Summer is just around the corner, and for our family, that means we finally get to fire up the grill outside, uncover the patio furniture, and invite more friends and family over to eat, drink, and enjoy the sun.
But in my area, warmer temperatures coupled with a healthy dose of regular precipitation also means we sometimes find ourselves seeking cover from rain, or worse, mosquitoes. And when the party moves indoors, people mill around the kitchen. Where the stove is. Which gives me a sudden anxiety attack and I start fretting about the state of said appliance. Oh, I should have cleaned my stove last night. And maybe not fried bacon there this morning. Gah, I hope they don’t look up and inspect the hood!
When you cook almost every meal at home, it’s hard to keep things spotless. Gunkless. Splatter-free. We’d love to know how it’s done, so tell us:
Do you have any stove or hood cleaning tips?
Any suggestions for getting them clean—or keeping them clean? I’ve heard a bit of oil is great for stainless steel, but I haven’t tried it. Some say a solution of baking soda and water can help with scuffs, and some use vinegar for porcelain or enamel. I’m not sure what works and what doesn’t (other than plain old soap and elbow grease), so come share your tried and tested tips below and let’s brainstorm together!
31 Comments
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krg on 5.30.2014
this is for Jennifer Harrell. thanks so much for the tip about weiman’s stainless polish. I saw your comment yesterday and tried it today. it was easy to use and a beautiful finish. thanks again.
Jan K on 5.30.2014
Jennifer Harrell, I have the Weimans Stainless Steel Cleaner – and it is good, but Carbona Stainless Steel Pro Care http://www.amazon.com/Carbona-Pro-Care-Stainless-Steel-Protector-1-35/dp/B0036ELUSS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1401471590&sr=8-1&keywords=carbona+stainless+steel+pro-care is the best stuff I’ve EVER used and keeps your stainless finger print free for days. Well worth the money.
Sheila on 5.30.2014
I have a griddle in the middle of my stove top that I use all the time and get gunky quick, I cut a lemon in half turn the griddle on and rub the lemon around on the griddle, then I use a steel wool pad to scrape it clean and shiny again! The insides of my ovens I just use the self clean button! Voila
AZAnnette on 5.29.2014
Diane, where do you purchase the Norwex microfiber cloths? I have bought several microfiber cloths and they still leave lint on my black topped, stainless steel Electrolux oven…ugh!!! Thanks!
C. L. ( Cheryl ) "Cheffie Cooks" Wiser on 5.29.2014
Have to Agree with Jennifer Harrell, That is the SS cleaner!!! CLW
Patricia @ ButterYum on 5.29.2014
Lori K – the top of my stainless range has a black enamel finish. I use a standard degreaser and glass stove top cleaner to remove more stubborn spots. Hope that helps.
Patricia @ ButterYum on 5.29.2014
For Denise – we had the same thing happen not too long ago. Our oven door has 3 panes of glass and about a zillion screws so I took pictures while my husband disassembled it. The pics ended up coming in very handly when it was time to put the door back together. Also, we covered a table with a couple of soft blankets and used that as a work surface (so much better than working on the kitchen floor).
Patricia @ ButterYum on 5.29.2014
I forgot to mention how I clean my cast iron burner grates. I used to scour them with steel wook, but it took a long time and made a huge mess. Now I put them straight into the dishwasher with no detergent. I take them out as soon as the cycle is over than they look fantastic.
Patricia @ ButterYum on 5.29.2014
To remove the gunk from the top of my gas top stove, I spray well with “awesome” degreaser and let it soak until the baked-on grease can be wiped away. For stubborn areas, I use a little glass top cleaner (even though I don’t have a glass stove top – it cleans without scratching). Lastly, I buff the top to a streak-free shine with a clean, damp microfiber cloth. For stainless appliaces, I’ve learned the finish left by oily polishes smudge far too easily so I only use them when I’m having guests over. For every day cleaning of my stainless appliances, I use a damp microfiber cloth to wipe away spots and streaks. Now I’m off to read the other comments.
Wendy on 5.29.2014
Use WD-40 to clean fingerprints and such on stainless steel.
