Stove burners and stove burner pans are some of the most vexing things to clean in any kitchen. They are prone to both food spills AND high heats, which results in baked-on messes that are seemingly impossible to remove.
Before I got a nice, new gas stove a couple of years ago, I had a clunky old electrical range that suffered from the same issues I mentioned above. I eventually just started buying cheap packs of replacement stove burner pans at Walmart, because I could not for the life of me find an effective way to clean them. But once I got a nice new gas range, I knew I’d have to figure out how to get those parts clean, since they aren’t as easily replaceable as the burner pans had been. That’s when I discovered the ammonia method that I’ll be showing you today!
Using this method, I am able to clean all the removable parts of my stove without any serious scrubbing. It’s super simple, and I use it a couple of times a year to keep my stove looking clean and sparkly! For those of you who haven’t tried this method yet, you simply MUST. Period. One of the best tips I’ve ever come across on Pinterest, and that’s saying a LOT!
How to Clean Your Stove Burners
You’ll need:
- Stove burner parts
- Gallon-sized ziplock bags
- Ammonia
Directions:
Pour a splash of ammonia into a ziplock bag. Then place one of your stove parts into the bag and seal it, and repeat until all the parts you want to clean are sealed up in bags. (You can put between a few parts in the same bag if there’s enough space.)
Leave the bags on your countertop overnight.
In the morning, pull the parts out of the bag and use a soapy sponge to wipe away the grease and grime. (You might want to use rubber gloves for this part!)
If there are a few extra stubborn stubborn spots of grime, tackle them with a paste of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide and a little elbow grease. The baking soda/peroxide paste can also help polish the shinier parts and leave them looking sparkling clean.
I think the before-and-after pictures speak for themselves!
The only part that didn’t come quite as clean as I would have liked was the burner base. But as you can see in the before photo, the part was a little rusty already, so I think that contributed to it not coming as clean as the other parts. I’ll have to use something a bit tougher on that piece, but otherwise everything looked marvelous!
I was highly skeptical of this method before I tried it, but I’m so glad I did! Now it’s your turn! :-)
NEW! Can you guess the 5-letter word related to today’s post?
More Ideas You'll Love
I love all of your helpful tips…I found this method about 2years ago….it works great and it’s super easy!!!!!! Thanks for all you post!!!!! Darlene Ritter
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Great idea! Any suggestions on how to use this method to clean larger pot frames? Mine are two burner so barely fit in my sink, definitely not in a ziplock bag!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have the same thing and was thinking of using a garbage bag and putting it in the tub overnight.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Just put them in a garbage bag. This method works well for cleaning the oven racks as well. You leave them outside overnight.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Use the giant sweater ziploc bags for bigger parts! The kind you store sweaters and blankets in. Those should work.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I love love love your website.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.dawn and vinegar, soek them,rinse
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have an imported Italian gas cooktop, and the cast iron grates are in rows, so obviously they aren’t going to fit in a plastic bag.
As big a fan as I am of clear ammonia, I came across a solution to cleaning the grates that, for me, is THE easiest one I’ve ever used. It’s no worse, chemically speaking, than ammonia, and there is zero work involved.
I use a container of Easy Off Oven Cleaner, the one in the BLUE can. I put the grates in a black trash bag, then spray the Easy Off on the grates, seal the bag, and put it out in the sun in the backyard. In a few hours (or more if they’re very greasy), I take them out, rinse them off, and voila. EVERYTHING is clean. No scrubbing, no fussy, no problems. CLEAN, grease-free, and looking brand new.
I usually have a bunch of stuff to throw out, and I recycle the trash bag immediately by filling it up with whatever’s been hanging around.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I endorse your suggestion! I do the same and works PERFECTLY
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I do the same, my mother in law was amazed my cook top and oven always sparkled. Because she hated me I just told her elbow grease hahaha
The grates don’t discolor? This sounds great!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Could this work on a slow cooker base if l put the ammonia in a contailer in the base and place the lot in a large bag and seal it,or would it damage the working
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I’ve tried it with my gas stove grates – they’re more like a heavier wrought iron (not coated finish like yours). It didn’t work quite as well as the wrought iron has a rougher finish – like a gas grill. I hate these grates – beware if you’re buying a gas stove; they’re a lot harder to keep clean.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have cast iron pan supports and found it impossible to clean off burnt on spills without removing part of the black coating.. After searching for an answer I couldn’t find! I tried this.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I soak them overnight in the bath/tub putting a towel in first to protect the base from scratching..Fill enough hot water mixed with washing clothes liquid. Lay pan supports on towels. It worked! Lifted all the stuck on burnt food and grease.
Toni.
Try Easy Off in the BLUE can. My grates are like yours. I put mine in a black trash bag, spray them in the bag with Easy Off, seal the bag and put it out for a few hours in the sun. When I go to rinse them, they’re perfectly clean, grease free, and nothing is stuck. They look brand new, no matter how bad they were before.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Just use easy off , my saviour in oven and top cleaning
Please log in or create a free account to comment.What about the white stovetop itself? How do you get the baked on stuff off of it?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I use Dr Bronners on my stovetop. Mine is stainless steel but I’m sure it would work on your white top. Thoroughly wet the stovetop with hot water. Put a few drops of Dr Bronners on the stovetop and wipe the burnt on food or spills. Leave for 5 minutes or longer if needed, then wipe off. Works for me every time!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I live in an apartment and have tried this twice already on the stove parts for a gas stove. I think there are deep scratches on the grills. I hate to cook now since all my pots and pans are being scratched beyond repair. Should I purchase new grills or try this method a few more times?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I have been cleaning my gray gas stove parts like this for years! I don’t even splurge on ziplock bags. I just use my grocery store bags and tie them at the top! After leaving the parts in the bags for 5-6 hours, I scrub them with bar keepers friend and a toothbrush. Believe me, the scrubbing is just a formality because the baked on stuff comes right off! It is amazing! So satisfying to see my stove as clean as a brand new stove!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.How much is a “splash” of ammonia? I want to make sure I add enough to the bag to do the trick.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I use approximately 1/4 cup to the bag. Your goal is just to get great fumes from the ammonia. That’s what works on the baked on stuff and causes it to “lift” off.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.So I am a bit confused with the amount of ammonia. I tried this method once, and put as much ammonia as I could into each bag. It didn’t work so well! Then I saw the post about cleaning the oven where you use ammonia in a warm oven so it will steam. Using that method worked great, so I’m now thinking I should put the Ziploc with the stove parts and ammonia outside in the hot sun for the afternoon? And it really only needs to be a small amount?
You always prempt my To Do list with your timely inspiration. Great advice, Thx Brigitte
Please log in or create a free account to comment.But Doe’s this also work for electric drip Pan’s also?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I don’t know because they have a chrome finish…but, I found aluminum foil drip pans online and at Walmart. I usually wipe them off or wash in the sink to prolong the use. I used them on top of the chrome drip pans.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.