How to clean a gas stove from grease?

No matter how neat the hostess is, stains and oil splashes from cooking food inevitably fall on the gas stove. Of course, there is nothing easier than to immediately remove the pollution with a sponge, but there are so many things to do around the house. Sometimes there is simply no time to wash the stove immediately after cooking, and in some cases women get so tired during the day that they simply don’t feel like doing it in the evening. And the next day, we already have to solve a new problem - how to wash the surface from already frozen, and sometimes stubborn grease stains. In this article, we will consider different ways to clean the gas stove and its main parts from fat.

The choice of means and method of cleaning directly depends on the material of manufacture of the hob, but There are several general rules for cleaning gas stoves (some are also suitable for electrical appliances):

• cleaning the gas stove, especially with commercial products, should only be done with rubber gloves, as these products contain components that can irritate the skin of the hands;
• make sure that the tile has completely cooled down after the last use, otherwise you risk getting burned;
• you should never use a cleaning agent that contains aggressive acids in the list of active ingredients;
• Abrasive substances are categorically not suitable for this purpose, as they leave a large number of scratches on the plate, due to which the plate gets dirty even more intensively. But soda and mixtures containing it can be safely used, because this product not only softens fat, but also absorbs unpleasant odors from burnt food;

• when cleaning, do not use metal brushes and very hard sponges, as a strong mechanical impact damages the surface of the plate;
• it is much more difficult to clean the grease when it has already hardened and absorbed, so washing the gas stove should be a regular activity, not an emergency. Ideally, this should be done after each cooking process;
• no matter what material the hob is made of, it is most suitable for cleaning it in the form of pastes, gels or creams, and not powders;
• before starting work, it is advisable to turn off the gas supply if the stove is gas and be sure to disconnect the appliance from the mains if there is an electric stove in the kitchen;
• before proceeding directly to washing, remove the burners, and place a rag in the holes from them, which will prevent liquid from getting inside.

There are dozens of ways to clean the stove from grease using improvised means. Many folk recipes for such mixtures include ingredients that are present in almost any home. These are, first of all, soda and vinegar, citric acid and ammonia, mustard powder and baking powder for dough. And for those who prefer to use ready-made commercial products, the modern household chemicals market provides a huge selection of effective products for cleaning gas stoves.

Consider the most common of each category.

Methods for cleaning with improvised means:

• If the fat has appeared recently and has not yet had time to harden, you can remove it with ordinary vinegar (9%). If it is more concentrated, dilute it with a little water. Pour the liquid into a spray bottle and spray over the entire surface of the gas stove. Wait 15 minutes and remove dirt with a soft sponge, then wipe the stove with a wet cloth and wipe dry.
• If the greasy stains are already frozen and it is impossible to wipe them off with simple methods, use the help of citric acid. Moisten the surface a little and sprinkle the powder generously on visible spots. You can replace citric acid with lemon: squeeze the juice on the greasy stain and rub it a little with a lemon wedge. Now you need to let the product dissolve the fat (10-15 minutes), and then easily wipe it off with a sponge or cloth.

• Mix soda and the finest salt in equal proportions (large is not suitable, as there is a high risk of scratching the stove), add a little water to make a soft slurry. Rub the resulting mixture on the oily surface and rinse with water.
• Gruel made from dry mustard and a small amount of water breaks down fat very well. Thickly treat all oily areas with it, wait 20 minutes, rub a little, then rinse with water.
• If the spots are old and there are a lot of them, use a stronger remedy. Using a spray bottle, dampen the gas stove with vinegar, fresh lemon juice, or citric acid solution. Sprinkle the stained surface with baking soda on top. As a result, a chemical reaction must occur between the acid and the alkali, which will help soften the hardened fat.

• Ammonia-anise drops perfectly cope with fat. Add a teaspoon of ammonia to a glass of water, apply to the dirty surface of the stove. After 15 minutes, remove the softened fat with a cloth, rinse off the remaining product with water and wipe everything dry.
• In the most advanced cases, some housewives use refined gasoline, wetting a greasy stove with it, and after 10 minutes washing it off with plenty of water.
• If you have the opportunity to start brushing in the evening and finish early in the morning, use the following recipe. Prepare a solution of 50 g of grated soap and a small amount of hot water. Add 100 ml of vinegar (9%) and 40 g of soda ash to this. Treat the entire surface of the tile with the finished mixture and leave it to act until morning. During this time, the fat deposits will loosen, and it will be possible to remove them almost effortlessly. Instead of the described mixture, you can prepare a solution of 2 liters of water and 4 tbsp. l. salt - in the same way, fill the stove with it in the evening, and in the morning complete the process of cleaning it.

When cleaning the surface of the gas stove from grease, do not forget to wash the upper grate as well. The method of removing contaminants from it will depend on the material of manufacture. If it is cast iron, then the best way in this case is roasting over an open fire, under the influence of which all burnt particles of food and fat will fall off by themselves. You can also steam the grate in the oven. The main thing is not to wipe the grate with a damp cloth after that, but simply dry it quickly so that it does not rust.

The most effective way to remove grease from a steel grate is based on ammonia. It is enough to lubricate the rods with ammonia using a sponge and completely place the grate in a plastic bag. Tie it up for at least two hours.After that, simply wash under the tap using ordinary dishwashing liquid - grease and burnt food can be easily washed off the steel bars.

The above recipes do help remove grease from a gas stove, but like all natural remedies, they have their drawbacks, the main one being that you have to wait a long time for the remedy to work, and as a result, you still have to apply physical effort. Household chemicals are a completely different matter. The formulas of store-bought products include ingredients that allow you to dissolve fat almost instantly, and remove it by simply wiping the stove with a cloth.