Diane on 5.29.2014
I have tried many, many cleaners for my stainless steel appliances and they all leave ugly streaks or a hazy film . The only way to get them really clean and streak free is with a good quality damp micro-fibre cloth. The Norwex brand is by far the best. They are expensive, but you use no cleaners, no chemicals and no elbow grease. They are fantastic!
Patty Paulsen on 5.29.2014
I have a gas stainless stove/oven with black grates. I take the grates off and submerge them in a sink of hot-hot soapy water, along with the deflectors and knobs. Then I take 4-5 bar towels (or dish towels), dunk them in the same water and completely cover the stove top with the wet towels. Let those sit for a few minutes, then take them off and wipe clean. I then use a spray stainless cleaner with a clean dry cloth to finish it off, making sure the front is also wiped down. By this time, the water in the sink is cool enough for me to reach in, so I wipe down the grates, deflectors and knobs. Rinse and dry it all off, replace. DONE!
The oven–that is another story. It is a self-cleaning unit, and I set it to clean at night–it really heats up the kitchen so night cleaning works for me. In the moring, I wipe out the residue and replace the racks.
Bex Crowell on 5.29.2014
I recently had a little visit by some black ants. A friend said that she uses plain white vinegar sprayed where the ants go to get rid of them and it worked! Now I fill a spray bottle with half plain white vinegar and and half tap water. I use it every day on the countertops and on my stove and hood and the vinegar cuts the grease and I don’t have to worry about the ants coming back either.
I also spray this mixture around window sills, too, where the ants can get in when it get real hot outside.
I use a glasstop cleaner to cleaning off my glasstop stove and a razor blade for stubborn spots.
Denise on 5.29.2014
Thanks Cheryl for the tip on cleaning the oven window! I will give it a try! I just never thought I could take off the oven door. Thank you!!!
Nanci (TK) on 5.29.2014
Thanks so much for all of the tips. Looks like I’d better get cleaning!
Jessica on 5.29.2014
I got this tip from my BFF Emilie – those Mr. Clean Magic Erasers help a lot with that top of the gas stove gunk that appears. They totally help.
slammie on 5.29.2014
We had a gas stove with those black grates on the burners – put them in a sink full of hot water and borax. Let sit for 15 min or so and then scrub. Comes off.
[Borax paste (a little thinner than toothpaste) also works great for stubborn shower floors with lots of elbow grease and a scrub brush.]
Cathey on 5.28.2014
We have a white, 5 burner gas propane stove. I constantly wipe,during and after each meal with hot water and Dawn soap, it cuts the grease. Once a week I use “Easy Off non fume” on the stove top and grates. Spray and let sit a while and no problem with getting it clean. Do not every use Brillo, it will only scratch the surface.
Once a month I use the Easy Off inside the oven, yes I have a self cleaning but I don’t trust anything that goes that high in temperature. For your inside glass problems use a good degreaser soap and scrubber.
Keep wiping and clean as you go each day and then it’s no big deal later on.
cheflori on 5.28.2014
Don’t toss those juiced, used up lemon halves – I use them to clean my range top (and the sink, faucet & counters, too). Cut the halves into quarters, then rub the cut side over the surface you want to clean. I usually follow up wiping with a clean, wet dish cloth. Toss the now thoroughly used-up lemon in the disposer to freshen it up, too. The lemon wedges do a great job, with the added benefit of NO chemicals – big plus!!
Cheryl A. on 5.28.2014
I am embarrassed to tell you that I have NEVER cleaned the oven part of my stove. I do clean the top part but nothing seems to work to get it really clean without my feeling like the finish is going to come off – it’s black. I now wish I spent the money and got stainless steel. Think it would be easier to clean!! I have put the grate in the dishwasher when there is room and have had great results. I look forward to reading everyone’s comments on this – thank you so much!! Cheryl
Julie on 5.28.2014
A suggestion for Shari and anyone else who has the metal grates on gas stoves… I regularly put mine in the dishwasher which works well for maintenance. If however you end up with build up or cooked on crud, try oven cleaner. I put mine in my sink ( I have a cast iron enamelled sink) and spray them lightly but completely. Most of the time I can just wipe them down and rinse within about 30 minutes and they look like new. My grates are also enamell coated. I would use caution with oven cleaner and non enamelled surfaces, especially stainless steel.
