Aficionados of air fryers have been surprised to discover a hidden area of equipment that could potentially become dirty without your awareness.

Every new gadget comes with instructions on how to properly care for and clean it, and almost every new device owner views this knowledge in the same way: as an impediment to actually using it.

While you may skim the booklet and jot down the steps for preparing chicken wings, you likely overlook a significant portion of the information. Now, one video demonstrates why this is an issue.

Just Clean It released a video that revealed a surprising discovery, showing a TikToker removing a compartment at the bottom of their air fryer.

The part concealed more than just a heating element.

A heavy coating of filth and grease had accumulated around the machine’s edges, most likely from repeated use.

The TikToker attempted to clean the concealed portion by spraying a dab of cleaning agent and trying to scrub it away, but while the towel came out dirty, it appeared to have little effect on the grease itself.

Desperate for help on how to clean the machine, they wrote, “Is there a proper way to clean this, or should I just pretend I didn’t notice?”

@justcleanit How do you clean the top of an airfryer? #cleantok #cleanwithme #cleaningtiktok #helpme #justcleanit ♬ original sound – Just Clean It

Incredulous that their machines may be dirty, one viewer said, “I choose [to] ignore this video and continue with my life.” “Thank you so much.”
Another person joked, “The underside of my air fryer is none of my business.”

A third individual advocated for blissful ignorance, saying, “I’m going to just pretend my air fryer doesn’t have this part and never lift mine.”

Some individuals offered valuable fryer cleaning methods, such as using boiling water, lemon juice, and a bristle brush.

One individual even provided advice from the illusive instruction handbook, saying: “A new air fryer my company received in the instruction manual said to run it for 15 minutes at 350 to remove any remaining grease residue.”

If you’re concerned about the cleanliness of your air fryer, see the handbook for suggestions unique to the make and model.

However, there is some general advice for air fryers, such as cleaning detachable parts in warm, soapy water and wiping out the heating element with a moist towel once disconnected.

And, if you’re considering disregarding the filth, remember that cleaning the machine is always preferable to allowing all that oil and grime to accumulate!