How to Clean a Kitchen Stove

What a dramatic difference there is between the kitchens in most homes 100 years ago and the kitchens we all have today. Our appliances are bigger, better and more powerful. Our gadgets are more plentiful. The general amount of "stuff" is much greater than years ago. What hasn't changed is the amount of use the kitchen gets each day. Three meals a day, seven days a week is hard on a kitchen. All of this use leads to the need for regular cleaning of items that are most often used. The kitchen stove is arguably the most used item in the kitchen and as such, it is often quite the dirtiest. It is important to know how to clean a kitchen stove because if this appliance is not cleaned on a regular basis, the build up is difficult to remove.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Water
• Dish soap
• Rag
• Abrasive cleaning product (optional)

1. Make sure that the stove and oven are off and that both have safely cooled before attempting to clean a kitchen stove. A failure to do so can result in serious burns so always be sure to check on the status of both before you get started with your cleaning.

2. Begin by removing all of the debris from the kitchen stove. Just use a damp rag to wipe away all of the crumbs, dust, spilled seasonings and miscellaneous particles from the surface. If you have any knick knacks such as a spoon rest or salt and pepper shakers on the surface, give them a thorough cleaning and move them to a different location until you are done.

3. Disassemble the stove top. If you have a gas stove, all that is required is the removal of the grates that cover the burners. Give the grates good scrubbing with dish soap and a dishwashing scrub brush to remove any burnt food. If you have an electric stove, you will need to carefully remove the heating coils and the burner plates underneath. You'll need to give the burner plates a good scrubbing allowing any stubborn areas to soak in warm soapy water until they are loosened.

4. Use a cleaning product that is approved by the manufacturer for your kitchen stove. If the manufacturer allows it, using a mild abrasive to remove the cooked-on food that has attached itself to your stovetop will make your cleaning job much easier. If you are unsure or unable to use an abrasive, you'll have to rely on a rag soaked in dish soap and water and own elbow grease to remove stubborn stains. Especially stubborn spots can be loosened by covering with a soapy paper towel so that the surface of the stain remains wet for a few minutes to a few hours, depending on the severity.

5. Wipe the entire stovetop surface with a clean towel once you have finished cleaning it. This will ensure you have not allowed any water drops or soapy spots to accumulate on the surface. Return the grates or burner plates and coils to their places.

Tips & Warnings

• Clean up spilled food from the kitchen stove as soon as it is safe to do so to avoid having it harden to the surface. Doing so will significantly reduce your cleaning time when you next clean the stovetop.