How to Clean an Electric Rice Cooker, 3 Amazing Tricks You Should Try!

Cleaning an electric rice cooker is easy and simple to do, you simply take out the removable parts and wash. But, here are 3 amazing tricks you can try to make cleaning faster!

We all know the rice cooker does not deserve to be called by its name because it can cook an array of recipes. Regardless of how you use your electric rice cooker, cleaning it is another discussion.

No one likes to get messy when washing the dishes especially a dirty rice cooker inner pot. Luckily, I got some cool tricks on how to make cleaning easier, and fun!

How to Clean your Electric Rice Cooker

If you are a big fan of the rice cooker, then you are probably using it every now and then.

Like me, I always end up using it a lot in cooking various dishes.

I actually find the rice cooker more convenient, and easy to maintain than the rest of the kitchen appliances. But, cleaning it after use is another thing though.

You need to wash the cover, inner pot, and other detachable parts. Good thing, properly cleaning the electric rice cooker is not that intimidating at all!

Check these steps on how to clean an electric rice cooker conveniently:

1. Unplug the rice cooker and let it cool down completely
2. Remove the inner pot. Do not expose the hot plates into water
3. Wash and clean the inner pot with dish soap and rinse it thoroughly. However, if there are food scraps left at the bottom of the pot especially rice, do not scratch it off with a spoon, instead, put water in and let it soak for at least 10-15 minutes

In fact, most electric rice cooker parts such as the inner pot and other accessories are dishwasher-safe. If you do have one, you can practically just toss them in! (Well, except if you have some rice sticking at the bottom of the pan)

Another suitable thing you can do is to soak the inner pot and accessories in soap and hot water. The hot water will soften any sticking food at the bottom of the pot and also clean the surface thoroughly.

How to Clean the Outer Casing of the Electric Rice Cooker

Now that you know how to effectively clean an electric rice cooker, you may now wonder how you’ll maintain its outer casing clean as well?

Since the outer casing houses the electrical plates, it might seem intimidating to clean it knowing that you might damage the device.

To help you out, I’ve gathered some excellent tips on how to clean the outer casing expertly.

1. Dampen a cotton rag and wipe it on the exterior surface of the cooker
2. Use a mild solution to remove stains and residue

Make sure that you have let the unit completely cooled down before cleaning.

3 Amazing Tricks in Cleaning the Rice Cooker

Although cleaning an electric rice cooker is simple, many people tend to overlook its maintenance until such time that they see something unusual.

You can practically keep your rice cooker in its optimum performance and glistening look by following these 3 simple tricks!

Remove Unpleasant Odor by Using Vinegar

Cooking on a daily basis using a single appliance such as the rice cooker can get messy, especially when you got some saucy recipes. Worse, bits and drops have stuck on the hot plate.

It may seem pretty easy to ignore them for a few times but when the mess gets out of hand, you’ll end up searching for effective methods on how to clean your rice cooker.

For unpleasant odors, use distilled vinegar mixed with water upon cleaning the rice cooker parts.

• For the cooker hot plate: Moist a cloth with the vinegar solution then wipe it all over the hot plate until the debris is removed. Never expose electrical parts into the water.
• If the odor is affecting other parts, gently remove them off the cooker body and soak them in the vinegar solution for at least 10-15 minutes.
• Rinse the soaked parts with soap and water

Use Lemon or Baking Soda for Residue

Scraping or scratching the bottom of the inner pot can cause damage if not handled with care. If you don’t like to soak it in water for a period of time, then you can use lemon with baking soda.

Squeezing lemon on the bottom pot with baking soda can help remove the stubborn food debris. You can leave it soaking for about 5-10 minutes before rinsing.

You’ll be surprised by how effective lemon and baking soda solution is!

Baking soda is a great cleaning agent. All you need is just a spoonful of it in your inner pot and it will remove the dirt!

Make it a Habit in Cooling Down the Cooker Before Washing

We got an ol’ good saying that we shouldn’t rush things in because it may not be good. Well, the same thing is true in handling your electric rice cooker.

Allowing it to cool down after use for about 30 minutes will save you from accidents and also promotes a longer appliance lifespan.

Just unplug the unit after cooking and let it cool down before washing. Remember to just wipe the electrical plates, while removing the inner pot and its accessories and washing them separately is good.

For better appliance handling, refer to your cooker’s manual first. Perhaps, its manufacturer has offered great ways on how to maintain the unit.

Summary

The rice cooker may not be as sophisticated as the fridge and oven, however, it does seem pretty fair to maintain it.

You wouldn’t like spending another big chunk of money buying another unit especially if you own a modern rice cooker.

I hope you’ll be able to do the tricks I have shared with you in making sure your electric rice cooker is clean at all times.

These tips do not involve expensive cleaning materials, in fact, they are just everyday things and ingredients we use at home.

Have you tried cleaning your rice cooker recently?