7+ ways to deal with your Instant Pot’s stinky sealing ring

My husband loves curry… in all it’s lovely and vibrant but odorous glory. But it makes our instant pot sealing ring stink. And sometimes BBQ leaves this weird lingering smell that I can’t handle. Or that time my husband asked me what was on fire.

“Oh, nothing, just the smell of the Instant Pot ring after cooking some really garlic-y bone broth. No big deal.”

We’ve dealt with our fair share of smells. And while most of the time it doesn’t transfer to the flavor of the next dish, I would rather not find out the one time it does.

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7+ surprising ways to get an Instant Pot sealing ring odor-free

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Deep clean it

Your pot, in general, could use a good cleaning from time to time, but the ring more so than the rest.

You can actually steam clean it inside of your instant pot with baking soda and lemon rinds for 1 to 2 minutes. I also sometimes take a lemon I have finished squeezing and rub it on the interior of my pot when I have a hard to cleaning something on the stainless steel.

When it’s done, you will want to air dry everything.

Let it soak

After a good stinky meal that you know your selling ring decided to hold onto, take it out and place it in a bowl of warm soapy water or in some vinegar.

This will help dissipate some of those odors. We personally have used Apple Cider Vinegar in the past for cleaning purposes and we let it soak overnight. (We even coated it in baking soda and hung it in the sun afterwards).

Speaking of…Go ahead, harness the power of the sun

If you can, find a place to hang it out in the sun. Sunshine is good for more than just humans, and some good fresh air really does help.

Sunshine can kill odors and fights stains in more than just fabric. So it can help your silicone ring not look so yellow.

Store your pressure cooker differently

Always, I repeat… always store your lid upside down on your pot.

Instead of sealing in any odors or moisture that may be left, this trick is so simple, but so effective to help lessen and even eliminate odors (or even mildew if you forgot to completely dry your inner pot).

Have color-coded sealing rings

Whether you buy rings that are actually, literally different colors or place a sharpie mark on them, you can have rings that you use based on what you’re cooking. It could be as simple as stinky foods vs. non-stinky foods or maybe you have one for BBQ, one for curries, and an “everything else” ring.

Find colorful sealing rings here.

Replace it

Or simply get a new ring when even your stinkiest ring for your smelliest meals is just too much. Find replacements on Amazon through these links:

Freezer

Did you know smells don’t really live long in freezing environments? Store it in the freezer!

Denture Cleaner?

No, I have not tried this personally, but it’s worth mentioning. I have had friends use this method … and honestly? If it can clean stinky teeth, it can probably banish the old food odor from your sealing ring too.I found several anti-bacterial odor eliminating denture cleaners on Amazon. So it’s absolutely worth a shot in tough instances!

How do you handle a smelly sealing ring on your Instant Pot?

Comment below with your favorite ways to troubleshoot your stinky, smelly, odorous sealing ring. Or let us know how one of the suggestions worked for you.

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Need more instant pot help?

Check out the preview for this awesome FREE downloadable cheat sheet. Simply print, possibly laminate, and post in your home to remind yourself and/or help teach others in your family to use your Instant Pot

It has 14 Instant Pot tips and tricks (only about 8 shown below). It is the perfect list to help you or a loved one feel a little more comfortable using their pressure cooker. Plus, downloading will get you some great recipes to try right in your inbox!