Kitchen Cookware Reviews and Recipes

Like any fine cookware, cleaning is part of routine maintenance to keep your pressure cooker working for many years.  You pressure cooker should be thoroughly cleaned after each use and dried before putting it away.

It is important that pressure cooker parts are never placed in an automatic dishwasher.  In the dishwasher, food particles or dishwasher detergent could collect in the safety valves or pressure valves causing the valves not to work properly.  If fully disassembled, some pressure cooker bottoms can be run in a dishwasher, you should check your manufacturer instructions for more information.

Avoid using abrasive detergents and scouring pads on the pressure cooker, as these may cause permanent damage to the seals, valves and surfaces of the pressure cooker.   Abrasive detergents may also scratch the finish and make cleaning even harder in the future.  These scratches can shorten the useful life of your pressure cooker.

To clean your pressure cooker follow these steps:

1. If your pressure cooker has a rubber seal, you should remove it and clean it separately.  Some pressure cookers don’t use a gasket.  The gasket should be cleaned using a mild detergent such as Bon Ami or similar non abrasive cleansers.  While you clean the rubber gasket, inspect it for any tears, cracks or rips in the rubber.  If you find any problems with the gasket, you should replace it before using the pressure cooker again.
2. Remove all parts that can be removed from the lid, such as the pressure valves, safety valves, handles or knobs.  There are many different styles of pressure cookers, and you may need to refer to your manufacturer instructions.
3. You should clean all holes and valves with pipe cleaners to ensure no food is left that may interfere with the normal operation of your pressure cooker.
4. Clean the bottom and the lid using non abrasive detergents and nylon pads.
5. Dry all the parts using a soft cloth or air dry.
6. Reassemble the pressure cooker.  take care that all knobs, handles and valves are properly seated and tightened.
7. Inspect and tighten any screws or nuts.
8. Remember that when using the pressure cooker, it tends to get very hot.  Ensuring that all knobs, handles, nuts and bolts are all tightened properly will help ensure the pressure cooker is safe to use.
9. Store the pressure cooker with the lid upside down to allow some air to circulate.  If any moisture is left in the pressure cooker, you don’t want to seal it by the lid sitting on its gasket.   Also, you want the gasket to be relaxed during storage, not pressed by the weight of the lid.
10. If you are storing your pressure cooker for a period of time, you might want to sprinkle some baking soda into the bottom of the pressure cooker.  This will prevent any smells from building up — just be sure to rinse out the baking soda before using the pressure cooker in the future.