Dirty and greasy kitchen gas burners and drip pans not only expose your kitchen to an increased risk of fire, they also damage the appliance and negatively affect your cooking. Nobody wants to see their gas range go up in flames or produce terrible food simply because of dirt you can eliminate. If you suspect that yours is due for a cleaning, read on to learn how to clean a gas range burner safely at home.
Materials You Will Need
Cleaning your gas range at home will not require a run to the supply store. Start by gathering cleaning materials that are readily found in your house, such as:
- Baking Soda
- Paper clip
- Non-abrasive scrub pad
- Old toothbrush
- Dish Soap
- Drying Cloth
Cleaning Instructions
Now that you have your tools ready, here is how to clean a gas range burner:
1. Read the Manual
The first step in cleaning your gas range burner is determining the type of care suited to the appliance. This information is usually clearly indicated in the product’s manual. By reading the manufacturer’s instructions, you can identify the parts that are safe to remove for cleaning and those you should avoid completely. The goal is to avoid damaging your high end gas range with griddle during cleaning. Some manuals will even suggest the best cleaning agents to use and those to avoid.
2. Remove the Top
When cleaning older cooktops with a standing pilot light, you will be required to first shut off the gas valve. On the other hand, if your gas burner has a removable ceramic disc atop the burner, all you need to do is lift the disc off the burners and make sure that the burners are not hot to avoid getting burned.
3. Take Off the Burner Heads
In most gas burners, the head of the burner sits atop the venturi tube. When cleaning, lift the burner heads to remove them and ensure you don’t damage or bend the ignition electrode.
4. Soak the Removed Parts
To help loosen hardened debris off the burner heads, soak the caps and burner heads in a mixture of warm water and liquid dish soap for a maximum of 20 to 30 minutes.
5. Scrub the Parts
With the help of an old toothbrush and a non-abrasive scrub pad, clean all the food stains from all surfaces on the caps and burner heads. Use a straightened paper clip to remove the debris that remains in the port openings, but make sure not to dig around deeply to avoid damaging the metal. Also, avoid using a toothpick as a wooden prick may break off and clog the portholes further.
Carefully mix half water and half baking soda to get rid of extremely stubborn stains. Apply this paste to the affected surfaces of the caps and burner heads. You can opt to use a non-abrasive pad to help scrub off these stubborn stains. However, you should never use steel wool or bleaching agents to clean parts of your stove burner.
6. Rinse
Once you are done getting rid of the stubborn stains, thoroughly rinse the cleaned parts under running water and shake them to drain excess water. Finish by drying them with a clean, dry cloth and leaving the parts to dry out before reassembling them. While the parts continue to dry, you can decide to clean other parts of your stove, including the drip pans and grills, using the same soak-and-scrub method.
7. Reassemble
Reassemble the cleaned grills, drip pans, caps, and burner heads once they dry completely. Make sure not to damage or bend the ignition electrodes on electronic ignition stoves as you reassemble.
8. Relight the Pilot Lights
For gas stoves with standing pilot lights, carefully follow the manual instructions for relighting the pilot flames. Test the burners to check for any abnormal flame color or indicator that the caps are not installed correctly over the burner heads.
Cleaning Tips for the Burners on Your Gas Stove
Additional pointers to help you clean your best range include:
- Keep the burner unclogged and the grates clean
- Keep all cooktop parts dry to avoid any risk of rust.
- Never use sharp objects to clean stubborn stains on the gas cooktop.
- Use removable gas range protector cooktop liners to prevent boil-overs and catch spills from damaging your burners.
Keeping Your Gas Stove Clean
Below are a few tips on how to maintain a clean and high quality gas range:
- Make sure no moisture is left on your grates and burners after cleaning them.
- Immediately wipe any spilling and overflows from the pans using a soapy detergent, water, and a sponge.
- Soak all clogged burners in soapy water for 20 minutes to prevent kitchen hazards.
How Often Should You Clean a Gas Burner?
It is often advisable to clean your gas burners whenever the flame exhibits abnormal flame colors. You can also clean your burners once every month or follow the instructions given in the manual.
Final Thoughts
Gas stove burners are very easy to clean and maintain, and learning how to clean a gas range burner is a crucial life skill for any gas range owner. The trick is to keep on checking for yellow flames and abnormal flame patterns in the stove’s gas burners. When the flame changes or the burner heads starts to function inefficiently, your stove might be due for a cleaning.