Air fryer cleaning may sound like a piece of cake, given that these appliances use hot air and minimal oil to cook food.

However, the reality is that air fryers can still accumulate fat or oil, particularly at the bottom of the pull-out basket drawer and along its sides.

Neglecting to clean these devices can turn a simple task into a real headache. This was exactly what one cleaning lover discovered when she reached out for advice on the Mrs Hinch Cleaning Tips and Tricks Facebook group.

Louise Dolan posted a photo of her grease-laden air fryer and asked: “Ideas please. How do I clean this air fryer? I’ve left it quite a long time.” She added: “I don’t want to ruin the non-stick. I’ve tried: putting in a dishwasher, using washing up liquid, Elbow Grease, Bar Keepers Friend and Magic eraser.”

Leaving grease to settle on air fryers can make them a beast to clean. But, fellow group members suggested there’s a trick to tackling stubborn stains on air fryers.

Siobhan Stewart recommended a common household item that cleans the appliance “without scrubbing”, saying: “My air fryer was covered in tough greasy stains and I used a dishwasher tablet and it lifted the grime without scrubbing. It's game-changing.”

She advised: “You just need to put a dishwasher tablet in, any will do, with boiling water and let it sit for five minutes. I did mine today. came out lovely.”

Jenny Trevan recommended: “Soak for a couple of minutes with a dishwasher tablet. It will just glide off. Same for oven racks.”

Lucy Horton suggested: “Boiling water and a dishwasher tablet. Leave it for a while and it literally wipes clean.”

Susan Newberry advised: “Boiling water and a dishwasher tablet, leave for five to 10 minutes then the grease wipes off. It should just wash away.”

Samantha Thomas said: “Maybe hot water with a dishwasher tablet and leave to soak - this gets my oven racks up like new.”

Afife Vegan offered her tip: “Sit it in the sink in hot water and throw in a dishwasher tablet. It softens it up well and then you can wash off the rest with soapy water - I’ve been there.”

Caroline Oliver stated: “Dishwasher tablet and hot water, should come up lovely! My Ninja fryer is a different style, but this is how I keep mine clean.”

For those who have the luxury of a dishwasher, several group members vouched for simply placing the baskets inside to achieve “like new” results. Sharon Kightley affirmed: “Mine goes in the dishwasher after each use and it comes up like new.”

Claire Borland insisted: “Dishwasher too. It all comes apart. You might have to scrub it in hot soapy water. But once clean again - dishwasher after each use.”

Contrasting with these home remedies, cleaning expert Sarah Demspey of myjobquote.co.uk warned households against using such methods for appliance maintenance. She warned: “You should never wash any of the components of your air fryer in the dishwasher. Even if it claims to be dishwasher safe, it is not worth the risk.

“Your dishwasher can cause significant damage to the parts of your air fryer. Washing your air fryer components in the dishwasher can also significantly decrease the overall lifespan of the machine.”