how to clean the top of your stove
It is not a skill that we naturally acquire that allows us to know how to clean a stovetop. Our stovetops take a battering from greasy spills, splatters, and sticky utensils left on the surface; even boiling water can leave spots from the minerals in the water if you allow it to boil over. Our ovens also take a beating from greasy spills, splatters, and sticky utensils left on the surface. A stovetop, like most other untidy objects in our houses, does not clean itself, and the longer you ignore it, the messier it gets.
Because stovetops can feature gas burners, electric coils, or a smooth glass surface, it is essential to follow the appropriate cleaning process in order to prevent damage to the surface. Have a look at the user guide provided by the manufacturer for some helpful hints. Can’t seem to locate it? Virtually every instruction may be found online. First, get started cleaning your stovetop, and then, to keep it looking its best for as long as possible, follow our advice.
Still have last week’s dinner splattered on your stove top? Don’t worry—here’s how to get rid of that gross gunk in no time.
We have all had prior experience in that regard. While we are in the process of preparing dinner on the stove, all of a sudden, something erupts into a boil or spatters all over the place. These kinds of messes are inevitable in the kitchen, but if they aren’t cleaned up properly, they can lead to an unsightly and humiliating buildup on the stove top. Because you make such frequent use of your microwave, oven, and stove top, it is really necessary to be familiar with proper cleaning procedures for these equipment. However, you should pay particular attention to the cleanliness of the stove top because failure to do so can result in a number of significant issues, and the fact that it is unclean will not go unnoticed. The following is a guide that will show you how to effectively clean your stop top and get rid of those unattractive messes in a hurry.
Why is it important to clean your stove top?
You need to clean your stove top because it is a high-use area that attracts a lot of splatter as well as food particles. According to Johnny Pallares, owner of De La Rosa House Cleaning, “Cleaning your stove top is important because it is an area of your kitchen that is most prone to buildup of grease, food grime, and bacteria.” Your stove top is an area of your kitchen that is most prone to buildup of grease, food grime, and bacteria.
It is also necessary to clean your stove top, particularly if you are going to be preparing food with raw chicken or other ingredients. If you don’t clean your stove top, you could end up spreading the bacteria and germs that originate from the food you’re cooking with to other surfaces in your kitchen. The cleanliness of your kitchen will increase as a result of cleaning your stove top, as will the likelihood that someone may become unwell. Be ready to scrub swiftly and know how to clean your kitchen quickly in case unexpected company shows up and sees your unclean stove top. It is embarrassing to have guests show up unexpectedly and see your dirty stove top.
What happens if you don’t clean your stove top?
There will be a buildup of food and oil on the surface of your stove top if you do not clean it regularly. The longer that buildup is allowed to remain, the more difficult it will be to remove it further down the road. Additionally, this buildup has the potential to produce unsightly stains on your stove top. “Every time you use your stove top to cook, small amounts of food, oil, dirt, and grime begin to build up on top of it and form stains,” explains Cyrus Bedwyr, an oven cleaning professional at Fantastic Services. “Every time you use your stove top to cook, small amounts of food, oil, dirt, and grime begin to build up.” “As time passes, these stains will become more obvious to the naked eye.” If you don’t know how to get rid of stains like these, they can quickly become a nuisance to look at.
If you do not clean your stove top regularly, you run the risk of damaging it and shortening its lifespan. According to Leanna Staph, Chief Operating Officer of The Cleaning Authority, “Depending on the type of stove you have, if you don’t clean your stove top frequently, grease can build up around the coils and burners and negatively impact the life span of your appliance.” The typical lifespan of household equipment varies, but one thing is certain: You want to maintain the proper functioning of your stove top for as long as possible, and cleaning it will help it last longer.
In addition, not cleaning your stove top regularly can pose a risk of fire, according to Pallares. “A stove top that has a significant amount of food and grease buildup can cause food that has been left over to burn, which can lead to a fire in the kitchen.”
How often should you clean your stove top?
The frequency with which you should clean your stove top is directly proportional to the frequency with which you use it. “Someone who cooks once a week may only need to clean it once a month,” explains Pallares. “Someone who cooks twice a week may need to clean it twice a month.” However, the top of the stove should be cleaned at least once per week for a family of four that prepares meals five to seven days each week.
