Aren't Instant Pots just amazing? It is just so cool that they can do everything from steam, saute, and even make yogurt. Everybody is talking about them all the time and everybody loves them. They seem to be the "can't live without" kitchen appliance the last couple years. That being said--there is a big, giant elephant in the room when it comes to the Instant Pot. Let's say you cooked a lovely, spicy batch of chili in it.

The only downside to this is that the next time--okay, even the next several times you pull out your Instant Pot it will smell like that spicy chili :( If you are going to be making something like rice or yogurt, you could even potentially have chili flavored yogurt if it's bad enough!

HOW TO PROPERLY CLEAN YOUR INSTANT POT

So where is this smell trapped and how do you get rid of it? Instant Pot's can be a bit tricky to clean. They have lots of little nooks and crannies in the lid, pot and pressure release valve. These parts are actually pretty dang easy to clean though. Everything but the base can go into the dishwasher--so go ahead and take all of the removable pieces apart, wipe down the outside with warm, soapy water, use a brush to clear out any food trapped in crevices, and put the removable parts in the dishwasher.

This is the bulk of the cleaning but this isn't actually the stinky culprit we are talking about. The piece of the Instant Pot that holds the stink is actually the silicone sealing ring. This thin, circular piece of rubber is what's responsible for keeping steam and moisture from escaping while your chili is cooking. Because of all that high steam and the fact that silicone is more prone to trap odors in anyways, you are stuck with a ring that can smell dank. Thankfully, there is a really easy way to remove that odor. You can achieve this with one of my favorite super cleaning agents: vinegar.

HOW TO DE-STINK THE SEALING RING

Simply fill the cooking insert in your Instant Pot with two cups of vinegar, seal the lid, and set the steam setting for two minutes. Once your cycle has finished, let your sealing ring air dry fully before you replace it. It should smell good as new!

WHEN TO REPLACE SEALING RING

It is actually a good idea to have a couple extra sealing rings on hand. A great tip is to have one for sweets and one for savory and my mom uses one specifically for the really bland things like rice, potatoes, and yogurt. They sell them two for $12 on Amazon. And it's a good idea to get colorful ones so that you can easily remember which is which.

Did you know that after rigorous use, the rings can actually deteriorate? Maybe you have already experienced this yourself. Make sure to replace your ring if you notice any cracking, leaking, or deformation on your sealing ring so that the machine can work properly.

Do you have any other tips for our readers about cooking with an Instant Pot? Please share in the comments below.