The Steamed Lemon Trick To Get Smells Out Of An Instant Pot

Every kitchen appliance needs a little TLC sometimes, and the Instant Pot is no different. Just as there are lots of tips you need when cooking with an Instant Pot, there are also some cleaning hacks you should have under your belt. This multi-purpose cooking device sees its fair share of the weekly dinner workload, which can lead to a smelly pot. 

The cause of the smell can most likely be traced to the rubber sealing ring located on the inside of the lid. And while the smell is not going to affect the precious meals you are cooking in your Instant Pot, it can permeate the house. And regardless, if you are baking a strawberry cake in this contraption, chances are you don't want to smell the spicy chicken dish you made before it. Luckily, there is a foolproof way to rid yourself of yesterday's aromas by using a little lemon, vinegar, and steam.

Perform a little cleaning magic by adding lemon rinds, some water, and vinegar to your Instant Pot, hit the steam setting, and let it run for a few minutes. Your Instant Pot will be good as new and ready to use the next time. As for the type of vinegar to use, white vinegar is preferable, but if you can only find that bottle of apple cider vinegar you bought to make homemade salad dressing, you can use that instead. While you should clean your Instant Pot after every use, this hack is recommended after every eight to 10 meals you cook in it. 

Another option is to put the Instant Pot's sealing ring in the dishwasher if you have a dishwasher-safe brand, but if that smell has been there for a few cooking cycles, it may not be enough. So, instead of throwing your leftover lemon peels down the disposal, save them for your Instant Pot.