Deep cleaning your range and cooktop

VANCOUVER -

Many of us did a lot of cooking and baking over the holidays—and have a greasy, grimy stovetop and oven to prove it. You can give your hardworking range the post-holiday, deep-clean treatment with these tips from the experts at Consumer Reports.

Over time, leaving spills on your range can start to affect performance. On a gas range, it can clog the burners, which makes them tough to light and produces uneven flames in some cases. And on smooth glass tops, sugar-based spills – like chocolate or tomato sauce – that sit too long can damage the surface.

The cleaning pros at Consumer Reports have a simple, yet helpful, tip: Hot, soapy water is your friend. For gas ranges, you can use dish soap and water as your solution to clean everything from surfaces to grates to burner covers. Just remove, soak, and scrub.

If the grates and covers are really rough, slip them into a plastic bag or another sealable container, along with quarter cup of ammonia, which will break down the stains and make the grates easier to clean.

Sometimes burner ports can get clogged, so clean them with a paper clip or a safety pin. Don’t use wooden toothpicks or other materials that can break inside the ports.

You also want to avoid using steel wool or abrasive cleaners on a cooktop, and that’s especially true for glass cooktops. Instead, use a soft sponge or a wet paper towel to wipe away spills and stains. To remove heavy, burned-on residue on smooth tops, use a razor blade or a glass scraper made for this purpose. Carefully hold the blade at a 45-degree angle to avoid scratching the smooth top.

Finally, don’t forget your cooktop’s controls. Many of them can be removed and cleaned with hot, soapy water.

When it comes to cleaning the inside of your oven, if you don’t have the time for a lengthy self-cleaning cycle, use a scrub pad and soapy water to clean it out. 

Files from Consumer Reports