It’s almost impossible to make a meal without a bit of sauce or grease splashing onto the range. Fortunately, this is a relatively quick and easy cleaning job.
Remove Any Crumbs
Use your hand or a paper towel to get any loose crumbs or debris off of the (cool) stovetop before you begin cleaning. Sweep them into your hand or a dustpan to avoid having them land underfoot. Be sure that all knobs are switched securely to the off position before you proceed any further.
Disassemble
This doesn’t mean you have to head to the toolbox and grab a screwdriver. Your stovetop should come apart pretty easily. If you have a gas stove, the burner covers and drip pans are easily removable. You should be able to simply lift them off.
If you have an electric stove, you should be able to lift up the coils in order to remove the reflector bowls. If your stovetop lifts up, you can also remove the surface burners.
You can remove the oven knobs on your stove as well, in most cases. Just make sure you don’t accidentally turn the burners on as you pop them off.
Soak
Fill the sink with hot water (but not so hot that you will burn yourself!) and add a couple squirts of dish soap. Then put the burner cover, drip pans and any other parts in the water to soak for ten to 15 minutes.
Wipe
Spray the surface of the stovetop with an all purpose kitchen cleaner or dip your paper towel in a mixture of one part vinegar, two parts water. Wipe down the surface, using your finger nail or a steel wool pad to scrub off any rough spots.* Do not use a knife or any other sharp object that may scratch the stove. Then use a rag or towel soaked in clean water to rinse off the surface.
*If you have a glass stovetop with painted burners, do not use steel wool over the burner markings.
Scrub
Now that the pieces of the range have had a chance to soak, they may have come clean on their own. If not, scrub them with the steel wool pad until any debris is removed.
Dry
All parts of the range, with the exception of the surface burner if you have one, can be wiped dry with a kitchen towel or paper towel. To dry the surface burner, put it in the oven at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. Be sure to use an oven mitt to take it out when it’s dry.
Replace the parts
This step is easy. Just put all of the parts you took off back where you found them. Then celebrate your newly clean stovetop, and make a vow to clean up spills as they happen from now on.
Arlene says
If you have a self cleaning oven, put the stove top parts (burner covers, grates, drip pans and any other metal stove top items) in the oven and turn on the self cleaning feature. All the gook is burned off and turned to ash, which you just wipe off.
I also put my uncoated cast iron skillets and stew pots in the oven when cleaning it.
Works like a charm!
Jean says
To clean the cooked on greasy burner covers, put them in a plastic bag with approx. 1 cup of ammonia – no water. Turn the bag so it coats all the burners–I do two at a time. Leave it overnight in the sink (or someplace where it won’t damage a surface if the bag leaks). In the morning, it will wash off in hot soapy dishwater without scrubbing.
Maggie says
Just spray the surface with EZ-off cold oven cleaner, wait about half an hour and wipe with a wet cloth. Easily takes off the burnt-on food. Be sure to test, however, before using. It might harm some surfaces.
Donna says
I use baking soda and hot water. Pour baking soda in the burner wells and add hot water slowly, mixing it together and making a paste with an old toothbrush. As paste thickens, place on greasy spots and let sit over night. In the morning, add more hot water and gently scrub with a toothbrush. It gets burnt-on grease off and your stove looks brand new again.
Wendy says
The Mr. Clean sponge is a god sent. It takes off the the most burnt on stains on stove top. I use it on everything especially the stove and tub. It is amazing what it cleans such as walls marked up with marker or crayon.
Jen says
I use the Dawn Power Dissolver on my tough to remove stains – can’t find it to purchase anywhere but Walmart.