Cleaning and Maintaining Your Gas Range

9/3/2021 (Permalink)

While more and more homes have electric stoves and ovens, a gas range is still a popular choice for many people, especially those who are serious about home cooking.  One downside to a gas stove over a flat-top electric stove is that the cleaning process is more involved. However, not only does regular cleaning keep your kitchen looking spic and span, but it can also prevent smoke and grease fires.

1. Remove Grates

On a gas range, you can remove the grates around the burners. Soak them in a sink of warm, soapy water while you work on the rest of the stove. Later, scrub them clean.

2. Clean Crumbs

Loose crumbs on your stove are what cause a smoke smell while you're cooking.  Charred bits of pasta, crusted on sauce, and other mysterious tidbits that always end up right under the flames not only smell bad, but can lead to a fire.

3. Spray Cleaner

Choose your favorite cleaning products but keep in mind that some more abrasive chemicals might strip the temperature markings from your stove's dials. A mixture of vinegar and water works well to cut grease from your stovetop. Spray it on, let it sit for a bit, and then wipe clean.

4. Scrub Stains

For stubborn stains usually caused by grease, dish soap and a toothbrush can work wonders. This is the part where regular maintenance makes this chore much easier. By taking care of a couple of grease spots now, you save yourself hours of work later if you let the stains build up.

5. Degrease Burners

Even the burners need some love. The burner tops can soak with the grates while the toothbrush can help get grease out of the burner heads. Where there is grease buildup, there's a fire risk. While a fire restoration company can help you put your kitchen back together after a fire, proper range cleaning will prevent many problems.