Clean Gas Stove Burners
Cleaning the gas stove regularly is not only important for the longevity of the gas stove, but is also important for maintenance of hygiene. Who wants to cook over a stove that has crusts of last weeks meals adhering to it! Stains and crusts of food items is not only disgusting, but is also an attractive source for household pests. The reason why so many people leave their gas stoves soiled is because of the cumbersome cleaning process involved. However, cleaning stove burner is not such a daunting task as one imagines. Let's find an easy way to clean gas stove.
How to Clean Gas Stove Burners
The efficiency of the burner depends on the condition of the burner. Rusty and flaky burners indicate that cleaning them is a must. Now, there are different kinds of gas stoves available today, some with sealed stove top burners, while others with the detachable parts. Depending on your type of gas stove, the steps of cleaning will vary.
Disconnect and Disassemble
The electricity connections must be disconnected. Turn off the gas and wait till all the burners cool down completely. Wiping hot surfaces with wet sponge or wash cloth can conduce to steam burns. So, be careful and wait till the burners cool down. Check your gas stove and remove all detachable parts from the oven. Your oven's instruction manual will guide you. Generally the gas burners, burner grates, burner caps, drip pans, racks, knobs and handles can be taken off. While removing the gas knobs, make sure you do not accidentally turn the burner on.
Soak the Detached Parts
In a bucket of hot water, add a little dish washing soap. One by one drop all the detached parts into the hot water and allow them to soak for the next 15-20 minutes. (Do not soak the knobs in water. For them use a damp cloth to clean and shine with a dry soft cloth.) The soapy water softens the dirt and grease adhering to the parts of the stove and bring them to an easily removable form. If the parts are heavily greased, one may need to soak them overnight before scrubbing. For tough stains, you can apply a paste of baking soda and water on the grates and other parts to get rid of the buildup.
Cleaning the Burner Base
Once the burner head and cap has been removed, the burner base is free to be cleaned. You can use a plastic scouring pad or steel wool to scrub the food crusts and stains on the burner base. Use hot soapy water as well. Once the base has been scrubbed free of nasty stains, you can use a sponge to absorb all the loose debris. Using a damp cloth, wipe the base clean. It's a proud moment to see the stained burner base all clean and shiny!
Cleaning the Gas Stove Surface
To clean the gas stove surface, you can prepare your own cleaning solution. Take some vinegar, baking soda and lemon squirts and add them to hot water. Pour a little of this solution on the stove surface and scrub with a steel wool sponge. The surface will come out clean and sparkly. Besides, it's not expensive! Preparing a solution of household ammonia diluted in equal amounts of water also forms wonderful cleaning solution.
Scrubbing the Detached Parts
After a few minutes or after a night, depending on how much time is needed, get the burner grates and other parts out. Scrub the parts clean with steel wool until a clear, smooth, shiny surface is obtained. Rinse them off with clean running water and pat them dry with a clean towel.
Reassembling
Once the parts have been scrubbed, rinsed and dried, it's time to reposition them on the gas stove. Put the burner caps back on and ensure they are seated properly. Turn on the burner and see if it lights.
Use a damp cloth to clean the gas tube opening if it's got grease clogging it. A straight pin (metal, not wood) is good to clear clogged burner ports. However, do not forget to slip on rubber gloves before cleaning the gas stove. Also, do not scrub the parts too much, lest you scrub off the metal surface. Cleaning gas stove burners is only a part of the entire gas stove. The oven below also needs to be cleaned every now and then.
