Do Not Run an Air Fryer With Cleaning Water Inside

A reported Bournemouth fire prompted warnings about a viral method that involved running an air fryer with soapy water inside. A cooking appliance should not be turned into an improvised steam cleaner because an online demonstration appears convenient. Models differ, and unsupported cleaning modes are unsafe assumptions.

Switch off, unplug and cool the appliance as its manual directs. Clean removable components separately using only the permitted methods, and keep water away from electrical parts. Follow the exact manufacturer's instructions before reassembling and using it again.

Check whether the model actually provides a cleaning mode

The report distinguishes a genuine manufacturer-supported steam-cleaning feature on a particular appliance from an improvised online hack. Similar baskets and touchscreen icons do not make those systems equivalent. A cooking temperature or low-power setting is not evidence that the fryer can safely operate with cleaning water inside. Locate the instructions for the exact model before attempting any powered cleaning process and use only what those instructions permit.

Treat removable parts and electrical areas separately

Allow the appliance to cool, isolate power as directed, and remove permitted components for their own approved cleaning method. A basket being washable does not mean the whole machine can be immersed or that liquid should reach the heating and electrical areas. Remove food and grease regularly, use compatible tools that do not damage coatings, and complete the specified drying before reassembly. The Bournemouth incident is a reported event discussed by the publication, not a controlled comparison of every air-fryer model. Its practical message is to follow the actual appliance procedure rather than generalize from a short demonstration involving someone else's equipment.

Read the reported event without treating it as an appliance test

The source describes a reported Bournemouth fire linked to a resident's attempt to use an online air-fryer cleaning method. Keep that attribution intact rather than presenting the report as a controlled investigation of every model or a measured failure rate. The practical instruction it supports is to use the manufacturer's actual cleaning procedure. Similar drawers, screens, and cooking modes do not identify the same permitted cleaning functions. Locate the exact model information instead of following a demonstration involving someone else's appliance. A low cooking temperature is still a powered cooking setting, not proof that a basket of cleaning water is an approved use.

Distinguish a supported feature from an improvised water cycle

The article mentions a particular appliance with a genuine steam-cleaning feature, while warning that this is not standard across air fryers. If such a feature is documented for the actual model, follow its precise water quantity, component, program, and subsequent care instructions. Otherwise, do not fill the drawer with soapy water and run the appliance to copy a video. Adding detergent or choosing a shorter time does not establish compatibility. Avoid treating the warning as a reason to experiment until a setting seems to work. The presence of electrical, heating, and airflow components makes the approved procedure more relevant than a persuasive before-and-after photograph.

Finish ordinary cleaning through cooling, part care, and drying

For routine maintenance, switch off, isolate power, and let the equipment cool as directed before handling permitted removable parts. Check which components may be washed, soaked, or placed in a dishwasher; a washable basket does not mean the whole housing can be immersed. Use suitable tools that do not damage coatings and keep liquid away from excluded electrical areas. Remove grease and food through the approved method, complete required rinsing, and dry as instructed before reassembly. Inspect damaged components and seek suitable support rather than continuing to use a compromised appliance. Keeping this routine manageable can reduce the appeal of unsupported shortcuts without promising that any appliance becomes risk-free after a single cleaning session. Keep the manual with the appliance information and make the approved sequence clear to anyone else who uses or cleans it, so the next session does not restart from an online guess.

A reported Bournemouth fire prompted warnings about a viral method that involved running an air fryer with soapy water inside. A cooking appliance should not be turned into an improvised steam cleaner because an online demonstration appears convenient. Models differ, and unsupported cleaning modes are unsafe assumptions.