In the event that you are concerned about grease and food particles amassing on your stove top, you should constantly make sure to perform a speedy cleanup following each use. Be sure to wait until the top of the stove has cooled off before wiping it down.
How to clean a glass stove top
It is crucial to be aware of how to clean your stove top, and this is especially true if your stove top is made of glass. According to Bedwyr, the following process is an excellent way to bring out the shine in your glass stove top.
What you’ll need:
- A bowl
- Microfiber towel (big enough for the entire stove top)
- Non-abrasive scrubbing pad
- Dish soap
- Baking soda
Once you have gathered all of those components, the following steps need to be taken:
- Wait until your glass stove top is cold— Never clean anything when the stove top is hot.
- Put some dish soap in a bowl of warm to hot water, and then fill the bowl all the way up. Be sure to combine everything thoroughly until you are left with a foamy substance.
- Completely submerge a towel made of microfibre in the liquid, and then wait for it to absorb all of the liquid.
- Spread a generous amount of baking soda across the surface of your glass stove top.
- Remove the towel from the soapy water and squeeze as much water out of it as possible. After that, place it on top of the baking soda and allow it to sit for around half an hour.
- Scrub the top of the stove in a circular motion using the non-abrasive cleaning pad as soon as the allotted time has passed.
- To wipe away any traces of water or baking soda that may still be left on the stove top, use a microfiber cloth that has been thoroughly cleaned and dried.
- It is imperative that you exercise extreme caution when utilizing the non-abrasive scrubbing pad because you do not want to scratch the glass.
How to Clean a Glass Stovetop
A ceramic-glass hybrid or polycrystalline material is typically used to cover the radiant heating coils that are contained within glass cooktops. Even though the glass is quite robust, it can be scratched if abrasive cleaners or scrubbers are used to remove persistent stains or if the glass is cleaned with anything that is too rough. Additionally, you should avoid scraping stuck-on food with metal utensils. You have the option of purchasing a commercial cleaner or making your own with ingredients found in your pantry.
What You Need
- Spray bottle
- Distilled white vinegar
- Dishwashing liquid with a degreaser
- Non-abrasive sponge
- Microfiber cloths
- Baking soda
- Hard plastic scraper
Step 1: Wait Until Cool
Before attempting to clean the cooktop, you should at all times wait until it can be touched without getting burned.
Step 2: Create a Cleaner
Step 3: Clean, Rinse, and Dry
- Apply the cleaner with a spray, then wait a few minutes before wiping it down.
- To clean the stovetop without scratching it, use a sponge that is not abrasive.
- Sponge should be rinsed, and any leftover cleaning should be wiped away.
- Use a microfiber towel that does not attract lint to dry the surface.
Step 4: Use Baking Soda to Remove Burned-On Food
It might be difficult to remove food that has been burned on a burner. Proceed in the following manner:
- Spread a thick layer of dry baking soda over the affected area, and then spray on exactly the right amount of distilled white vinegar to turn it into a paste. (As the baking soda and vinegar react, there will be some fizzing as they work to assist in the process of breaking apart the food particles.)
- After soaking in hot water, wring out a towel made of microfiber until there are no more drops of liquid.
- The towel should be used to cover the bubbling mixture, and then the steam should be allowed to accumulate for at least 15 minutes.
- Take away the towel and replace it with a sponge that does not have abrasive properties in order to remove the food that has become loose.
- If necessary, perform the instructions once more, and then rinse the stovetop with a clean, moist sponge before drying it off with a microfiber towel.
Step 5: Give a Final Scrape
If your glass stovetop has been left unused for some time, the food that has been burned on it might need to be scraped off.
- After wetting a microfiber towel with hot water, place it over the soiled area for a period of fifteen minutes.
- To carefully remove the food that is stuck on, make use of a firm plastic scraper and hold it at a 45-degree angle as you work.
- If the meal is difficult to move, you should work on the food in small sections and use the steamy hot cloth multiple times.
- To finish, remove the dirt from the stovetop with a sponge and clean the entire surface with the mixture of vinegar and dishwashing liquid that you prepared in the second step.
