It’s supper time! The sweet aroma of your homemade pasta sauce fills the kitchen. You turn your back on those boiling noodles for two seconds when you hear the dreaded sound.
The noodle water is spilling over! Next, you spill some of that delicious sauce on your stovetop. The meal was great but now your stovetop looks like it has seen some things.
Since you’re probably not going to schedule the cleaning service after each spill, here’s how you can get the stovetop to shine again. After reading these methods, you can decide which is the best way to clean your stovetop.
Stovetop Parts
If you have a gas stove with grates or an electric stove with coils, here’s a breakdown of the parts you’ll need to know.
- Grates. There are usually four to six of these per stovetop. Some are enamel-coated and some are cast iron. These are what you put your pots and pans on when you cook and boil.
- Burner Caps. Burner caps sit underneath the grates. They cover the burners and disperse their heat.
- Burner Heads. Burner heads sit under the burner caps. They’re the source of heat (either gas or electric).
- Drip Pans. If you have coils, you likely have drip pans. These are often made of aluminum. Drip pans are removable and sit underneath the coils.
Before you learn how to deep clean your stovetop, consult the user manual. It’s very important to follow all manufacturer care instructions and guidelines. Failure to follow manufacturer recommendations could result in serious injury or fire.
Grimy Grates and Crusty Coils
Grates get gross. It’s an unfortunate reality of a gas cooktop stove. The good news? They’re not that difficult to clean.
Most grates are removable. Here are a few recommended ways to get those grates looking good again.
The Easy Way
Check the user manual for your stove. If it gives the all-clear, you can run those yucky grates through your dishwasher. ONLY do this if it’s recommended by the manufacturer in the user manual.
The Soak
Fill the sink with warm water and grease-cutting dish soap. Let the grates or coils soak for a few minutes. Then, take a sponge or cloth and scrub.
The grime should come off easier after the dish soap has some time to work. If the grates won’t fit in your sink, try using a large tub.
Plaster With Paste
If those coils or grates still have last week’s caked on supper, try making a baking soda paste. Mix water and baking soda in a bowl until it’s thick. Apply the paste to the coil or grate using a clean cloth or sponge.
Rinse and repeat. It should come off without too much effort. Especially after soaking for a while first.
Ammonia Going to Need a Bag
Ammonia is an excellent chemical for household cleaning. However, this powerful chemical should be handled with care. Always follow directions carefully with any ammonia product.
Place grates in the largest size Ziploc (or similar product) bag you can find. You can grab extra bags for burner heads and burner caps as well.
Next, put some diluted ammonia/water and seal the bag. Leave this overnight. The next day, remove grates, caps, and heads from their bags and rinse well. Watch the grease and grime fall right off those grates.
Degreasing Drip Pans
Have you ever spilled sauce or soup on your stove and left it for a few days? Of course, you haven’t. But just in case it’s happened to a friend, here’s how to clean your stove drip pans.
Remove drip pans or plates according to manufacturer instructions. Next, place a bowl or liquid measuring cup of vinegar in the microwave and bring to a boil. Next, sprinkle the drip pans with baking soda.
Very carefully pour the boiling vinegar on the baking soda pans/plates. Come back in about 1/2 hour and wipe them down. Rise clean and place back on the stove ( you might need sunglasses because they shine!).
Make Ceramic and Glass Tops Sparkle
Glass and ceramic cooktop stoves are lovely when they shine. Unfortunately, even the smallest spills won’t go unnoticed on a glass top surface. Here’s the best way to clean your stovetop made of glass.
Scrape It Off
Your neighborhood home improvement store should carry a cooktop scraper. These sharp little tools are inexpensive and effective.
First, apply the manufacturer’s recommended cleaning solution. Let that sit until it dries.
If it’s recommended by the manufacturer, find an approved cooktop scraper for your next step. Hold the scraper at a 30-40 degree angle and scrape up the mess. Careful not to take all your aggression out on the scrape and crack the cook.
Wipe away the shavings with a damp microfiber cloth. Take care to hold the scraper at the correct angle to avoid scratching the cooking surface.
For a Deep Clean
If your glass or ceramic top stove is a hot mess, wait for it to cool. Here are a few ways to deep clean a glass top stove.
Spray a distilled vinegar and water solution all over. Wipe the solution down with a damp, microfiber cloth.
If you’re uncomfortable making your own cleaning solution, check out local stores for cooktop cleaner. Apply the cleaner according to the instructions and wipe it down afterward.
When and How to Deep Clean a Stovetop
Wiping your stovetop with a kitchen rag is a great maintenance practice. It’s best to deep clean your stovetop at least once a season.
How to clean your stovetop depends on the type you have. How often you clean a stovetop is also dependent on how often it’s used. If you’re making daily meals at home, you will need to know how to deep clean the stovetop.
Are you having trouble staying on top of all the cleaning your home needs? Let the professionals at Golden Maid help you. We offer maintenance and general cleaning, deluxe cleaning, move-in/move-out, and post-construction cleaning.
Give us a call at 414-559-4563 to schedule your cleaning today.