Early last year, I wrote this post about different ways you can use a clothes steamer to clean things around the house. While cleaning with a clothes steamer may sound a bit strange at first, it’s not all that different from using a steam mop when you think about it!
Since writing that post, I’ve used my clothes steamer both to keep my clothes wrinkle-free and as a useful cleaning tool. And I recently discovered yet another thing I can clean with my clothes steamer, and I truly think it’s the best application I’ve found yet!
For tons more useful information about using the Instant Pot, check out my very first video course Instant Success with Jillee! You’ll learn everything you need to know to go from nervous newbie to Instant Pot pro in under one hour! Check it out in my shop, or get it for free if you’re an OGT Plus member!
Related: 7 Clever And Effective Cleaning Hacks From TikTok
Check out this instant pot cleaning hack in action in my video at the end of the post!
The Instant Pot Cleaning Conundrum
For the most part, I have very little trouble cleaning my Instant Pot. But until recently, I hadn’t figured out a good way to clean out the gunk that can gets trapped in the rim of the base unit!
The rim is the track that holds the lid of the Instant Pot in place. Bits of food can get stuck in that track all too easily, but getting them out is a different story entirely!
But I had the bright idea to try using my handy clothes steamer to “steam clean” the gunk out of the rim of my Instant Pot. And to my intense surprise and delight, it worked better than I ever could have imagined!
Here’s a rundown of how this Instant Pot cleaning hack works, so you can try it for yourself at home!
Instant Pot Cleaning Hack – How To Clean Inside The Rim
You’ll need:
- Handheld clothes steamer
- Thin cloth or paper towel
- Butter knife
Directions:
Start by pointing your clothes steamer at the rim of your Instant Pot. Work slowly around the perimeter of the pot, allowing a fair amount of condensation to build up in and around the rim where the lid locks onto the pot.
Next, work your thin cloth or paper towel into the rim and slide it through to wipe up the loosened grime. (This part can be a little tricky, but the butter knife can make it easier to work the towel in and move it around!)
After you’ve removed all the moisture, inspect your handiwork. If there are any lingering bits of food stuck in there, repeat the steps above to remove them.
And that’s all there is to it! :-) This process took me about 5 minutes to do and it worked like a charm. The rim of my Instant Pot is now as clean as the day I took it out of the box, and it couldn’t have been easier to do!
More Ideas You'll Love
I hope you find this Instant Pot cleaning hack as helpful as I did! And feel free to share your own Instant Pot cleaning hacks with us in a comment below!
Do you have any brilliant cleaning hacks for hard-to-clean items?
What are you people doing with your instant pots? I just wipe it after every use or so with a cloth. You can easily wipe it out with JUST a cloth.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I use a toothbrush to loosen up any debris or dissolve grease and wipe it with a dish cloth.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Cleaning the rim of the insta pot is clever. But the makers of the insta pot have a big mistake with the little cup. It’s made of ridged plastic & can easily break when putting it back on. It should be made of silicon. No matter how careful you are it eventually will break as it did on my 6 qt. Pot. Got the new 8 qt. Pot for Christmas and they haven’t improved that. They improved the steam release but not the little cup. Both my brother and my niece cups have broken . I don’t want that to happen to my new.pot. They should seriously think of replacing it for customers.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have never used the little cup.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.One of the reasons I love my Ninja multicoooker is that food particles never get in the rim. I think it’s because of the superior rubber gasket.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.i don’t get any food in the rim of my IP while it’s cooking. It all gets in there while I’m adding ingredients, stirring or when I’m serving from it. I usually use a butter knife and my wet wash rag to clean it out.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My favorite tool to clean the rim is a small foam paintbrush from the dollar store. It’s flexible to get into the small area around the rim, doesn’t scratch, cleans easily and is cheap to replace when it gets worn. It’s like a sponge with a handle. I’m going to give the steamer method a try when I need a deep clean.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I do the same! Works like a charm!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Same here. I keep one in the kitchen just for my IP.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.This is what I do, too! It’s great. I have two. One for the cleaning and the other for drying.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Me too- little foam wedge paint brush!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.A much simpler and far cheaper solution is a 1 in. foam paint brush.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.What if you don’t have a clothes steamer?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Buy one? Or spray something in there & use the butter knife & towel, like the pic?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Yay … and sorry but what could be simpler than 1) not letting it get that gross in the first place – I have used my 2 instant pots daily for close to 2 years now and have never encountered such a problem. And 2) what could be simpler than to spray warm water into that space and use a butter knife / a chop stick wrapped in a dish cloth. Easy peasy. No foam paint brush or clothes steamer required.
When you have teens & a husband that help with clean-up, they don’t always do the hard work to get things clean. Tips like this are helpful for those of us who share kitchen chores.
If you run an empty cycle with just water and let the steam get there, that might work. Alternatively, pour some hot water with something you can precisely pour without getting inside the heating element wet.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I use a disposable foam paintbrush to clean the track around my Instant Pot liner. Works perfect on all size pots!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I also use a 1 inch foam paint brush to clean mine. Works wonders!
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