How to clean a stove at home: 25 effective ways

The kitchen attracts all household members and guests like a magnet, which means it deserves special attention. A prominent place here is given to the stove, which regularly needs to be cleaned and maintained. Find out how to clean a stove as simply and quickly as possible in our article.

The stove in every home is used almost daily, this naturally affects its cleanliness. Experienced housewives know that any, let alone complex, contamination must be removed without delay. How and with what to clean the stove at home quickly, inexpensively and, most importantly, safely – we share in our material.

Precautionary measures

• If a more or less large-scale cleaning of the stove is to be done, then you need to disconnect it from the network or cut off the gas supply.
• Wait until the work surface and all the elements of the stove have cooled down.
• Make sure that the kitchen you are cleaning is well ventilated.
• It is not recommended to use abrasive cleaners or materials to avoid scratching the finish. In the future, the scratched surface becomes more dirty and more difficult to wash.
• When cleaning, wear rubber gloves – they will protect the skin of your hands.

How and with what to clean a gas stove from grease and carbon deposits

Perhaps it is the gas stove that is more difficult to clean than others. It has more elements that need to be removed and washed separately: the grill, burners, additional flame dividers and handles, if they are removable. Typically, these elements are washed less often than the working surface of the stove, which means that the dirt there is more persistent and abundant.

Preparation and cleaning steps

1. Turn off the gas supply.
2. Remove all removable parts.
3. Remove food particles from the surface, which can be easily collected with a dry sponge.
4. Clean the body and working surface of the stove – the most time-consuming step.
5. Remove carbon deposits from the grate.
6. Wash the handles – removable or not.
7. Finish everything off by cleaning the burners.
8. Allow all items to dry before replacing them.

Cleaning the Case

Hob coatings vary – enamel, glass-ceramics or steel. This must be taken into account when choosing a detergent at home.

1. Professional chemicalsspecifically designed for cleaning stoves – the first and most obvious choice. The active formula quickly fights complex stains, and the silicone included in the composition remains on the surface as a protective film after cleaning. However, home remedies often help in the fight against old stains.
2. Light stains are removed with a soap solution. Simply mix soap, gel or dish detergent with water, apply the solution to the stains and wait 10-15 minutes. It will be much easier to clean the body and oven.
3. Soap and soda solutionis made from equal amounts of detergent and soda – the strongest ingredient against grease and dirt. For a better effect, you can add a little water, apply the resulting composition to the body and wait 15-20 minutes.
4. Vinegar (9%)is applied to the stains and left for 15-30 minutes. It is more convenient to use a spray bottle for this. The disinfecting properties of vinegar are known; it is often recommended for combating unpleasant odors in the home.
5. Citric aciddissolved in water or lemon juice act on dirt in a similar way – they destroy it quite quickly, leaving a pleasant lemon aroma in the kitchen.
6. Table saltcan destroy simple stains – pour 6 tablespoons into a liter of hot water. The result will be obtained if you leave the composition on the surface for 8-10 hours (or all night). Remember that salt leaves marks on a dark surface, to avoid which an already clean surface must be wiped dry.
7. Sodacannot be used in dry form – only in the form of a paste, adding hot water, liquid soap or in reaction with vinegar. Do not wash the dark case with soda – marks may remain. Baking soda is a powerful and versatile remedy that can be added to any other remedy for greater effectiveness.
8. Laundry soapdoes an excellent job of removing stains not only on clothes, but also on various household surfaces. For ease of use at home, it is produced in liquid form.
9. Ammoniacan be used alone or in combination with anise drops. It will not leave streaks on the coating and will carefully and quickly break down dirt. The downside is a strong pungent smell, so the kitchen should be well ventilated.
10. Mustard powder, diluted in warm water to a thick paste, dissolves fat well – an environmentally friendly and safe way to wash kitchen surfaces and dishes at home. The composition should work for several hours, after which the surface can be cleaned without much effort.

Removing carbon deposits from the grate

Usually the grille is dirtier than other elements, since it is not washed very often. In addition, gratings are made from different materials, and each has its own approach.

11. Pre-soakingthe grate in a soap solution allows you to wash away stubborn grease without effort, without damaging the coating.

Cast iron grates are considered the most difficult to clean. For example, because they cannot be soaked in water for a long time, porous cast iron cannot withstand prolonged contact with water – this can cause rust. Enamel and stainless steel are not afraid of water, so they can be left in a detergent solution overnight. This can be the already mentioned mixture of water and detergent or laundry soap, or a paste of salt and water.

