It is best to wipe up cooking spills as you make them, but that doesn't always happen. No matter how carefully you try to clean as you go, you sometimes have to clean burnt on food and grease from the grates and burners on your gas stove. Fortunately, you don't have to turn to chemical cleaners. There are natural options available.
Vinegar Rinse
Vinegar can do a great job getting rid of grease from the grates and burners on a gas stove.
Supplies
- Vinegar
- Water
- Spray bottle
- Shallow pan
- Soft scrub brush (a toothbrush works well)
Instructions for Grates
- Fill a shallow pan with a 50/50 mixture of vinegar and water.
- Fully submerge the grates in the solution. Let them soak for at least 30 minutes.
- Pull the grates from the solution and use the scrub brush on them.
- Rinse the grates.
- Repeat the vinegar soak followed by more scrubbing as necessary.
Cleaning Burners
- While the grates are soaking, mix 50/50 water and vinegar in a spray bottle.
- Spray down the burners carefully. Give them a nice coat so the acid can eat at the grime, but do not saturate the burners.
- Allow the mixture to sit for 15-20 minutes.
- Use a scrub pad to wipe off the grime.
- Repeat as necessary.
Vinegar and Baking Soda
If your gas stove's grates and burners are covered in crusted on food, you may need baking soda in addition to a vinegar and water solution. The acid in the vinegar will help to break down the grease, while the baking soda will work as a gentle scrubbing agent to remove the dried food.
Materials
- White vinegar
- Baking soda
- Shallow dish
- Water
- Soft bristle brush
- Spray bottle
- Microfiber cloth
- Scrub pad
Method for Grates
- Fill the shallow dish with a 50/50 mix of water and vinegar. Use enough to cover the grates when you put them in the pans.
- Place the grates in the vinegar solution.
- Allow to sit in solution for 30 minutes.
- Pull out the grates out of the mixture and rinse them.
- Mix the baking soda and water into a nice thick paste.
- Coat the grate in the baking soda paste.
- Allow them to sit for 15-30 minutes
- Use the scrub brush to remove caked on food and grease.
- Rinse and spot clean as necessary.
Method for Burners
- Spray down the burners carefully with the 50/50 water and vinegar mixture, coating them well without saturating.
- Allow the mixture to sit for 15-20 minutes.
- Apply a thin coat of the baking soda and water mixture to the burners and allow to sit.
- Use the scrub brush to scrub away the caked-on food.
Lemon Juice
If you don't have vinegar on hand, you can use lemon juice to remove caked-on grease from your burners and grates.
What You Need
- Lemon Juice
- Water
- Plastic zipper baggies that fit the grates
- Soft scrub brush
- Dish rag
Cleaning Grates
- Place the grill grates in the plastic bags, making sure they are completely covered.
- Fill the bags with lemon juice and allow the grates to sit in them for 30 - 60 minutes.
- Pull out the grates and scrub them with the brush, focusing on the corners.
- Rinse with water.
Scrubbing Burners
- Soak the dish rag in lemon juice and rub it on the burner.
- Allow the juice to sit on the burners for 15 - 20 minutes, or even longer for really stuck on particles.
- Take the scrub brush and scrub the burner to remove the baked-on grease.
Spot Cleaning
Depending on how much crusted on grease or burnt on food is on your stove, you may need a more stubborn cleaning method. To get a little extra scrubbing power, all you need is a toothbrush and salt or baking soda. To use this method, simply:
- Dip the toothbrush in the baking soda or salt
- Scrub the area with the toothbrush.
