Air fryers remain one of Britain's favourite kitchen appliances, making mealtimes faster and more convenient than ever. However, it is important to keep the appliance in good condition to ensure it continues to cook efficiently and effectively.

It is advisable to wash your air fryer after every use to keep it in good nick, though a thorough deep clean should also be carried out periodically. This will help ensure there are no stubborn food deposits or grime lurking in hard-to-reach nooks and crannies. Cleaning expert Chantel Mila, known as Mama Mila on TikTok, recently revealed some of her top tips that she believes every household ought to know.

When it comes to tackling your air fryer, you won't even need to scrub - just two common kitchen staples are all that's required.

Begin by removing the basket from the air fryer and placing it in the sink. Sprinkle a generous amount of bicarbonate of soda over the basket, making sure any stubborn residue is thoroughly coated.

Next, drizzle over some washing-up liquid, followed by a pour of boiling water to wash away the bicarbonate of soda fizz. This works to loosen any food that has burnt onto the air fryer basket, reports The Mirror.

Leave the mixture to work its magic and soak in the basket for a while. Once you are satisfied that all the stubborn grease and grime has been sufficiently loosened, simply pour away the dirty water. There should be absolutely no need to scrub.

While simply leaving the ingredients to work together will suffice, you can also create a bicarbonate of soda paste for more stubborn areas. The combination of bicarbonate of soda and washing-up liquid can break down greasy residue, making it perfectly suited for tackling greasy kitchen surfaces and other pans.

Adding washing-up liquid to the mixture will boost the number of surfactants - molecules that reduce the surface tension between two substances. Surfactants assist in binding water and oil together.

Washing-up liquid will also help to tackle any bacteria that bicarbonate of soda cannot reach, ensuring your air fryer remains thoroughly clean and safe to operate.

Dr Oetker explained that bicarbonate of soda functions well as a natural cleaning alternative owing to its mildly abrasive qualities. It can help eliminate stubborn grime without causing "wear and tear", lifting stuck-on food without the need for vigorous scrubbing.

Vanguard Cleaning also noted that due to bicarbonate of soda's alkaline chemical properties, it can help to deodorise and absorb unpleasant odours left behind by food in the air fryer. Dr Oetker explained precisely why bicarbonate of soda is so effective at eliminating unwanted smells: "Most nasty smells in the air contain some sort of acid. As an alkali, baking soda reacts with those acids and neutralises them."

Both of these common household staples work to tackle stubborn stains and grime by surrounding and lifting grease and dirt particles from the affected surface. Baking soda also acts as a natural deodoriser, helping to eliminate any persistent odours following a thorough deep clean.