An instant pot is the first necessity of every cook. Your kitchen is worthless without this smart and safe cooker. It not only saves fuel and your time but also offers healthy cooking. Every time you open the lid after cooking, the steamy and tempestuous food multiplies your appetite. But at the same time, it brings a complex cleaning task for you. Because it is quite difficult to properly clean your instant pot sealing ring. You clean the pot and see it reflecting light. But this is not enough, the sealing ring has to be equally clean.
The sealing ring is the most crucial element behind your magical cooking. It blocks the steam inside the pot that makes the food tasty and healthy. But the ring has to be perfectly clean. Otherwise, you may get the smell of last night’s roasted chicken in the morning cheese Pasta. So you need to properly clean the instant pot sealing ring for the sake of your health and taste bud. If you feel an odor from your instant pot even after washing it, It is due to its sealing ring.
Instant pot is an all-purpose cooking utensil and you use it regularly. The main part of the pot is its sealing ring that prevents the leaking of steam. It is located on the inner side of the lid. This is the reason it needs special cleaning that we often escape. We wash the pot and leave the sealing ring in the same position. But the right way to clean your pot is to remove the sealing ring and clean it separately. In this article, we have discussed different ways to clean the sealing ring. So, read it below and see your favorite cooking pot completely dazzling.
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Best Ways To Clean the Instant Pot Sealing Ring
The sealing rings of instant pots are made of silicon. This metalloid has a high absorbing character and gets a bad odor after regular use. So it is also important to remove the odor when you clean the ring. There are different ways to clean the sealing ring depending on its condition.
As your instant pot is an all-purpose utensil, you need an easy and convenient way to clean it. So in this article, we have suggested the easiest cleaning methods using some easily available elements. You can clean the sealing ring using some basic things like lemon and vinegar. Here are the best ways to clean the instant pot sealing ring.
1. Wash The Instant Pot In The Dishwasher
There is a good thing about your instant pot sealing ring that it is dishwasher safe. So the most convenient way to clean it is in the dishwasher. This method certainly gives a good cleaning. But it won’t remove the bad odor from the ring. So you need to follow other odor removing techniques after cleaning the pot in the dishwasher. But the dishwasher is the best option if the sealing ring has become sticky for not washing for months.
2. Soak The Instant Pot Sealing Ring In Vinegar
This is the easiest way to clean the sealing ring of your instant pot. This method is very effective if the ring becomes sticky after regular cooking. Take water in a wide pan or a plastic tub and add white vinegar. Clean the sealing ring with dishwashing soap and soak in the diluted vinegar for one hour. You can leave it and do your other works. Because it won’t harm the ring if you forget about it for a few hours. But make sure that you dry the ring in the sun after washing it. So, better you try this process during the daytime. After drying in the sun, you will get it like new.
3. Steam Clean The Instant Pot Sealing Ring
vinegar is a common thing on your kitchen shelf. And if you find not many but only one lemon in the fridge, It’s done. You have enough elements to clean your instant pot sealing ring. This method is effective if you particularly want to remove the bad odor from the sealing ring.
Take water in the pot and add an equal amount of vinegar. Squeeze the juice of half of the lemon and cut half lemon into slices. Now add everything in the water and let the steam run for one to two minutes. It is obvious that you will try this method after cleaning the pot with dish soap. Leave the pot for some time after switching off the oven. Then drain the water out and remove the ring. Let it dry for some time and take the smell. Wooo! It’s so fresh and clean.
4. Clean The Instant Pot Sealing Ring With Denture Cleaner
Sometimes food particles stick to the sealing ring that invites the bacteria. This results in a bad odor in the entire instant pot. You can also notice the decoloration of the ring. In this case, you need some anti-bacterial cleaner to clean the ring. Using denture cleaner is a proven way to eliminate the odor from the ring. Take warm water and drop one tablet to make the solution. Then soak the sealing ring for some time and wash with dish soap.
5. Dry Out The Sealing Ring In The sun
Utilize nature’s bliss and see the result. If there is a bad odor in the sealing ring even after cleaning it with dish soap. You can keep it out in the sun for one hour. This will make the ring odor-free as the ultraviolet rays will kill the bacteria.
6. Don’t Let the Instant Pot Sealing Ring Absorb The Smell
You cannot do it completely but to some extent can prevent the sealing ring from absorbing the food smell. For this, you need to follow a few rules and this will be easier than cleaning when it becomes smelly.
Don’t forget to clean the instant pot just after cooking. And each time you clean the pot, remove the ring to wash separately and air dry it.
Another tactic is to store the ring in the freezer. This will help to kill the bacteria and a bad odor will not develop.
7. Wash The Instant Pot Sealing Ring With Warm Soapy Water
The instant pot sealing ring is made of silicon which is both heat and cold resistant. So you can easily wash it in warm soapy water. Take the warm water in a wide pan and add liquid dish soap. Soak the sealing ring for 15 to 30 minutes. Then wash it with normal water and air dry it. This is an easy way to keep the ring clean and odor-free.
8. Use Separate Instant Pot Sealing Ring For Different Dishes
Your instant pot is an all-around performer in the kitchen. It is useful for preparing whole roasted chicken for the weekend party. Also, you can delight your kids with their favorite soup or cheesecake using the same pot. So it is advisable to use a separate sealing ring for the sweet dishes especially the non-smelly food. This will reduce your cleaning task. And you don’t need to do extra work to get an odor-free sealing ring before making a cake or pasta.
9. Clean Your Instant Pot Sealing Ring Regularly
What normally we do is wash the pot after preparing the food and then keep it on the shelf. We don’t even remove the sealing ring and this gives birth to bacteria and odor. You should regularly remove the ring, wash it separately, and dry it out before storing it. This will keep the sealing ring like a new one for a long time. And you don’t have to do additional cleaning work to remove odor from the ring.
Conclusion
By now you should know how to clean your instant pot sealing ring. We have discussed different ways to try depending on the condition of the ring. One thing is clear that ‘prevention is better than cure’ is applicable in this case too. If you regularly clean the ring, then you won’t have to be worried about the odor. Because regular cleaning will prevent the growth of bacteria and no odor will develop. Further, it is good to use separate rings for the smelly and non-smelly dishes. This will reduce your cleaning task and increase the durability of the ring.
An instant pot is the most favorite kitchen utensil of every cook. You can prepare healthy and tasty food in a short time with this pressure cooker. Maybe it is your breakfast time, you can prepare soup, pasta, or other food of your choice. You can also prepare a meal for a get-together during the weekend. So your instant pot has regular use for all-purpose cooking. And the most crucial part of this pot is its silicon-made sealing ring. This does the actual magic to your cooking by blocking the steam inside the cooker.
So you can understand how this ring is hit by all the smells and steam from the food. This is the reason your instant pot sealing ring needs regular cleaning. Also, you should change the ring in twelve to eighteen months. And in some cases, you need to change it after six months depending on the usage.