Kitchen, Tips & How To’s

How to Clean Stovetop Grates and Burners at Home

Tim Parry

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how to clean stovetop grates

If there is one thing the Covid-19 pandemic taught us, we have more responsibility to keep our homes germs-free. But here is the thing, though, there are some areas you might think are not worthy of frequent disinfecting and cleaning, such as your cooking range. So if you need to keep your entire kitchen germ-free, here is how to clean stovetop grates and burners.

How to Clean Stove Grates

Your stove grates can store a lot of dirt and germs as you cook different meals. The longer you wait to clean the grates thoroughly, the crumbs, sauces, grease splatters, and more will eventually make them harder to clean. Therefore, it is best to wipe the grates after every cooking session and clean them with water and cleaning agents once a week.

As stove grates are instrumental to your overall hygiene, we have compiled a step-by-step guide for cleaning stove grates at home. These are;

Step 1: Prepare the grates for cleaning

Before you start cleaning stove grates, ensure they have cooled down completely to prevent injuring yourself. Then, take them off the stovetop and keep them in an empty sink. You will need to soak them in soapy water for up to 30 minutes so that any debris can soften for easy removal.

So, fill the sink with water until the grates are fully submerged, and add a few drops of your favorite dishwashing liquid.

Step 2: Start scrubbing the debris off

After soaking your stove grates for at least 15 to 30 minutes, it is time to clean off the debris. At this step, you need to understand the material your grates are made of. Most stoves come with cast iron stove grates which require you to use a soft scouring pad or clean cloth to scrub. In addition, you will need to decide which cleaning agent to use for cast iron grates as they can store smell.

Gently scrub off all the debris from the grates using a scouring pad. Avoid using steel wool or a metallic scouring pad. When you remove all debris, rinse the stove grates under a faucet until all the soap is gone.

Step 3: Remove excess or stubborn grease

While step two above will remove crumbs and other debris, the stovetop grates will still be left with grease and germs. For this step, you will need a good cleaning agent to remove the grease and germs to guarantee healthier cooking hygiene.

When grease and cooking oils get stuck on the stove burners and grates, you will notice some discoloration, while the surface will feel sticky. Removing the grease fast and effectively will require an effective degreaser that can penetrate all the nooks and crannies your fingers can't reach. Here are some options you can use on your gas stove grates.

  1. Baking soda. Baking soda is an ideal cleaning agent for seasoned or coated cast iron stove grates. You can make a baking soda paste using three parts baking soda and one part cold water. Use a soft brush to coat the entire grate and burner caps in this paste and leave it to sit for about 20 minutes. After the time, brush off the paste or use a cloth to wipe the paste off, then rinse with water if necessary.
  2. A stovetop cleaner. A high-quality stove top cleaner and degreaser is the next best option for gas stove top grates. Often, this cleaner comes in a spray bottle, and all you will need to do is spray the solution to every part of the grate. It will foam to soak the grates for about 15 minutes, after which you can wipe it off with a cloth or paper towels. A stovetop cleaner is also a good option for cleaning your burner caps, electric stove burners, and pellet stoves, among other stove accessories.
  3. Hot water and soap. When grease is your biggest worry when cleaning stove rates, ot water is a good option to use as it loosens the grease particles. For this method, put your stove grates in an empty sink, add a few drops of dish soap, then fill the sink with hot water until the grates are covered. Let the grates soak for as long as the water is safe to touch, then scrub the surfaces with a scouring pad to leave the grates clean. After, rinse with cold.
  4. A commercial oven cleaner. When the above three options are not applicable, you can use a commercial oven cleaner to remove grease from your stove grates. This clean comes in a bottle, and you can spray it to the grates, then leave it to sit for up to 40 minutes. Then, wipe the solution off with a cloth or paper towels, wash your grates in warm, soapy water and rinse.

Step 4: Rinse and Dry the stovetop grates

After removing the debris and grease from your stovetop grates, you will need to ensure they are thoroughly rinsed and dried before replacing them on your stovetop. For example, if you used an ammonia cleaner, you would need to rinse more than you will need to rinse a baking soda paste or a hot soapy water method.

Rinse the grates under running water, then leaven them to dry. Alternatively, you can also wipe them down with a microfiber cloth if you need to start cooking immediately. Finally, put the grates in their correct positions on your stovetop.

Frequently Asked Questions About How to Clean Stove Grates

a) Can you clean stove grates in a dishwasher?

It is not always a good idea to clean your stove grates in the dishwasher as they will be prone to rust if left in soapy water for too long. In addition, most stovetop grates are heavy and made with tough materials, so they're not rated dishwasher-safe.

b) Which is the easiest stove grates cleaning method?

If you need to clean your grates fast, you can use the hot soapy water method. The hot water will loosen debris and quickly break down the grease and oils. On the other hand, the soap will make the cleaning process easier, and you will also not need to rinse so much.

c) How do I make cleaning stove grates easy?

If you want the thorough cleaning process to be easier the next time, it is best to wipe the grates, burner caps, and stovetop with a wet cloth after cooking every meal, or at least once a day. This way, you will have less debris and grease to deal with when you want to do a deeper, weekly cleaning.

Featured image source: learn.compactappliance.com

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Tim Parry

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