How often do you clean your stovetop? Do you wipe up spills and splatters right away? Or do you, ahem, let it build up? And after you've got a crust of burnt gunk, how do you clean it up? Here's a tip for those of us who, again, ahem, procrastinate on cleaning the stove. There's a secret weapon we've found for getting it clean with no harsh chemicals and with a minimum of elbow grease.
The secret weapon is simple: Your hot water kettle!
This is what I do when my stove gets a little crusty and thick with burnt-on stuff (hey, sometimes in the thick of things I just don't wipe it all up!). I boil water in the kettle, then dribble a very shallow layer of water over the entire stovetop. I let it sit for about five minutes to do its work and to cool off a bit. Then I go at the stove with a soft scrub pad or steel wool if necessary. The crusty stuff comes right off, and I finish up with just a bit of soap and a final rinse. Result: Sparkling clean stovetop!
Now, this method may not work for all stoves; if you have a ceramic or induction cooktop, check your instructions and documentation. But overall, what's simpler and more kitchen-friendly than hot water? It soaks stuff right off, and is completely natural and chemical-free. The power of boiling water — never underestimate it!
How do you clean your stovetop? Any particular tips or tricks? Favorite products?
Related: What Is the Best Way To: Clean the Refrigerator?
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I use baking soda to scrub off the pesky bits, but this sounds even easier!
My boyfriends runs a home tattoo business, and he is required to use green soap solution. It's the same disinfectant used in hospitals, and I have now become addicted to using it to clean EVERYTHING in my house. It cuts through grease on the stove, mildew in the shower, black cherry/grape juice stains on the carpet, and even works as a pre-treater for stains on clothes. As with most "cuts through anything" cleaners, I always test a small area of painted or dyed surfaces/clothes, but I haven't found anything it damages so far. You can buy it online. Mix 1 part green soap to 8 parts water.
I use hot water water and BactOff. Cant' remember what it's called.
When if comes to my kitchen, I cannot cook unless it's clean. spills are wiped up right away. I try to do a thorough cleaning once a month. I have a small space, so everything must be kept in order and clean.
Vinegar, a sponge and elbow grease works.
Also: ALWAYS BUY BLACK. Seriously folks. Whatever the fashion, every color/metal other than black shows dirt. Black stovetop plus black refrigerator doors = only my mother( /- in-law) sees the dirt.
@ddk, that would work great if I had a choice in the matter. Sadly, my apartment management believes in white everything.
I use water (allowing it to soak in, definitely) and a paste of baking soda. Kosher salt made into a paste also works pretty well in a pinch.
Very much along the same line, but different technique and less drippy: I place a folded washcloth that has been thoroughly soaked in wet soapy dishwater and wrung out just a bit into the microwave for a minute or so until steaming (your mileage may vary) and then with kitchen tongs place the very hot bundle on top of whatever cooked-on mess needs attention. Walk away, forget about it, come back later and wipe it away! Works on most messes.
Water=chemical. Baking Soda=chemical. Salt=chemical. Vinegar=chemical (and a pretty potent one, albeit at high dilution). So lets not go all anti chemical, or we wouldn't be able to use anything.
I'm going to try this. I use Bar Keeper's Friend (I think it is oxalic acid) to scrub my stove top; it has been the ONLY thing that worked to get some of the tough stains out.
i usually try to get as much off as possible with just a sponge and some diluted Method brand all-purpose cleaner, but then for the really gross gunky stuff i use baking soda with vinegar, let it foam and sit for a minute or two, and then wipe it up. works like a charm!
@ddk, I have a black stove and it is foul -- it shows every spot and blob of grease. Most black stoves have that plastic-y control panel and it is the worst of all (and easily scratched to boot).
Boiling water is a good idea, though sadly my stove is shaped so that any more than a few drops of water are funneled into a no-man's-land between the cooktop and oven body. :(
I use baking soda & spritz it with water, then wipe it up after a few minutes with a regular kitchen sponge. So satisfying how the baking soda visibly picks up the ick.
@WannaBeBeachBum: Heh, yes. You're quite right about that. Everything that composes the human body is chemicals. But that's a whole other tangent.
Sadly, none of these suggestions will get the crud off of our stovetop. You can't wipe it up immediately, because the elements stay too hot for too long, and then it just gets burned on.
I try to wipe off the stovetop while it's still hot. A microfiber cloth (or acrylic tawashi) work wonders when in tandem with a bit of dish soap and hot water. No scratching or mattifying of the shiny enameled stove surface whatsoever.
In dire circumstances I resort to Dawn Power Dissolve. I probably don't want to know what is in that stuff, it works so well.
WannabeBeachBum, thank you! Ach, it drives me up the wall when I read/hear people using the word chemical like that. I'm a gardener so I hear it a lot to do with organic methods: "Don't use nasty chemicals to fertilise your veggies, just use seaweed solution and blood & bone!" Or even better, when someone proclaims they don't use "chemicals" in their home, then talk about how great bicarb soda is. So dumb, when you actually call the substance by its chemical name.
I always feeling like thwacking the person on the head and saying "well duh, what do you think everything in the world is made of?" When people misuse a word so consistently it becomes meaningless.
But, ahem, back on topic, I normally put a washing up glove on then use it to put a sponge soaked in boiling soapy water onto the dried up crusty bit. Works a charm, and uses less water than flooding the whole stovetop.
I pour a little just boiled water on tough spots before mopping my kitchen floor. It's trick I learned when I used the mop the floor at a coffee shop. Just leave some puddles on the floor, come back and mop it it. Super easy and no getting on your knees to clean anything.
I use citric acid (the white powdery stuff) to de-scale my electric kettle every once in a while -- I always just pour it down the drain afterwards, I wonder how it would help if I poured in on my stove top instead... Hmm.
I like your hot water trick, but there is much grease and stains that that won't get to. I recommend a touch of citra-solv and baking soda with a scotch brite type scrubbie or one of those silver or copper scrubbies for tougher stuff. You can use bon ami in place of the baking soda if you want. Of course be careful with certain surfaces.
This tip is so obvious I can't believe I didn't think of it myself! I always heat water first thing in the morning for my coffee (I use a French press) so I'll get in the habit of dumping the extra hot water over the stove top instead of letting it cool.
@ddk, I disgree! I have black appliances in my RV and it is *impossible* to get them sparkly clean. Soon as I think they are, I'll look at them from another angle and the light will reflect off another smudge.
I'm another one that just throws a hot, wet, soapy dishrag over the mess & walks away. When I go back, it usually just wipes away. Every once in awhile it will take a little more elbow grease, but not often.
I always use baking soda and vinegar with my homemade scouring pads. I have yet to see that combination fail, and I burn all kinds of messes onto my stove top.