When it comes to cleaning Instant Pots, there are some important things to know, like what parts are dishwasher safe, and which aren’t. Here’s the best way how to clean an Instant Pot. This post is sponsored by Bar Keepers Friend, but my love of it and my opinions are my own.
For the last couple of years, it seems the big-ticket item for Black Friday shoppers is an Instant Pot pressure cooker.
This special kitchen appliance cooks food fast, promising to save you time in the kitchen, something every home cook wants! They also can cook both savory and sweet items and even make your own yogurt!
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There are now a gazillion different Instant Pot recipes out there too saving you even more time as they help you figure out how to use it and what to use your Instant Pot for.
I am not a chef, but we definitely have an instant pot, one we don’t use like we should, so I don’t have recipes to personally share with you, but I do know how to clean!
Today, I wanted to go over how to clean Instant Pots so you can keep using yours efficiently for years to come!
Guide to Cleaning Instant Pot
You can see the entire tutorial in this youtube video below, or keep scrolling to read all my additional Instant Pot cleaning tips.
What on the Instant Pot is Dishwasher Safe?
Instant Pot users love saving time, so many want to know if Instant Pots are dishwasher safe.
According to Instant Pot’s website, the following parts of the Instant Pot are dishwasher safe:
- Instant Pot inner pot (removable stainless steel cooking pot)
- Instant Pot sealing ring
- Instant Pot Lid
- Instant Pot steam rack
It is recommended that you remove the sealing ring and anti-block shield before placing the lid in the dishwasher, but the ring and shield can be cleaned in the dishwasher still.
RELATED: 8 Homemade Dishwasher Soap Recipes
There is an item that should NEVER be placed in the dishwasher:
- Instant Pot cooker base
Never submerge it in water, and don’t allow the base inside to get wet. You can use a slightly damp cloth to clean the inside of an Instant Pot, but keep the cooker dry!
How to Clean Instant Pot Inner Pot
When it comes to how to clean Instant Pot liner, it really is pretty easy. You clean it like you would any normal pot or pan – by hand with hot soapy water.
However, some Instant Pots over time develop white water build-ups or rainbow discolorations or sometimes get burnt food stuck on them.
When this happens, you may need more than regular dish soap and sponge to get it clean and shiny again.
I absolutely love Bar Keepers Friend Cookware cleanser and polish for this job. It polishes and shines stainless steel, ceramic, porcelain, aluminum, and copper cookware with ease! It leaves a glimmering shine and silky finish on any stainless steel surface, including your Instant Pot insert.
RELATED: Bar Keepers Friend Ingredients – How safe are they?
Head to Bar Keepers Friend’s website to find out where you can buy Bar Keepers Friend near you, usually for less. Otherwise, they do sell through Amazon.
Directions to Clean Instant Pot Inner Pot
1. Wet your Instant Pot inner pot with a little water, swish it around a bit, then dump out the excess water.
2. Sprinkle a little bit of the Bar Keepers Friend cookware cleanser into the pan.
3. Let sit for about 30 seconds to no more than 5 minutes (for really tough burnt Instant Pot messes).
4. Take a non-scratch sponge and begin scrubbing the bowl clean! Scrub the outside and bottom of your Instant Pot too.
5. Rinse Instant Pot with water.
6. Reapply to any remaining spots as needed, scrub, and rinse again.
7. Dry with a dry microfiber cloth for optimal shine.
How to Clean Outside of Instant Pot
The outside of the Instant Pot, and the Instant Pot base, should not be submerged in water or cleaned using running water.
A damp cloth is all Instant Pot recommends for cleaning them.
I definitely recommend that for the inside of the Instant Pot too.
But for the lip and the outside, there are some additional ways to get it really clean, without having to use water. This time we’ll use Bar Keepers Friend Stainless Steel Cleaner and Polish. (You can see where to find it in-store here).
It works amazing at removing smudges, dirt, fingerprints, and more without using any water! I use it when cleaning stainless steel appliances in my kitchen. You just need the spray and a microfiber cleaning cloth.
Instructions on How to Clean Instant Pot Outside
1. Spray a small amount of Bar Keepers Friend Stainless Steel Cleaner and Polish onto the outside of your Instant Pot. A little goes a long way.
2. Fold your microfiber cloth in quarters, and begin wiping the spray with the grain of your stainless steel, scrubbing gently as you go along the entire outside.
3. Flip your microfiber cloth over to a dry side, and then buff the cleaner away, again, cleaning with the grain.
That’s it! It’s fast, easy, and safe for your Instant Pot! And works amazing!
How to Clean Instant Pot Lid
When it comes to cleaning the lip on the top of the Instant Pot base, you should again avoid using water, or only use a damp cloth.
I found that a microfiber cloth, dry or damp, does a great job.
However, because the lip of the base has an overhang at multiple points, it can be hard to clean in the crevices around it.
Thus clean the Instant Pot lid base part, I used some small handheld pan scrapers I had, and put them inside the microfiber cloth to shove in those tight spaces.
It worked really well! (You can see it in the video I made.)
You could use a spatula or knife, or another long thin object in your kitchen.
When it comes to cleaning Instant Pot lids themselves, there are multiple parts that need attention:
- Sealing Ring
- Float Valve
- Float Valve Silicone Cover
- Anti-Block Shield (protects the exhaust valve)
- Steam Release Handle
- Lid itself
Thankfully, the entire lid can be placed into the dishwasher no problem.
However, it is recommended you remove the Instant Pot sealing ring and anti-block shield from the lid for better cleaning.
You can also wash Instant Pots by hand with just warm soapy water.
But, for more detailed instructions head over to my full posts on how to clean Instant Pot Lids and my other one specifically on how to clean Instant Pot sealing rings.
And that should do it! Now you can keep using your Instant Pot and have it look brand new!
For more great kitchen cleaning tutorials, check out the following posts:
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