I tried the tea bag cleaning hack for air fryers and it made my greasy appliance spotless, but I won’t be doing it again – here’s why

The humble cup of tea solves many of life’s problems. The cold nights? Tick. The even colder mornings? Sure. And now, after trying out the tea bag cleaning hack for air fryers myself, I can confirm tea can even help you clean your air fryer.

Whilst handy air fryers cut down cooking times, lower energy usage, and make meals deliciously crispy, it need a good bit of elbow grease to clean the grease away after.

Learning how to clean an air fryer will keep your appliance in good condition so I was invested from the get-go with this hack, and hoped it would help cut through the grease with ease. Spoiler alert: it did, but that’s not to say I’ll be using this cleaning hack again as it was messy.

What is the air fryer tea bag cleaning hack?

Knowing how to clean kitchen grease can be a long and difficult endeavor. Therefore, I had major doubts over the legitimacy of this cleaning hack. Tea? To clean grease? Surely not! But after popping a used tea bag into my dirty air fryer basket and following the steps listed below, the grease disappeared before my eyes.

However, it did come with a 30-minute delay I could have done without, and the tea bag split when scrubbing.

If you are a fan of DIY cleaning solutions, and more patient than me, it's worth trying this tea bag air fryer cleaning hack.

You'll need to:

1. Pop a damp tea bag into the dirty air fryer basket and fill with boiling hot water. You can use whatever bags you have in the house, but if you don't usually stock tea, Twinings English Breakfast Black Tea is top-rated by happy customers for making a great cup of tea so you can enjoy a sip while you wait for the grease to be cut through.
2. Leave the tea bag to sit in the boiling hot water for 30 minutes, then pour out the water, saving the bag.
3. Wipe the tea bag around the basket and rinse it out. It really is that simple.

Tea, in all its guises, has been used domestically for years to help complete a range of household tasks.

For example, did you know that using tea leaves in the garden can help boost your plants’ health? Or that cleaning with tea tree oil can provide you with an all-natural solution to creating a clean and fresh-smelling home?

And now, as I learned for myself, a tea bag can work wonders at making grease disappear.

Everything I learned after trying out the air fryer tea bag cleaning hack

1. It works – but has its limits

I was pleased to find this hacked worked, cutting through the grease in my air fryer. Karina Toner, operations manager at Washington-based Spekless Cleaning, explains, ‘The tea bag cleaning hack can work due to the tannins found in tea. Tannins have natural degreasing properties, which can help break down grease, making it easier to remove.’

However, it is worth noting I tried this hack out on a relatively small amount of grease. So, as Toner notes, ‘While it works for light grease and general upkeep, it may not be strong enough for heavy build-up or deeply embedded grime.’

Instead, Toner recommends cleaning with baking soda to tackle dried grease from an air fryer basket. She says, 'For stubborn spots, mix baking soda with water to form a paste and apply it to the area. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes, then scrub gently.'

Or, if you're keen to learn how to make your air fryer last longer, investing in some air fryer accessories, like liners, is a good place to start.

2. You need to be gentle with the tea bag

I learned the hard way. With this cleaning hack, you’re essentially using a tea bag as you would a sponge – to help you clear up the grease and get rid of the dirt.

At first, I took this literally and ended up splitting the tea bag in my greasy air fryer basket, creating even more mess than there was to begin with.

‘Tea bags can easily tear, especially after being soaked,’ Toner highlights. ‘If they break apart, the tea leaves may scatter throughout the basket, requiring additional cleaning.’ And that it did.

Using a zero scratch, strong Scotch Brite sponge from Walmart would have been easier.

3. You need to wash (and re-wash)

Now, as a lover of tea, I could drink the good stuff from morning, noon and night. But, after saving up and investing in one of the best air fryers, what I don’t want is my nifty kitchen appliance smelling of tea.

'Depending on the strength of the tea used, a faint tea aroma may linger in the air fryer for a short time, though it typically dissipates after use,’ Toner says.

So if you do intend to try this out, try washing and rewashing your air fryer basket.

My verdict

There is no denying that this ​​cleaning hack works. I’ve seen the results for myself. But personally speaking, I’ll be putting my tea bags to better use by making a cup of tea to drink rather than using them to help me clean my air fryer.

I want to look after my air fryer, you see. That's why I don't put my air fryer basket in the dishwasher and stay away from things you should never put in an air fryer.

While tea bags won't damage my air fryer, for me, the threat of them ripping outweighs the act of cleaning the basket the old-fashioned way – with a good old sponge and some simple washing-up liquid such as Dawn, available from Amazon.

Plus, I'd rather wash up my air fryer basket straight away than let it sit for 30 minutes in the hot water so the tannins can work their magic. After cooking, it's tempting enough to leave washing up until the day after – and this hack just gives me another excuse to do so!

Wondering can you use vinegar to clean grease from an air fryer? Or what common air fryer mistakes you should avoid? Discover the top tips on how to clean this kitchen staple according to experts.