A clean gas stove is so nice to cook on and not very difficult to achieve if you know what steps to take!
So, now you have a gas stove. Of course, you love it. There’s nothing better to cook on, right? And you wipe it down and keep it looking shiny and pretty, but when it comes to taking things apart and really getting it deep cleaned, maybe you get a little nervous about how to get a clean gas stove. Good, we understand each other. 🙂
We inherited a gas stove when we moved into this house and I loved it. After a few years, we upgraded to a fancier model and I decided it was time to really learn to do a good job of taking care of this thing and making sure I always have a clean gas stove. So I did!
Our Gas Stove
I thought I was buying just a fairly high quality gas range that would last us quite a while and do all the cooking my future little heart might desire, but I guess it turns out to be a really really good one. Who knew? When Chris was installing the range hood that goes with it, he went to Home Depot to find some parts he needed and the guy working there was shocked that they even sold such a powerful appliance there and had to send him to a specialty store to get the parts he needed. He said something about “restaurant grade”.
Does this mean I’m going to be a restaurant grade cook now too? Ha!
The stove we ended up getting is the GE Cafe:
What a beauty, right? So here are the steps I follow now to make sure she stays in tip top shape and I always have a clean gas stove.
First, begin with a messy stove, preferably one that has had pots boil over on it. This step isn’t totally necessary, but will make you feel like you’ve really accomplished something once you’re done. 🙂
Some nice crumbs and bits of this and that are helpful too. See? You’ve already got that covered too, don’t you? Look at you go! This isn’t scary or complicated at all!
Kinda gross though, right?
Cleaning Your Gas Stove
OK, now you’ll need to locate your grates and burner covers.
Awesome! Look how good you are at this!
Remove your grates and place them in a sink of hot soapy water.
After leaving them to soak for a few minutes, any burnt on food should just come right off with the help of a soft scrub brush or a wash cloth. Also use a wash cloth to gently wipe any stains off of your burner covers. The covers can be soaked as well, but make sure you dry them really well before replacing them onto your stove or you’ll risk damaging your igniters.
If you’re finding that soap and water aren’t quite enough for the burnt on mess on your grates, you can soak them in a solution of half warm water and half vinegar for a few hours, or even overnight.
Once you’ve got those parts cleaned, you’ll want to make sure that everything is in good working order and there aren’t any little food particles blocking the gas flow.
See? It says so right there!
Just lift that whole part right off and examine everything to make sure it’s clean and all holes are clear.
Give everything underneath a quick wipe too with a clean damp cloth if it’s needed.
I find that the best tool for clearing the holes is just an unbent paperclip.
It’s the perfect size!
Putting the Finishing Touches on Your Cleaning Job
Once you’ve gone and done that to each one of your burners, you’ll find that you’re still left with a stove top that’s kind of shaped like a bowl and is full of crumbs and junk. If it’s nearby, I often grab the vacuum and just suck all of this junk up. If not, I just grab myself a stack of clean cloths and use a one slightly damp cloth to pick up all the crumbs, then a new one with soapy water to remove any bits of dried on food, and then finally a dry one to shine everything up.
Again, make sure you don’t get things too wet! On my last stove, I drowned my burners a few times. They did eventually work again once they dried out, but you don’t want to risk getting too much water into any computerized parts of your stove. I know I don’t! Just slightly damp is best.
The Best Part of the Cleaning Process
So now, here’s my favorite part! To remove any streaks and bit of greasy residue that might be left, I take a paper towel with a bit of rubbing alcohol on it and just polish everything right up! If you’ve never used rubbing alcohol for cleaning, you’re going to be so amazed. Just make sure everything is good and dry before you turn on your stove. Liquid rubbing alcohol is flammable! It should evaporate within about 3/4 of a second though.
I wrote a whole post about cleaning greasy kitchens with rubbing alcohol awhile ago too, so you can check that out as well if you’re interested. 🙂
Now all that’s left to do is put everything back in place, stand back, and admire your work and your nice clean gas stove!
See? Totally easy-peasy! I knew you were going to be good at this! Now go enjoy your nice clean gas stove!
MORE IDEAS LIKE THIS
- How to Clean Your Messy Fridge in 3 Minutes Flat!
- How to Clean a White Porcelain Sink
- How to Keep Wood Counters Looking Beautiful
- How to Clean Your Floors: Believe it or not, there’s a right way to mop!
This post contains affiliate links.
Courtenay Hartford is the author of creeklinehouse.com, a blog based on her adventures renovating a 120-year-old farmhouse in rural Ontario, Canada. On her blog, Courtenay shares interior design tips based on her own farmhouse and her work as founder and stylist of the interior photography firm Art & Spaces. She also writes about her farmhouse garden, plant-based recipes, family travel, and homekeeping best practices. Courtenay is the author of the book The Cleaning Ninja and has been featured in numerous magazines including Country Sampler Farmhouse Style, Better Homes and Gardens, Parents Magazine, Real Simple, and Our Homes.