All the variety of such products can be divided into the following groups:

• abrasive substances. These are powders containing abrasive particles. Instructions for their use are usually as follows: the powder is scattered over the entire hob for the period recommended by the manufacturer, after which the fat is physically wiped off the stove with a stiff brush, and the remnants of the product are washed off with water. As already mentioned, the use of abrasive substances is highly undesirable in relation to gas stoves. The only option when this is justified is a stainless steel surface that is not threatened by scratches.

• Detergents. Cream and gel products contain microgranules that act as an abrasive, but, unlike those in powder products, they do not scratch the slab. They are applied to a surface slightly moistened with water, after some time they are erased with a sponge along with dissolved fat.Detergents also include pastes and foams, one of the advantages of which is their ability to be held without dripping even on horizontal surfaces.
• Fat dissolvers. These are concentrated sprays designed specifically for removing grease, so they should not be applied to the entire surface of the stove, but only to grease spots. The exposure time is indicated on the package. Usually, heavily soiled ovens, grates, handles and burners are cleaned with grease solvents.

Each of the details of the gas stove requires a special approach to cleaning grease. Consider how to properly clean the hob, its handles, burners, burnt bottom, jets and oven. Even plastic can be cleaned from old fat.

To clean the surface of a plate made of stainless steel or with another coating, you must follow the following instructions:

• Pull out the burners.
• Use a dry sponge or rag to remove unburned dirt particles and food residues from the stove.
• Almost all products (both folk and commercial) are applied to a wet surface, so the next step is to moisturize it. You can do this with water, vinegar or citric acid - it all depends on the cleaning method you choose.
• Apply a grease remover (ready-made or homemade).

• After the set time, rub the hob gently with a sponge or soft brush to remove any burnt fat.
• Wipe the surface with a damp cloth, repeat the procedure until completely clean.
• Let the stove dry completely or wipe it yourself.
• At the final stage, you can treat the clean surface with polish or ordinary glass liquid.

Clean the areas around the burners especially carefully, as they are the most contaminated.

The main parts of a gas burner are a nozzle, a fire diffuser and a lid made of enamelled steel. You can clean the burner with ordinary soapy water, then rinse with hot running water. If the part is heavily soiled, it is pre-soaked. When cleaning the burner itself, do not use chlorine-containing products. Apply the selected composition to it and clean it with a little effort with the hard side of a regular sponge, wash it and be sure to dry it.

When something more powerful is required, use the following recipe. Make an vinegar solution by combining equal amounts of water and vinegar. Place the burners in it and boil them for about five minutes. Turn off the heat, but do not remove the burners until the liquid has cooled completely. Clean the parts with a sponge or toothbrush, rinse with warm water and dry.

These elements of the gas stove get dirty very quickly, so they also require frequent cleaning. To wash the handles from grease and dirt, place them in a regular soapy solution for several hours, then wipe with a sponge. If you can't wait that long, boil the pens in a liter of water with two tablespoons of vinegar added, and after cooling down naturally, remove any remaining dirt. This procedure allows you to get rid of fat even in hard-to-reach places.

If the handles on your stove cannot be removed and cleaned separately, prepare baking soda and ammonia, a sponge, a toothbrush and toothpicks with cotton swabs.

Operating procedure:

• Treat the handles with baking soda applied to the soft side of the sponge.
• Prepare a solution of ammonia (1: 1) and clean especially difficult places with it. Focusing on the size of the holes and gaps, use a toothbrush and cotton swabs.
• Let the product work and, after 10 minutes, rub the handles again with a clean sponge or brush.
• Clean the most inaccessible places with a toothpick.

The oven is the place where the fat inside is especially actively accumulated and burnt. And it can be very, very difficult to clean it up. Here are a few ways to effectively get rid of greasy deposits in the oven.

All the ingredients of this tool are usually present in the locker of any hostess. It can be used to clean an oven with an average degree of pollution. Completely free it from all contents - baking sheets, grates, thermometer and other elements, if any.

Make a paste from half a cup of baking soda and water and apply it all over the inside of the oven, and especially thickly where the fat and soot is the most. Leave for 12 hours. Using a dry cloth first, and then a plastic spatula, remove the soot and soda paste that has separated from the walls. If in some places the fat is not completely removed, sprinkle them with a solution of vinegar (you can use a spray bottle). Having reacted with the remnants of soda, the liquid forms a foam, which can be easily removed with a sponge along with soot.

Remove everything except the grate from the oven and preheat it to 200 degrees.Pour water into a baking sheet or any container and pour 20 g of citric acid (it can be replaced with highly concentrated vinegar or any dish detergent). Now place the baking sheet on the lowest level (the bowl is right on the bottom).

After about 40 minutes, perspiration will appear on the door - this means that the water has begun to boil. Turn off the oven and do not open the door for another half an hour. After removing the pan or bowl of liquid, rub the sides with the hard side of the sponge. To remove badly burnt grease stains, additionally use baking soda.

To avoid too much contamination of the gas stove, follow a few simple rules:

• make sure that the flame does not go beyond the edges of the dishes during cooking;
• make sure that when the liquid boils, do not flood the burners;
• when using the oven, if possible, cover cooking dishes with a lid, special paper or foil;
• after the dish is cooked, do not leave the dishes with it on the gas stove, use it only for culinary purposes, and not as a stand;

• if you plan to fry something without a lid, you can cover the surface of the stove with foil, after cutting holes for the burners. Some housewives scatter a layer of soda instead of foil;
• remove all greasy stains immediately after they appear, without waiting for solidification.

At home, cleaning a gas stove from grease is not difficult at all. You just need to follow our advice.

You will learn how to clean a gas stove from grease without chemicals from the following video.