Helpful Tips

How to Clean a Gas Stove: Deep Cleans and Routine Maintenance

A hand in a yellow

If you’ve slacked on keeping your gas stove looking good and it’s in need of a deep clean, then this guide on how to clean a gas stove will walk you through the steps you need to take to clean your stove and restore it back to its former glory.

The Deep Clean

Is the top of your range caked in old food, the results of a boiled over pot? Are the grates are in desperate need of a good scrub down? Then your stove is in need of a deep clean. If you’ve recently purchased the best cookware for gas stoves, then the last thing you want to do is use your high-quality cookware on a dirty range.

Often, life gets too busy and we put off cleaning the stove, until it’s time for a deep clean thanks to baked on grease, crumbs, old food particles, and other types of debris. Fortunately, this type of mess isn’t hopeless. No one likes cleaning, especially when it comes to kitchen appliances. The stove is probably one of the trickiest appliances to maintain, especially if you don’t know how to use a gas stove or take it apart for cleaning.

The first step is to remove all of the grates, placing them in a sink that has been filled with hot soapy water. The grates may need to be left soaking for thirty to sixty minutes, depending on how dirty they are. If the grates have any burnt-on food it should come off easily with the help of a sponge or scrub brush. You can also use a sponge to gently wipe any stains on the stovetop.

You can also remove the stove’s burner covers and soak them as well, just make sure that they’re dried thoroughly before you replace them, or you can end up damaging the igniters. If soap and water don’t seem to be doing the trick for the burnt debris on the grates, then you can try soaking them for two to three hours in a solution of 50/50 water and vinegar. In some cases, you may need to soak them overnight.

Once you have these parts nice and clean, then you will need to ensure that everything on the stove is in good working order, since food particles, dirt, and debris can block the gas flow.

Cleaning the Stovetop

Cleaning

Once you remove the grates and burner covers you may find that the top is left with food particles, spills, and other types of gunk. You can use a shop vac to vacuum up any debris, or you can use a damp cloth or sponge to pick up and remove the food particles.

You may need to use a little elbow grease for this step, if there is dried on food and spills. Make sure the cloth or sponge you use has been wrung out. You’ll want to avoid getting the burners wet, otherwise, they will not ignite. After a few hours, once they have dried out, they will be able to ignite again.

Checking Gas Flow

This step is fairly easy to do, simply lift the top of the range up and take a look, searching for spills and food particles. Make sure everything is clean and all of the holes are clear.

Take a damp sponge and wipe down everything, if needed. If you notice that one of the holes has a clog, try using an unbent paperclip to dislodge the debris.

Making the Range Shine

The best and most satisfying part of the cleaning process is removing any remaining greasy residue and streaks from the range. To do, you can use some rubbing alcohol and paper towels to gently polish everything.

If you’ve never used rubbing alcohol to clean, then you’ll be surprised by how it can make your range shine instantly. Be sure that everything is nice and dry before you switch the stove on, since rubbing alcohol is flammable. Fortunately, it evaporates in a matter of seconds.

If you follow proper routine maintenance and stay on top of messes, then this type of deep clean will not be needed more than once a month or so.

Routine Maintenance

When it comes to cooking, cleaning as you go is usually the best way you can prevent a cleanup disaster. But if you’re scrambling to get dinner on the table, then cleaning as you go isn’t always possible. If you’re stuck with a big mess after dinner, then the following cleaning instructions will cut the cleanup time in half.

Materials needed:

  • Paper towels or cleaning cloth
  • Dish soap
  • Scrub brush
  • Vinegar

Like a deep clean, you’ll begin by taking the grates off the stovetop, allowing them to sit in hot soapy water.

  • Use a paper towel or dry brush and remove any food particles from the stovetop. Use vinegar and water to spray down the stovetop and allow it to sit for a few minutes. Next, wipe down the stovetop with paper towels or a dry cloth.
  • Don’t forget to pay attention to the back panel and the knobs. The vinegar solution can easily remove any splashes and spills, but if you’re dealing with a big mess, such as grease, then you’ll need to use some dish soap, which can easily cut through grease.
  • Next, use a small brush and some dish soap and start working away from the stain using circular motions. Rinse off the mess using a damp cloth.
  • Take the burner caps off and place them in a sink that’s been filled with warm soapy water. If they’re greasy, then you can use some dish soap and a brush to remove the greasy residue. Use this same method when it’s time to scrub down the grates.
  • Take off the burner heads and wash them in the sink. You can use a needle or small pin to clear away any dirt and debris under the burner heads once you’ve taken them off.
  • Before you replace the burner plates or grates back on the stove, life up the range and take care of any spills or crumbs that you may find. Most models have a range top that’s attached with some springs, so all you’ll need to do is simply wiggle the front of the range loose until it pops open, just like the hood of your car. Using a brush attachment on a shop vac or your household vacuum, you can remove any debris or crumbs.
  • Keep in mind, not all models will open up this easily. For some, you’ll need to use a knife and pry open the sides and release the pins that keep the top securely in place.
  • Once they have been released, the pins will allow you to get right under the front panel in order to clean.

Rejuvenate Your Burners

Fragment of a gas

Grease, dirty burner grates found on modern gas stoves can not only shorten the lifespan of your stove, they’re also a fire hazard and can negatively impact your cooking.

To deep clean your burners, you’ll need the following supplies:

  • Cloth
  • Vinegar
  • Scrub brush
  • Baking soda
  • Dishwashing detergent

Once you have your stove looking great and you’re ready to make your family a homecooked meal they’ll love, click here to read my article on clean eating pressure cooker recipes.

Deep Cleaning with Baking Soda

Use dishwashing detergent and warm water to wash all of the burners, removing the first layer of film. Next, you’ll mix up a thick paste of water and baking soda, coating all of the burners with the paste. Allow the paste to sit for thirty minutes.

Next, you’ll scrub up the softened grim using a brush, then rinse the grates thoroughly.

Vinegar Wash for Daily Use

You can use vinegar daily to maintain clean burners. Spray down the burners and surface of the stove and allow it to sit for twenty minutes, then wipe it down using a clean cloth. This method is great for daily maintenance, but it can also be used to cut through grease before it bakes in. You can use this method after you deep clean the burners with baking soda for extra grease cutting power.

Providing daily maintenance is the best way to avoid spending too much time cleaning your gas stove, regardless of the cleaning method you choose.

Final Thoughts

Learning how to clean a gas stove is simple enough, the biggest problem is staying on top of maintenance and daily cleaning. However, if you don’t clean your stove daily, you’ll find yourself having to deep clean it often. Daily use of natural cleaners such as vinegar and baking soda can do an excellent job of cutting through the grease and leaving your stove looking new.

By following the tips I’ve included in this guide, you can keep your stove in perfect working order with just a little vinegar and some elbow grease. But remember, whenever possible, when you’re cooking, try to clean as you go to avoid a baked-on mess. Doing so can easily cut your cooking time in half.

Originally posted 2020-06-23 08:37:17.