How To Clean Electric Rice Cooker

Cooking rice is an essential part of many people’s lives, and while it is easy to cook rice without one, a rice cooker has become an easy way for us to do so with little effort at affordable price points. A rice cooker is a piece of electrically powered kitchen equipment that makes it quick and easy to cook rice, but as with any electrical appliance, cleaning your rice cooker regularly and maintaining it with care is important to its longevity, cooking quality, and even your health.

If you’re new to the cleaning process for rice cookers, don’t worry. Here’s the proper way to clean a rice cooker thoroughly and effectively from the lid down to the inside of the rice cooker.

Can I Wash Electric Rice Cookers?

Cleaning an entire rice cooker is easy but entails some patience. It is important to clean, rinse, and wash removable parts inside of the cooker individually and with care in order to avoid damage and prolong the life of your rice cooker. 

To do so, make sure you follow the basic safety instructions and unplug the rice cooker before cleaning, as the most important rule that you have to follow is to avoid exposing any electrical part of the rice cooker to water. Then, take a moist rag or sponge and some soapy water and get to cleaning the inner pot and other removable parts of any food residue.

Cleaning Individual Rice Cooker Parts: Inner Pot, Exterior, and More

To really get a clean rice cooker, it is best to wash each part inside the rice cooker individually. This will help effectively remove old food and help your unit look and perform at its best. Make sure to follow safety precautions and detach the power cord before cleaning.

• The inner pot can be removed and left to soak. Use soap and hot water for the pot. If there is a thick layer of cooked rice stuck or baked onto the inside of the inner pot, remove it from the pot with a plastic spoon or spatula before the soak for optimal results.
• If there is still some hard-to-remove residue stuck to the inside of the inner pot, you can take a metal utensil and carefully scrape them off the pot. Be gentle with this process as you do not want to scratch the surface of the inner pot. After removing food remnants, give the inner pot another quick scrub and rinse the pot with a sponge or brush. 
• Never use abrasive sponges and brushes when cleaning rice cookers, as this can result in scratches that can make your rice cooker look old in a short period of time.
• For really difficult stains, use a cleaning solution inside of the rice cooker or on the lid and wipe it down with a moist rag.
• Sandpaper can help remove difficult stains on the rice cooker hot plate. Simply use the rough side, gently to avoid unnecessary damage, and to give the hot plate inside a thorough but gentle rub-down.
• If the lid is detachable, you can wash and clean it just like the other detachable parts.
• If the lid does not detach, use a damp cloth or sponge soaked in hot soapy water to remove any residue and stains, and then wipe it with a rinse cloth, being careful not to get the heating element or any electrical parts wet.
• All the removable parts are dishwasher-safe, so you can put these in with your other dishes in the dishwasher for a deeper clean that’s less work for you.
• For the outside of the rice cooker, simply use a moist cloth with hot water or soapy water and rub it down to clean it.
• When cleaning the rice cooker, always wipe up any excess moisture on the rice cooker machine by using a clean dry cloth.
• Allow each of the parts to completely dry after you have finished washing them.

How Do I Clean a Rice Cooker With Vinegar?

Not cleaning your rice cooker often or thoroughly enough can leave behind days-old food residue and eventually unpleasant odors and mold. 

If you want to clean mold, stubborn or hard-to-remove stains, and unpleasant stains, soap and water might not be enough. However, vinegar can be a very effective cleaning solution. You can create your own cleaning spray by mixing one cup of vinegar with three cups of water. 

Wipe down your rice cooker’s removable parts with this cleaning solution and rinse it off to get rid of the smell. Make sure that each part of the cooker is completely dry before putting them back in.

How Do I Clean the Burnt Hot Plate in My Rice Cooker?

To clean a rice cooker hot plate, you can use sandpaper, steel wool, or scouring pads. These are the most effective choices to help scrub off hard stains. These can also be used on the lid in case of baked-on white rice leftover from previous cooking.

The hot plate is undoubtedly one of the most important parts of the rice cooker as it is what cooks the rice, so it needs to be treated with utmost care. Clean a rice cooker hot plate by using a moist cloth or steel wool to remove the dirt on the surface. Make sure the plate is dry completely before you use it again.

Final Note on How to Clean a Rice Cooker

Cleaning your rice cooker is similar to how you clean your dishes in the sink – individually and with care. If you use your rice cooker every day, it is important to keep it as clean as possible to extend the life of your whole cooker and to ensure the safety of the food you and your loved ones are eating. Even if there are a ton of rice cooker types out there, each one needs to be cleaned just the same.