You’ve got to do more than clean up spills on the stove top and wipe your oven down once in awhile. Sure, basic maintenance is critical, but you can’t neglect the elbow grease on those built-up stains, peppered with some regular TLC. This essential kitchen appliance needs regular maintenance to stay in tip-top shape. Better Homes and Gardens says gas and electricity ranges are the most common types of residential ovens, with gas ranges better for precisely controlling temperatures. Gas ovens are also generally more affordable than their electric counterparts. This cleaning regimen is even more critical when you have designer outdoor kitchens in Houston.
Keeping up with Everyday Spills
Never take an abrasive sponge to your stovetop, as you risk making small scratches that can damage the surface, says Reader’s Digest. Instead, use damp soft cloths and clean up the spills as they happen. If you let pasta sauce dry and harden, you’ll have a much harder time scrubbing at it. To make it easy on yourself, clean up the stove top every time you use it, such as after supper. If you’ve neglected a spill and it’s already baked on, use a simple mixture of dishwashing liquid, warm water and white vinegar, and gently scrub with a cloth or sponge.
Month-to-Month Cleaning
Your gas range is more likely to perform well when maintained every month. This will equal less headache for you later when it comes to seasonal cleaning. A little more involved than the daily spill wipe-ups, a monthly cleaning involves a little more elbow grease. DIY Network recommends first shutting off the main gas supply, then unplugging the oven for safety. Take off all grills, grates and drip pans, and soak them in warm sudsy water in the sink to get all the deep-set grime off. To clean the burners, scrub each one with a small handheld brush or even an old toothbrush, using a mixture of liquid detergent and warm water. The clock and display areas are notorious for getting splashed with grease and coated with dust, so don’t neglect this area that everyone sees. Do it Yourself says to forget about spraying this area directly with glass cleaner and remove the knobs instead. Place those in a sudsy bath while you wipe down the surface with a damp sponge. Dry and replace the knobs.
Twice Yearly Jobs
Spring and fall call for seasonal stove cleaning. Your appliance will function better if you clean it thoroughly twice a year. In fact, Martha Stewart says when grime and dirt build up, they tend to clog the fuel ports and hood vents, leading to less efficient operation of the unit. Plus, it will look better too. When doing seasonal cleaning, budget about two hours for this task. If you’ve been cleaning the hood’s exterior every week and changing the filters monthly, you’ll be in a much better position when it comes to monthly cleaning. If your oven is self-cleaning, congratulations! You don’t have to do this. If not, you’ll have to put in the time. Soak all racks in the sink and scrub the inside of the oven door with warm water and vinegar so no streaks develop. For the oven’s interior, make a paste consisting of 3/4 cup baking soda and 1/4 cup warm water and apply it, allowing it to cure overnight. When it’s dried, scrape it off with a plastic tool meant for this purpose, then wipe it with a slightly damp rag.
If you tackle all the small chores each day, this seasonal cleaning won’t be such a drag.
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