12. Ammoniais an excellent remedy for old fat. After treating the entire surface of the grate with it, you need to pack it in a bag and wait a couple of hours. As a result, dirt can be easily washed off with a regular sponge and detergent.
13. Boilingis a good way to clean a composite cast iron grate. Each segment is simply dropped into a large saucepan with a mixture of water, soda, laundry soap and grated apple. Malic acid will make the grate surface shiny. The boiling time depends on the amount of carbon deposits on the grate – focus on the result. If the grill is not removable, then you can boil it in the oven tray. It will be more effective to first soak the dirty grate in a soapy solution and then boil it.
14. Engine cleaneris designed to combat serious stains. Some people also use it in the kitchen to remove carbon deposits on the grate. This method will save time, but at home it will require special care.
15. Calcination, that is, heating the grate to high temperatures, also destroys contaminants. This can be done in the oven, after which it is enough to rinse the grill in the usual way.

Cleaning the handles

It is easier to clean the handles if they are removable – first soak them in the solution and then rinse them using the hard side of a sponge or brush. If they are not removed, the solution is applied to the dirt until the dirt begins to wash off easily.

Soap solution, baking soda or salt are unlikely to damage the coating. With ammonia or vinegar, it is better to be careful and prepare a solution with water in a 1:1 ratio. A more complex, but also effective option is 700 ml of cold water and 200 ml of vinegar. Removable parts are immersed in this composition, which is heated to a boil.

Burner cleaning

These elements usually do not get too dirty, so it is enough to wipe them with a damp cloth and return them to their places when dry. Make sure all wells are clean first. A regular needle will help to clean them.

If there is still contamination, there is a simple way to eliminate it quickly.

1. The burners are placed in a basin and covered with citric acid. Add boiling water and leave for 3-5 minutes.
2. Prepare a solution from soda, any dishwashing detergent and vinegar. All burners are placed in this solution after citric acid and boiling water.
3. It is enough to rub the elements a little with a brush – the dirt will quickly begin to come off.

How and with what to clean an electric stove

The list of products for cleaning surfaces at home is the same: baking soda, vinegar, soap, citric acid, mustard powder – effective and inexpensive. They can be found in any kitchen, and if used correctly, they will not cause harm to the surface or health.

Important elements of an electric stove that need cleaning are the burners. These can be cast iron discs or metal spirals.

Cleaning the spiral plate

1. First you need to remove the chrome rings that frame the spiral element. To do this, you need to turn them counterclockwise.
2. The spiral is removed and the tray underneath is removed. All parts are washed from grease and dirt.
3. Clean elements are installed in place after drying.
4. If the coil cannot be removed, the tray underneath will be much more difficult to clean. A rag soaked in detergent will have to be pushed under the spiral through the existing cracks.

5.   Cleaning the disc plate

6. At the beginning, it is recommended to simply turn on the burner so that some of the dirt burns out. You can proceed to the next steps only after all elements have completely cooled.
7. If liquid gets on a cast iron disc, rust may occur. It is washed with professional chemicals or folk remedies.
8. A mixture of turpentine and saltin a ratio of 2:3 is applied for 15-20 minutes, washed off with a regular sponge.
9. Raw potatoescontain oxalic acid, which can remove minor rust.
10. Ketchup or tomato pastealso contain oxalic acid and citric acid as a preservative.
11. Fish oilcan soften rust in a couple of hours, after which the entire layer is cleaned off with a wire brush.

How and with what to clean an induction cooker

Induction cookers are convenient and safe to use, economical and relatively easy to clean – almost nothing sticks to the surface. It’s all about the mechanism of operation of such a stove – it is not the surface that heats up, but the dishes standing on it. This cookware transmits heat to the glass surface, but only as long as it is on it. Hence the important requirement: all dishes must be clean and free of carbon deposits.

Once the surface has completely cooled, simply wipe it with soapy water, then rinse it off with a damp cloth and wipe dry with a paper towel. When cleaning difficult stains, a special scraper for induction cookers is indispensable – it will quickly remove dirt without leaving scratches. You can choose any non-aggressive solution from those listed above. The main thing is not to use scratching materials or powdered products without water.

