Last Updated: October 12, 2021
Learn how to clean your magical Instant Pot naturally with things like vinegar, baking soda, and other safe and natural cleaners.
Gone are the days of mastering the art of slow cooking — the Instant Pot pressure cooker has changed the rules of the home culinary arts forever. This kitchen staple is space-saving and requires little maintenance beyond post-cooking cleanup.
An Instant Pot has a bunch of parts hidden underneath the lid that can really mess with the appliance’s performance — especially when it comes to its oh-so-important sealing power. But no worries — we’ve got the goods on how to clean an Instant Pot — naturally.
Cleaning an Instant Pot is easy-peasy. Here’s what you’ll need to get started:
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First things first: Unplug your Instant Pot, and let it cool down completely. Remove the steam rack, lid, and cooker base.
The base of your Instant Pot contains electrical components, so never submerge it in water.
To clean it, wipe down the interior and exterior of the base with the microfiber cloth to remove crumbs, stuck-on food, and bacteria. Loosen stuck-on gunk around the lip of the base with a soft-bristle toothbrush — if you’ve got stubborn, stuck-on food particles, a little dish soap and baking soda on the toothbrush will do the trick!
The inner bowl and steam rack in your Instant Pot are made of stainless steel, so don’t use abrasives like baking soda when cleaning.
Instead, tackle tough food stains by washing these components with warm, soapy water.
Remove the silicone sealing ring, then remove the anti-block shield (the small round or oval piece just underneath the lid) by gently using your thumb to push it toward the rim of the lid — it’ll pop right off.
Hand wash these components in warm, soapy water. Double-check the valves on the lid to make sure they’re clear of food particles that can prevent the Instant Pot from maintaining pressure. Let the pot and its components air dry or wipe it down with a soft cloth.
This step might seem super-duper easy, but remember to double-check that all parts — especially the pot sealing ring, anti-block shield, and float valve — are securely in place. Otherwise, your Instant Pot might not work properly.
Grove Tip
After using your Instant Pot regularly for a while, you may notice discoloration on the bottom of the inner bowl. Renew the finish naturally with vinegar — pour one cup of vinegar into the bowl, let it sit for at least five minutes, then wipe with your cleaning rag and rinse.
Add the cleaning power of vinegar to your arsenal with Aunt Fannie’s line of vinegar-based cleaners — Grove writer Phoenix tried three of them, and you can read all about it here!
Keeping your Instant Pot clean and working like new isn’t hard at all. Watch this video, and see for yourself just how easy it is to care for your Instant Pot!
Grove Tip
Burned dinner in your Instant Pot? Don’t worry — you can fix it, no problem.
Add a dollop of dish soap to the pot, and fill it with hot water. Let it sit for an hour or longer, then have at it with a non-abrasive sponge or microfiber cloth.
You can also try Grab Green Cookware & Bakeware Cleaner Pods — read all about how these handy pods worked for Grove writer Mackenzie, who used them to tackle her own burnt pots and pans.
So, what could happen if you don’t clean your Instant Pot lid and other components regularly?
The CDC says that cleaning the Instant Pot is the first step to getting rid of bacteria that can cause foodborne illnesses (like salmonella — yikes)!
Think of your Instant Pot lid as a plate — you wouldn’t skip washing your plate after eating from it — right?. The same goes for your Instant Pot lid!
Wash it after each use to prevent the buildup of food, grease, and odors.
Every single component of an Instant Pot — with the exception of the cooker base — is dishwasher safe. So grab your favorite natural dishwasher detergent, and let your dishwasher do all the work!
Looking for tips and tricks to keep your dishwasher clean and smelling fresh? Here’s how to clean a dishwasher the easy and natural way!
No dishwasher? Check out these helpful dishwashing hacks to make it a quick and easy job of washing your dishes by hand!
Tired of dealing with stuck-on food or unpleasant smells coming from your air fryer? Learn how to clean an air fryer in just a few minutes — the simple way.
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