How to clean an electric stove top
According to Bedwyr, the following cleaning process will make your electric stove top appear as nice as it did when you first bought it, even if it needs a good scrubbing (don’t forget the coils!).
What you’ll need:
- Cleaning cloth
- Dish soap
- Baking soda
Once you have all of the necessary components, you should proceed as follows:
- Before you start cleaning, you need to make sure that the stove top is both totally cooled down and turned off.
- When cleaning the coils, put a small amount of dish soap on a damp cleaning cloth and use it to wipe away the debris.
- Baking soda and warm water can be combined to form a cleaning paste that is effective on stubborn filth and grime.
- After applying the baking soda paste to the stubborn stains and allowing it to sit for about half an hour, repeat the process.
- Scrub the filth and paste away with a towel that has been dampened with water.
- Use a fresh, dry cloth to dry the surface of the stove top.
- Wait until the surface of the stove top is totally dry before turning it back on.
How to Clean a Gas Stovetop
You just need one set of cleaning supplies for your gas stovetop, regardless of whether it has a finish made of porcelain enamel or stainless steel.
What You Need
- Non-abrasive sponge
- Dishwashing liquid with a degreaser
- Baking soda
- Distilled white vinegar
- Spray bottle
- Microfiber cloths
- Nylon scrubber
Step 1: Let It Cool
Step 2: Clear the Stovetop
Step 3: Clean
Step 4: Tackle Stubborn Spills
- Baking soda in its dry form should be sprinkled over charred food, and then distilled white vinegar in its undiluted form should be sprayed over the mixture.
- The foamy region should be covered with a wet microfiber cloth that has been dipped in hot water; then, the area should be left alone for 15 minutes.
- Remove the cover and scrub the area using a nylon scrubber.
- Use a sponge that has been dampened to remove any debris.
Step 5: Dry and Reassemble
After the grime and stains have been removed from the stovetop, wipe it down with a microfiber cloth to ensure a streak-free shine. Put back together all of the individual parts.
How to Clean Gas Grates
Step 1: Remove the Grates
Taking the grates, the plates that cover the gas outlets, and the control knobs off of the stovetop makes it much simpler to clean all of these components.
Step 2: Make a Soapy Bath
Put one teaspoon of a degreasing dishwashing liquid per gallon of hot water in a sink or a large plastic tub, and then fill the sink or tub with hot water. You should add the components of the stovetop and let them soak for at least 15 minutes (it is preferable to let them soak for up to an hour if you haven’t cleaned them in a while).
Step 3: Scrub and Rinse
To thoroughly clean each and every one of the grate’s and plate’s surfaces, use a nylon scrubber or brush. First, clean the control knobs with a soft, non-abrasive sponge, and then thoroughly rinse everything with water.
Step 4: Clean Away Burned-on Food
- To cover the dirty area, make a paste consisting of baking soda and a little bit of water.
- At the very least twenty minutes should pass after the paste has been covered with plastic wrap and left to rest.
- Scrub and then rinse it off.
- If necessary, repeat.
Step 5: Dry and Reassemble
After using a towel made of microfiber to dry the individual pieces, you may reassemble your freshly cleaned stovetop.
Things you shouldn’t use to clean your stove top
Cleaning experts recommend staying away from cleaning products that have a large amount of chemicals when cleaning your stove top. “Stick to natural products,” Staph says. “Baking soda is effective at eating away stuck-on foods and stains.” There are other baking soda uses that can save the day, but this one is especially helpful for cleaning.
Bedwyr says to avoid using scrubby sponges and steel wool when cleaning a glass stove top, as they can leave surface scratches and deep crevasses in the glass’ surface.
How to keep your stove top clean
Consistency is key when it comes to keeping your stove top clean. “A quick daily clean goes a long way in keeping a happy and healthy kitchen,” Pallares says. “I also recommend checking the edges of your stove and cleaning there. This area is missed frequently, and old food and grease can easily build up in there.” He also recommends cleaning your oven once every three months to keep it sanitized and running smoothly.
If you see a mess on your stove top, wipe it up quickly if you can. It’ll save you some cleaning hassle down the line, and it will keep your kitchen looking tidy. P.S.—if you’re looking for a powerful cleaner, check out The Pink Stuff. It’s a total game-changer!