How and with what to clean a glass-ceramic stove

Externally, it is very similar to an induction hob – black glossy surface. But they have a different heating mechanism, so the care is different.

A glass-ceramic stove is a type of electric stove. Here the surface heats up, and then the heat is transferred to the dishes. The surface does not cool down so quickly, which means that contamination must be removed without delay, otherwise it will be more difficult to deal with.

Products that need to be removed from the surface of a glass-ceramic stove as quickly as possible are sugar and salt. The temperature causes them to melt and immediately harden into a crust. The main assistant in cleaning glass-ceramic surfaces is a special scraper that does not allow scratches.

First, a soap solution in the form of a thick, stable foam is applied to simple stains for 10-15 minutes. Then it is washed off and the surface is wiped dry.

20. Toothpastewith a whitening effect fights fine deposits. The soft abrasives in the composition also clean kitchen utensils, dishes, and pans that are sensitive to more aggressive influences.
21. Mustard powder, combined with a small amount of warm water to form a paste, dissolves fat. You need to leave the composition for a couple of hours, then wipe the surface with a damp cloth.
22. Melamine spongesquickly wash away dirt on their own, without any means other than ordinary water. Additional detergents can only worsen the result.
23. Apply baking soda with a small amount of warm water to the stains for half an hour. After this, lemon juice, vinegar or hydrogen peroxide sprayed on top quickly triggers the desired reaction, loosening the dirt. A rag soaked in very hot water and placed on top of the entire mixture will help to enhance and speed up the process.
24. Ammoniais diluted with water in a ratio of 1:5 – it gets rid of fat and returns the lost shine to the surface.
25. Dishwasher tablets, dissolved in a small amount of water, are a universal remedy for combating dirt in the kitchen.

How and with what to clean a cast iron stove

Cast iron stoves are used in household stoves that burn wood. These include hobs and room heaters. There are two types – prefabricated and solid.

The prefabricated plate consists of rings of different diameters for different diameters of dishes. All rings fold into a single surface like a construction set. There are gaps between these rings, so strong heating of the surface is not a problem – the cast iron does not expand or deform.

A solid stove is a single sheet of cast iron with 1-2 burners. Due to the lack of gaps, excessive heating can result in deformation of the slab.

Cast iron is a porous material that does not tolerate long contact with water, sudden temperature changes and aggressive household chemicals. It is very important to prevent chips and cracks on the surface. The use of household chemicals is not recommended; simply wiping the cooled surface with a damp cloth is sufficient. Remains of burnt food are removed with the hard side of the sponge.

Tips for using a home stove

1. Any thing lasts longer and better if you keep it clean and regularly care for it. Timely maintenance of equipment is the prevention of breakdowns and other problems.
2. It is very important not to turn on the stove if there is dirt on the surface from previous cooking. Any dirt must be removed immediately before it becomes stubborn.
3. Manufacturers do not recommend using abrasives and metal sponges – this will damage the coating, compromising its integrity. Then the surface will get dirty faster and more severely.
4. The utensils used must be clean, free of grease and soot. It does not need to be moved across the surface, especially glass.
5. There is no need to turn on the stove if there are no dishes on it – this is contrary to safety regulations.

Questions and answers

We have collected the most popular questions that netizens ask when looking for stove cleaning products.

1. Do you always need professional chemicals to deal with grease and carbon deposits?

Home remedies, which are always available in any kitchen, outperform professional ones in several ways: they are non-toxic, safe when used correctly, and inexpensive. At the same time, folk recipes are not at all inferior to store-bought ones when we talk about the result. On the contrary, often where professional chemistry has failed, the situation is changed by simple recipes from housewives.

2. What home remedies can be used to maintain a gas stove?

A popular and working ingredient in home recipes is baking soda. You can use it only, mixed with a small amount of water, or you can add it to any of the formulations, making them even more effective. Vinegar, salt, ammonia, citric acid, laundry soap, mustard powder and even tomato paste – you can choose from a variety of already known recipes or come up with your own.

3. What should you not do when cleaning the stove?

The main risks when cleaning the stove are burns and electric shock. Before cleaning the hob, you need to follow a number of safety rules: turn off the power to the stove and wait for it to cool completely. Even if the cleaning does not use professional chemicals, but homemade recipes, the room must be well ventilated. And most importantly, no equipment will tolerate aggressive methods of influence: scratching metal materials, the use of knives and various cleaning powders in undiluted form.