We’ve all been there before. We’re cooking dinner on the stove top and, suddenly, something boils over or splatters all over the place. Messes like this happen in the kitchen, but if they aren’t taken care of properly, they can cause unsanitary (and embarrassing) buildup on your stove top. It’s essential to know how to clean household appliances like your microwave, oven, and stove top because you use them so frequently. The stove top is especially important, though, since neglecting to clean it can cause some serious problems—and people will also definitely notice if it’s dirty. Here’s how to clean your stop top effectively and get rid of those unsightly messes quickly.
You should clean your stove top because it’s an area that sees a lot of traffic—and splatter. “Cleaning your stove top is important because it is an area of your kitchen that is most prone to grease, food grime, and bacteria buildup,” says Johnny Pallares, owner of De La Rosa House Cleaning.
It’s also important to disinfect your stove top, especially if you’re cooking with items like raw chicken. If you don’t clean your stove top, you could spread the bacteria and germs that come from the items you’re cooking with. Cleaning your stove top will make your kitchen cleaner and reduce the chance of someone falling ill. It’s embarrassing to have company show up unexpectedly and see your messy stove top, so be prepared to scrub quickly and know how to clean your kitchen fast.
If you don’t clean your stove top, food and oil will build up on its surface. The longer that buildup sits, the harder it will be to clean down the road. Plus, this buildup can leave unpleasant stains on your stove top. “Every time you use your stove top to cook, small amounts of food, oil, dirt, and grime begin to build up atop it and form stains,” says Cyrus Bedwyr, an oven cleaning specialist at Fantastic Services. “With time, these stains will become quite noticeable.” If you don’t know how to remove stains like these, they could easily become eyesores.
You could also damage your stove top and reduce its life span by not cleaning it. “Depending on what type of stove you have, if you don’t clean your stove top frequently, grease can build up around the coils and burners and impact the life span of your appliance,” Leanna Staph, Chief Operating Officer of The Cleaning Authority, explains. The average life span of home appliances varies, but one thing is certain: You want to keep your stove top properly working for as long as possible, and cleaning it will help it last longer.
Pallares adds that not cleaning your stove top can also be a fire hazard. “A stove top with large amounts of food and grease buildup can cause that leftover food to burn and can cause a kitchen fire.”
How often you should clean your stove top depends on how often you use it. “Someone who cooks once a week may only need to clean it once a month,” Pallares explains. “However, a family of four that cooks five to seven days per week should clean their stove top at least once a week.”
If you’re worried about grease and food building up on your stove top, you can always do a quick cleanup after each use. Just make sure the stove top is cool before you wipe it down.
Knowing how to clean your stove top is essential, especially if you have a glass stove top. Bedwyr says the following procedure is a great way to make your glass stove top shine.
What you’ll need:
Once you have those materials, here’s what to do:
If you have a gas stove top, Staph recommends the following process for cleaning it properly.
What you’ll need:
Once you have everything, here’s what to do:
All that grime and grease will be gone before you know it!
If your electric stove top needs a good scrubbing (don’t forget the coils!), Bedwyr says the following cleaning routine will make your stove top look as good as new.
What you’ll need:
Once you have the materials, here’s what to do:
Cleaning experts recommend staying away from cleaning products that have a large amount of chemicals when cleaning your stove top. “Stick to natural products,” Staph says. “Baking soda is effective at eating away stuck-on foods and stains.” There are other baking soda uses that can save the day, but this one is especially helpful for cleaning.
Bedwyr says to avoid using scrubby sponges and steel wool when cleaning a glass stove top, as they can leave surface scratches and deep crevasses in the glass’ surface.
Consistency is key when it comes to keeping your stove top clean. “A quick daily clean goes a long way in keeping a happy and healthy kitchen,” Pallares says. “I also recommend checking the edges of your stove and cleaning there. This area is missed frequently, and old food and grease can easily build up in there.” He also recommends cleaning your oven once every three months to keep it sanitized and running smoothly.
If you see a mess on your stove top, wipe it up quickly if you can. It’ll save you some cleaning hassle down the line, and it will keep your kitchen looking tidy. P.S.—if you’re looking for a powerful cleaner, check out The Pink Stuff. It’s a total game-changer!
