Can you tell me how to clean electric stove hot plates without damaging them? I share a studio apartment with a roommate and we don’t have a regular stove. She let the pot boil over and now there is food crusted on the burners.
Missy E., NYC
There are many different ways to clean a stove top and various solutions that work for general cleaning and stain removal. Cleaning a stovetop or oven works the same way as cleaning electric stove hot plates. If you have instructions that came with the hot plate, follow those tips. If not, let’s go over a couple of ways to remove food from burners and stoves. Before you begin, be sure to unplug the electric stove hot plate from the wall.
One effective method is to use oven cleaner on the burners. Spray it onto the hot plate when it is cool and wipe it off with a sponge. For tough spots, you might need to let the foam sit for a few minutes. Be aware that oven cleaners are harsh on skin and lungs, so please open windows, turn on fans, and wear gloves when using them.
Secondly, if you don’t have oven cleaner or don’t want to worry about potential harm to your health, but you have white distilled vinegar or lemon juice and baking soda in your pantry, those work well for stove cleaning, too. This combination of ingredients removes crusted food and stains without scratching glass, ceramics, or steel and is the perfect DIY descaling solution.
As a bonus, you can also use this recipe for how to clean a waffle iron and remove baked-on pieces of dough and grease that may have stuck to the surface. Vinegar, lemon juice, and baking soda are ideal for all sorts of cleaning tasks from the kitchen to the bathroom to the basement.
How to clean a stainless steel cooktop involves forming a paste from baking soda and lemon juice or vinegar, applying it to the stovetop with the grain and letting that rest on the stains for several minutes, or up to a half-hour if needed. Wipe off carefully with a microfiber cloth or sponge.
Use this paste on the interior of the oven, as well, to get rid of burned areas and grease spatters. This natural oven cleaner is much preferred over commercial products as it is less expensive and not harmful to breathe.
To get rid of haze, if any has been left behind, use a soft cloth dampened with water and wipe dry. There are additional recipes for homemade oven cleaner without baking soda, too.
If you have Bar Keeper’s Friend cleanser, it is ideal for cleaning and polishing steel surfaces without damaging them and it is easy to use.
While you are taking care of cleaning the stovetop, this is an excellent opportunity for cleaning kitchen exhaust fan. Remove the filter and clean it thoroughly by soaking in hot water and Dawn dish soap. Use the soap and water to wipe the fan blades to get rid of greasy buildup. Stubborn grease may respond better to vinegar or baking soda. Rinse everything clean and replace the filter.
For learning how to clean every part of an oven and stove, try these tips: https://www.tipsbulletin.com/how-to-clean-an-oven-from-the-stove-top-to-between-the-glass-in-the-door/
Joan
