When moving to the Bay Area, my top must-have appliance when apartment hunting wasn't a dishwasher or even a washer/dryer in-unit: it was a gas stove. I spent the last three years cooking on an electric stove and there's no comparison between the two; gas stoves are just better when it comes to cooking incredible food, in my opinion. However, most people don't know how to clean a gas stove. Miscellaneous food particles, grease build-up, and burnt-on food accumulated over a long period of time can be tough to clean and it's easy to keep putting off cleaning your stove. However, all of these problems can be dealt in two different ways, depending on your lifestyle preference: using a baking soda and vinegar paste as a more natural method, or using Easy-Off Fume Free Oven Cleaner.
Not only is it hard to figure out how to clean a gas stove, but it's also one of those chores that's difficult to gauge how often to clean them. How often you should clean your stove depends on whether you clean it right after cooking every time you use it. A good rule of thumb is to clean a stove about once a month. If you happen to be pretty consistent with cleaning your stove after cooking, the baking soda paste method should work just fine. If you've neglected this task for the last few months like I did, the Easy-Off method will be tremendously helpful in getting your stove clean without a lot of elbow grease.
Baking Soda Paste Method
Items you'll need:
- Vinegar (a few tablespoons should do)
- 1 cup baking soda
- Spoon
- Medium-sized bowl
- Sponge
- Towel or rag
Step 1
Remove all grates and flame covers off stove. Wipe any food bits off stove. If there are any burnt bits of food stuck on the removable items, soak in warm, soapy water to make cleaning easier later.
Step 2
Pour 1 cup of baking soda into a bowl. Add vinegar slowly, as it will foam quickly. Stir with a spoon and add just enough vinegar to form a thick paste. Cover all gas openings with a small cup or cupcake liner.
Step 3
Use the rough side of sponge to scoop paste from the bowl. Be careful not to get any water or paste near the gas opening and igniter (those are the holes in the stovetop). Scrub as much as needed to cover the entire surface of the stovetop. Let sit for 15-20 minutes.
Step 4
While the paste is setting on stovetop, use any leftover paste to scrub the removeable grates and clean off any grease or debris. Let sit for 10 minutes.
Step 5
Use damp sponge or towel to wipe away paste, repeatedly rinsing out sponge until the stovetop is clean. Clean off grates and let dry.
Step 6
Reassemble stove. Make sure to turn on all burners to make sure gas stove igniters are working properly. If the igniter isn't working, take a long stem lighter or match to set fire to the gas (call your building's super if you're unsure how to do this). Leave all burners on for at least a minute to burn off any residual moisture.
Easy-Off Method
Items you'll need:
- Easy Off Fume-Free Oven Cleaner
- Sponge
- Cleaning gloves
- Dishwashing soap
- Towel
- 4-6 small cups or cupcake liners (depending on how many burners you have)
Step 1
Take off all removable parts from stove and place in the sink. Put on cleaning gloves. Spray all removeable items with Easy-Off and let sit for 15-25 minutes. Be careful not to breathe in too deeply; this cleaner can still irritate your lungs despite the fume-free label. If you need to, cover your mouth with a towel while using Easy-Off.
Step 2
Cover all gas openings with small cups or cupcake liners. Then spray Easy-Off on the entire surface of the stovetop. Let sit for 20-30 minutes.
#SpoonTip: If you have a black stovetop, be sure to cover gas knobs with a long paper towel. The cleaner can remove paint if left for too long.
Step 3
Follow steps 5 and 6 from the Baking Soda Method while wearing cleaning gloves. If there is any residue left on the stove, wring out sponge and clean once more with warm, soapy water
As much as I avoid cleaning my stove, there's a huge amount of satisfaction once it's done. Cleaning your gas stove may seem like a daunting task at first, but the more you do it the easier it'll be the next time. And if you need to get grease build-up off the stove hood, you can always try using some vodka. That way, you can enjoy some part of the cleaning.