing ring remains secure in the sealing ring rack in a bid for your Instant Pot to come to pressure appropriately.

Steam Release Handle

To remove the steam-release handle, turn the valve handle past “venting” before giving it a gentle tug. When doing this, make sure that you check for gunk and stuck-on food bits. Clean the steam release handle using a small scrub brush and then rinse it in your sink.

Anti-Block Shield

From underneath the lid, get rid of the anti-block shied in a bid to allow you to wipe the steam valve.  Utilize fingernail or the tip of your knife to remove this part. The valve can get gunky over time, especially with stick foods such as rice. If you utilize the quick steam release technique often, you will notice that gunk accumulates quickly, which means that you have to clean it regularly.

 Float Valve

Before you remove this part, first get rid of the silicone ring that anchors the float and rinse it clean.  Then, dry it with a cloth. The float valve ought to move up and down without any obstruction.

Storing your Instant Pot

After you have ensured that your Instant Pot is spotlessly clean, the next move is storing it appropriately.  When storing it, remember to keep the lid upside down to allow it to air out.