Shari on 5.28.2014
Oops, didn’t mean to hit submit. My stove is gas and has black coated grates and they just never seem to get clean. Does anyone have suggestions on cleaning those?
Shari on 5.28.2014
I have no cleaning suggestions if my own but am so excited to learn about others. Cleaning my stove is about the only chore I really dislike doing. It just never seems to get clean enough. And don’t get me started on the glass of my oven doors. We’ve taken the door apart to clean them but they still don’t seem clean enough.
Panya on 5.28.2014
We bought a flattop electric stove a few months ago. We keep a spray bottle of straight vinegar nearby to lightly clean both before and after we cook. For bigger messes we use Bon Ami liquid cleanser — using either paper towels or a plastic scrubber.
Tulip on 5.28.2014
Since 1995, I’ve had those black smooth ceramic stove tops in three different houses and have gone from being very tender with them to just doing what’s necessary to get gunk off. My words of advice: it’s a lot tougher than you think! I routinely clean it with a Brillo pad or Comet cleanser and if I’m dumb enough to burn sugar onto it, I just take a sharp knife and scrape the burned sugar off, using the knife like a razor blade. (You could actually use a razor blade.)
Cheryl on 5.28.2014
This is for Denise – I had to take my oven door off (just slides out of the slots) and took it apart to clean the glass because something dripped in between, but it was easy! Only a few screws on the bottom and the screws that hold the handle on. It came right apart and I cleaned and put back together and slid the door back in the slots.
As far as my stove top, I wiped up the major spills and use the Clorox orange grease cutting wipes and then wipe it with a clean wet paper towel to make sure I have everything and then clean with Spray Way window cleaner and it turns out perfect with little effort.
KrissyC EsMommy on 5.28.2014
I have an old white porceline top stove (Gas) and so I just use a scrub brush, or a Mr Clean to get away the really bad looking marks. Otherwise I spray with vinegar and wipe it clean. Truthfully tho, the stove cleaning job lands on my husband most of the time…and he’s REALLY good at keeping it nice looking. lol.
Denise on 5.28.2014
I was wondering if anyone can give me tips on how to clean in-between the glass on the oven window? No matter how hard I clean my oven window, it always looks dirty. I believe stuff has leaked down in-between the glass in the oven door and it bothers me every time I look at the oven. I can spend hours cleaning my whole stove and oven only for it to look “not clean” by the drippings in the oven window. There is a small opening on the inside of the oven door which is how I believe food or liquid gets in there, but does anyone know of any magic tools thin enough to get down in there to clean in-between the glass in the oven window? Thanks!
Lori K on 5.28.2014
Our gas range and hood are stainless, but the stovetop is black enamel with cast gas burners. Any suggestions for removing splatters and smudges from the black enamel (and how to keep it nice and bright) will also be appreciated. Thanks!
Jennifer Harrell on 5.28.2014
This without a doubt, 100 million times, THIS PRODUCT:
http://weiman.com/Products/Stainless-Steel/Stainless-Steel-cleaner-and-polish-aerosol.aspx
Seriously fantastic. It keeps the stainless microwave, stove, and huge goose neck faucet in my kitchen spotless for a couple weeks after cleaning, in spite of having a family of 4 going about my kitchen daily. I wipe down the bathroom faucet weekly and it doesn’t even show splatters. My in-laws use it on my father’s 5 foot stainless steel garage drawer cabinet thing and it even resists his oily fingerprints for weeks at a time. It’s truly fantastic stuff.
Joy on 5.28.2014
I am sad to say that the particular difficulty we have with keeping our stove clean is volcanic ash. It is greasy and lands on our stovetop, in fact, all of our surfaces quite regularly (we live in the Andes Mountains just 16 miles from Mt. Tungurahua, a very active mountain). To clean the grease, I wipe the surface with soapy water over and over until it is gone. There are not stovetop cleaners in Ecuador that we can find that are not harsh and abrasive. Sorry, this probably doesn’t help.
By the way, I covet the stove and as a deeply religious person, I’m not supposed to covet. Sigh!