I Tried This 5-Star-Rated, Non-Toxic Scrub I Found on Etsy to Clean My Stove — And I Learned a Big Lesson

Hands-down, my least favorite kitchen cleaning task is cleaning my gas stovetop. The crumbs, grease, and grime on the grates, backsplash, and hood are a lot to contend with. But the problem of putting it off is that it just gets worse after more and more use.

First, a little about the company. Humble Suds is a woman-owned cleaning business based in Colorado. Owners Holli and Jennifer, who are both moms, love to share their devotion to plant-based cleaning products. Concerned about the harmful chemicals in cleaning supplies, they explain, “It’s terrifying not being in control or in the know about what you are bringing in your home. Cleaning doesn’t need to be complicated.”

They sell their “healthy home” products directly from their own website, but I first spotted them on Etsy. I’m certainly no stranger to purchasing from small businesses on the maker site, but I never thought to browse it for cleaning supplies.

Scanning the website, I saw that Humble Suds offers refillable, all-purpose cleaners, wool dryer balls, shoe-shine kits, and its best-selling, simple cleaning paste, which was what I was most interested in.

My Humble Suds Scour Paste arrived quickly, packaged in a heavy amber glass jar. (The box also included a generous sample size of their laundry soap, too.) Opening the jar revealed a paste that looked like wet sand and carried a lovely scent of sweet orange and lemongrass essential oils. Immediately, I checked out the list of non-toxic cleaning ingredients, including sodium bicarbonate, castile soap, and vegetable glycerin.

The website had indicated that the paste was good for cleaning ovens and stovetops, tile grout, bath and showers, and even produce. The label instructed me to apply a tablespoon amount of the paste to the surface being cleaned and to scrub with either a cloth or sponge. It said it was even safe enough to use the product on bare hands.

Plus, it mentioned that if the product was dry to add a little water and stir until it was softened. It seemed pretty straightforward, so I figured now was as good a time as ever to tackle the chore and get to work.

Here’s what I did: I started by removing the grates to focus on the stovetop. I cleaned up any larger food crumbs, then scooped out a tablespoon of the paste directly onto the stove. It didn’t mention how large of an area the tablespoon would cover, but I figured it was a good starting place.

I scrubbed in a circular motion with a damp sponge. Combined with the grease, the paste became really thick. I added a little water, which helped smooth things out. Then, to remove the scour paste once I started cleaning, I wiped it all off with a sponge, rinsing as needed.

I scrubbed the grates down in the sink. But applying the paste to the grates was tricky. The product didn’t want to stick, and it kept falling apart in clumps. I ended up adding a teaspoon of water to the jar and stirring until it was more of a paste-like consistency. This helped a lot. Once I did that, it was easier to rinse the grates directly in the sink versus wiping the stovetop down.

Humble Suds Scour Cleaning Paste did clean my stove, but overall it’s not the best product for this particular tough job. Stovetops are super greasy, and this paste — despite being plant-based and safe-to-use — just couldn’t cut through the grime very well.

And it wasn’t the easiest task to wipe up the grease and cleaning product with a wet sponge. The stubborn grease lingered, and I had to go back over it several times, even after it had dried and I had thought the job was done.

The scour paste isn’t overly gritty, and using a sponge didn’t provide much scrubbing power. Switching to the scouring side of the sponge helped a bit, but I ended up using a plastic bench scraper to scrape off the more stubborn bits.

My stove wasn’t in too terrible of shape to begin with — no major boil-overs or anything too intense. Still, I gave up, deciding to go back to the stove later with my regular old standby, Bar Keepers Friend.

Humble Suds Scour Paste really does smell incredible, but it doesn’t compare to my trusted, standard stovetop cleaning routine. Next time, I’d try the non-toxic paste on less greasy jobs like the kitchen sink or maybe even my bathroom countertops. But, for now, when it comes to cleaning my stovetop, I’m sticking to a heavy-duty winner.

How do you clean your greasy stovetop? Are there any heavy-duty cleaners you just can’t live without? Tell us your thoughts and product favorites in the comments below.