Instant Pot Tips for Care & Maintenance

Taking care of your Instant Pot is key for making sure it lasts. These Instant Pot tips for care and maintenance will make sure your Instant Pot lasts for years to come.

This post used to be a list of reasons to buy an Instant Pot but due to them being purchased by a private equity firm that I do not agree with I am no longer recommending purchasing a new Instant Pot. Continue reading for more information. 

I’ve been using an Instant Pot for over a decade. It’s one of my most used appliances and I love it. I love it so much it I bought one for my best friend when they got married last year. 

However, Instant Pot was purchased by an investment firm called Centre Lane Partners in 2023. I had concerns at the time if the quality would stay the same and I can’t speak to that as I’ve not purchased anything new from them for myself but a new concern about the brand has come up. They were considering making a MAGA themed Instant Pot. 

This goes against what I want to support and also shows a deeper issue when you look at why they were considering this. Long story short they had another legal issue going on and they wanted it to disappear so it was being used as a lobbying tool. I go into this more on my Substack if you are interested in the details.

The reason I wanted to share this is because I can no longer recommend buying a new Instant Pot, however, if you are able to find one in good shape in a thrift store or on Facebook market place I would recommend getting it and for those that have them this highlights another reason it’s a good idea to care for and maintain your Instant Pot.

Taking care of what we already own helps our bank accounts, the environment, and keep money out of the pockets of people and companies we don’t want to support. It’s a win-win. It’s also one way women during WW2 helped win the war, they followed the mantra of mend or make do. 

So let’s learn how we can make our Instant Pots last with the proper Instant Pot care and maintenance.

Instant Pot Tips for Care & Maintenance

Instant Pots are pretty easy to care for and can last a long time if cared for properly. I have had mine for well over a decade without any issues. These are some of the things you should be doing to make sure you Instant Pot lasts. 

Properly Clean Your Instant Pot

There are several parts of the Instant Pot and each has different cleaning instructions. It’s important to make sure you are cleaning each part properly. Let’s go over each part and how to clean it.

The Instant Pot Cooker Base and Heating Element

This is the main part of your Instant Pot and the part you need to be the most careful with. The base cannot get wet. If you accidentally get it wet be sure to let it dry out completely.

To properly clean the exterior of the cooker base all you need is a damp rag most of the time. Taking care to keep the inside from getting wet. I will sometimes use a little soap water or mild all-purpose spray for a deeper cleaning just be very careful. I like to keep the lid on when I do this to minimize the chance of water getting inside.

For cleaning the lip around the cooker a damp cloth or an old toothbrush works well. Just make sure to use minimal water and be careful.

The Instant Pot Inner Pot

The inner pot and steam rack are stainless steel making it very easy to clean. They are dishwasher safe and can be washed like you would any stainless steel pot.

If you end up with hard water or other build up you can also put some water in the pot and turn on the sauté function for a bit to help loosen things. Or add a cup of white vinegar and let it sit for about 5 minutes before cleaning like normal.

The Instant Pot Lid

The lid is top-rack dishwasher safe but it is recommended to remove the sealing ring and the anti-block shield so it will be cleaner properly. Make sure to let the lid dry completely so odors don’t build up.

You should be cleaning the anti-block shield each use as well to make sure it doesn’t end up with debris that can make the Instant Pot not work correctly. You can wash it with warm, soapy water and rinse and let dry before putting back.

The Instant Pot Sealing Ring

The sealing ring is necessary for the Instant Pot to work correctly. Instant Pot says they should work for 18-24 months but I’ve never replaced mine and with good care it’s still in perfect shape. They do say you have to use a genuine Instant Pot sealing ring or may void your Instant Pot Warranty so something to keep in mind. 

The sealing ring is dishwasher safe though I generally wash mine by hand to be sure it continues to work well and it seems to have helped it last so far. 

If it gets odors just let it soak in some diluted white vinegar for about 5 minutes and rinse, this will generally help with any odors.

The Instant Pot Condensation Collector

This doesn’t need to be washed every time but make sure it’s not holding water and gets hand washed periodically and make sure it is fully dry before replacing.

There isn’t much to caring for your Instant Pot outside of proper cleaning. Be sure you read your manual to ensure you are using it correctly. And be sure it’s stored in a way that it won’t get badly dented or wet. 

If it does stop working be sure to search the issue to see if anyone else is having that issue and may have found a way to fix it. Some issues can be easy to fix. 

More Homemaking Resources

Want to learn more ways to care for your home and keep the mend and make do motto alive in your home? Here are some more posts you should check out.

• Vintage Homemaking Skills That Save You Money
• WWII Home Front Strategies 
• How to Prepare for a Recession
• 40 Frugal Tips for Sustainable Living