Care Guide For Your Instant Pot

care guide for your instant pot

When it comes to kitchen appliances, the instant pot is the superhero. It’s the appliance we constantly reach for when we need to make up a simple dinner or a sweet treat on a weeknight in a hurry. In addition to its many other functional capabilities, it can make a cream, cook eggs, and have a variety of other surprises. This versatile appliance does all this but also needs routine maintenance to perform at its best. Thankfully, you can clean an Instant Pot with minimal effort. Cleaning is simple because most parts, such as the primary cooking pot, lid, and sealing ring, can be detached, washed, and reinstalled. Learn the proper way to clean an Instant Pot by reading our detailed guide.

instant pot

How Often Must an Instant Pot Be Cleaned?

All parts of your Instant Pot which come into touch with foodstuff must be cleaned after every use to prevent the accumulation of food or odors. Components of the lid, such as the sealing ring, the anti-block shield, and the inside cooking pot, are examples. Other pieces which don’t always become dirty every time, like the outside or its condensation cup, can all be cleaned infrequently or as needed.

How To Properly Clean Your Instant Pot

Step #1: Give the inner cooking pot a good scrub.

The cooking pot inside can be cleaned in the dishwasher without worrying about damaging the nonstick coating or metal. Cleaning it in the dishwasher is as simple as placing it upside down on the bottom rack.  If you do not have a dishwasher, you can wash it by hand in hot soapy water with a soft-bristled brush and a degreasing dishwashing liquid, then rinse and dry it thoroughly.

If you are using a stainless steel pot, you can soak it in hot soapy water and give it a good clean using a non-scratch scrub pad to remove any burned-on food residues. Even though it is tempting, do not use steel wool or other abrasive cleaning materials since they will scratch the finish.

Remove any discoloration from the pot caused by salt in the food or minerals by soaking the bottom in white vinegar and leaving it for five minutes before rinsing and drying.

Step #2: Wash the removable parts from the lid.

Pull straight up its steam release cover then remove the screw that holds the steam release valve so you can detach it as well. These are the two external components that can be removed from the lid. It depends on the model of your Instant pot, the Quick Cool cover on some models may be removed quickly and simply. 

Once you’ve done that, you may take out the anti-block shield, a metal cap that protects its steam release pipe. Remove as well the silicone cap that protects the float valve from the inside of the lid. Lift the anti-block shield straight up by nudging it toward the lid’s outer edge. Then, detach the silicone plug and pull out the float valve.

Even while you can put the individual pieces in the dishwasher without any damage, we recommend hand washing each component with a soft toothbrush and some warm, soapy water instead. Wash it thoroughly, then let it dry.

Step #3: Clean the lid properly.

Clean the Instant Pot’s lid while the components are still detached. If the manufacturer’s guide says the lid is safe to put on a dishwasher, set it upright on the top rack. However, you may find that hand washing with a soft bristles brush gets into all the crevices more effectively. You should give it a good rinse to get rid of the soap and other stuck-on food.

Hold the lid vertically on the sink and spin it the same as a steering wheel until all of the water has drained out. When finished cleaning, leave the cover of the cooker upturned on the base. This will allow it to air out and prevent odors from forming. When everything is dry, put it back together again, making sure not to lose the little silicone cover that goes over the float valve.

Step #4: Wash the sealing ring.

Following the manufacturer’s directions, take out the silicone sealing ring from the interior of the lid, and wash it in hot, soapy water by hand or in the top rack of the dishwasher. Sealing rings should be flat upon the lid when stored in the rack and should be put back after drying.

Put back all the detached parts and the sealing ring. Then follow the method Instant Pot recommends in its user manual for removing smells from the sealing ring which is combining one cup of clean water and one cup of distilled white vinegar in the Instant Pot after cleaning it thoroughly.  Press the “Pressure Cook” button for around five minutes after you’ve sealed the lid. Release the pressure and remove the cover when it’s safe. After using the vinegar mixture, detach the silicone sealing ring gasket, rinse the lid, and sealing ring, and inside the cooking pot in warm water, and pat dry. Put back the lid’s gasket.

Step #5: Remove and wash the Instant Pot’s condensation collector and its parts.

Always remove the condensation collector from the back of the Instant Pot’s base and wash it out after each use. You can clean it in the top rack of the dishwasher or by hand with warm soapy water; then rinse thoroughly and let it dry.

You may either put the steam rack and the other accessories that come with the Instant Pot in your dishwasher or wash them by hand with hot soapy water and rinse them properly.

Step #6: Get the Instant Pot’s heating element and base clean.

Use a clean, damp towel to wipe down the interior of the pot. Don’t use the dishwasher, and avoid getting the base wet. Clean the rim as well as the space the lid rests in using an old, soft toothbrush, then wipe it off with a clean, soft cloth. Let it dry naturally. Use a gentle, somewhat damp towel to wipe down the outside and the control panel. You should also wipe the power cord.

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