How and with what to clean the grate of a gas stove from grease and carbon deposits: a review of effective home remedies
To reduce cleaning of a gas stove in the kitchen, some people try to cook carefully and cover the cooking surface with foil or special fiberglass covers. Agree that these methods are ineffective, because the grate remains unprotected and grease and soot still accumulate on it.
You can get rid of dirt using commercial detergents, but not all of them are safe for health and the environment. We will tell you how to clean the grate of a gas stove without expensive chemicals. In this article we will look at the most effective home remedies that will help cope with various types of pollution. We will select the best ways to combat carbon deposits and grease on stainless, cast iron, and enameled grates.
The content of the article:
Preparing for general grill cleaning
The grate should be cleaned separately from the gas stove. The structure must be carefully removed from the hob. If there are rubber or plastic stands, they must also be removed. Sectional lattice products are convenient wash in dishwasher or in a prepared basin with a special detergent.
On some stove models, the grate cannot be removed; in this situation, it is more difficult to wash off the grease. Cleaning will have to be done on the stove.To remove dirt in hard-to-reach places, additional small brushes are used.
When washing a gas stove, only wear durable rubber gloves. They will protect the skin of your hands from the negative effects of detergents, protect your fingers from sharp protrusions on the grill and prevent you from getting dirty with soot.
Before you clean the grate of your gas stove with purchased powders or improvised means at home, you need to look at what material the structure is made of (cast iron, enamel or steel). Because some potent products can “corrode” not only carbon deposits, but also the top layer of coating.
Methods for cleaning cast iron grates
Many people buy gas stoves with cast iron grates. They are strong, incapable of deformation from high temperatures and durable.
Despite its massive appearance, cast iron is still a finicky metal and should be cleaned carefully.
You should not scrape off grease from a cast iron grate with a knife, as metal particles may be scraped off along with the dirt. It is not recommended to use metal brushes.
The material also reacts poorly to strong abrasive substances. Next, we'll look at the best and safest cleaning methods.
Method #1 - calcination by fire
This is the best method for cleaning cast iron grates; it will get rid of a layer of fat even in hard-to-reach places.You can heat the grate directly over the gas burners or use it for these purposes. gas burner.
It is best to bake a cast iron grate outdoors. You can light a fire or use a gas burner for these purposes. During the burning process, fat releases an unpleasant odor. If the procedure will be performed indoors, be sure to open the windows and turn on the hood. By the way, a kitchen hood is also necessary from time to time clean from grease.
Algorithm of actions:
- Place the grate over a lit burner or open flame.
- Periodically turn the cast iron structure over so it can warm up on all sides.
- Wait until the fat burns out completely.
- Allow the rods to cool.
- Wipe the grate with a damp cloth to remove soot and remaining dirt. Dry the product immediately.
Calcination can also be performed in sand. To do this, the grid is placed on a metal sheet or baking sheet. Cover it with sand and place the container on the fire. Contaminants from the structure should burn out within a couple of hours.
Method #2 - cleaning with laundry soap
For this procedure you will need a bar of 72% laundry soap and 100-150 grams of office glue. Pour water into a container of suitable size and heat it almost to a boil. Then add grated soap and glue, mix everything thoroughly. A grate is lowered into the finished substance and “cooked” for about two hours.
The high temperature will melt the fat; after the procedure it must be washed off the hot metal structure. If the dirt has partially come off, then the residue can be wiped off with the hard side of a dishwashing sponge. Be sure to dry the grate immediately; you cannot leave it wet.
Method #3 - washing the grill with 9% vinegar
Add 3 tablespoons of 9% vinegar to a container of water.The stove grate is soaked in the solution and placed in an oven preheated to 60-80 degrees.
The steaming procedure will take at least 30-40 minutes. Afterwards, grease stains can be wiped off with a sponge. Once again, it is better not to wet the cast iron rods. This method is optimal for oversized gas stoves where the grate is not too large or sectional.
Cleaning enamel grilles
Such grates look more attractive than their cast iron counterparts. They are light, not afraid of water and have a smooth shiny surface.
The enamel coating does not have increased resistance to mechanical damage. To protect the structure from scratches, it is better not to use aggressive detergents for cleaning. The product can be washed in the dishwasher if its dimensions allow.
Not everyone has a dishwasher, so we will figure out how to clean the enameled grate of a gas stove from fat and carbon deposits using improvised means.
No. 1 - a mixture of dry mustard and vinegar
Mustard has disinfectant properties and is able to break down fat. It is completely safe for health, so it can be used as a household cleaner.
Steps for cleaning the grille:
- Mix the ingredients: 3 spoons of 9% vinegar, 3 spoons of mustard powder, 1 spoon of dishwashing detergent.
- Using hot water, bring the substance to a pasty state.
- Apply the resulting product to the bars of the grill.
- Leave for 2-3 hours, depending on the degree of contamination of the product.
- Rub the structure with a washcloth and wash off the dirt.
Cleaning the grates in this way does not require large investments and is quite easy to do.
No. 2 - vinegar and water
Vinegar is good at cutting through grease and is often the main ingredient in many cleaning products. To clean the grate of a gas stove from carbon deposits, soak it in vinegar and water (1:1) and leave it overnight. Before the morning, the dirt will dissolve; you just need to rinse and dry the enamel structure.
No. 3 - melamine sponge
Mustard and vinegar work well with carbon deposits, but in both cases it takes at least 3 hours to complete the procedure.
And if guests are “on the doorstep” and you need to get rid of fat urgently, how can you quickly clean the grate of a gas stove? In such a situation, a melamine sponge will help.
Using a sponge is very simple: wet it with water, wipe the grill bars and rinse with clean water. Using the product, you can get rid of carbon deposits not only from enameled surfaces, but also from cast iron and even steel structures.
Cleaning grease from steel grates
Steel products are the most unpretentious of all grating options. Therefore, you can clean them using any of the methods described above. We have also selected a few more products that can be used to effectively remove grease from a steel grate on a gas stove.
If the layer of fat is impressive, then ammonia is used.One jar of the product is poured into a bag with a lattice and screwed tightly.
It is better to take the package out onto the balcony or street. It is ideal to wait 5-6 hours and then rinse the grill with water. Grease and carbon deposits can be easily removed. Be sure to carry out the procedure with gloves, because you can damage the skin of your hands.
In addition, steel gratings can be easily cleaned with abrasives, rubbed with metal brushes and scraped with a knife. Some people rub the structure with sand until all the fat comes off, and then simply rinse with water.
Recommendations for caring for the stove grate
Besides Maintenance The gas stove needs maintenance. In order not to wash the grate for hours, you need to constantly maintain the cleanliness of the stove and its components.
Grease splatters are easier to clean up if they are fresh, so always wipe down the stove after cooking.
Care instructions:
- Fresh grease stains can be easily removed with lemon. The dirty surface of the grill is simply rubbed with a slice of lemon and after 30 minutes wiped with a regular sponge.
- Do not leave the grate wet - grease and dust stick to wet surfaces faster.
- If the grate smells bad, spray it with vinegar and sprinkle salt on it. After 15 minutes, rinse everything off and wipe dry.
- After removing stains, streaks may remain on the metal structure.You can get rid of them using a steam cleaner; it will destroy residual grease in hard-to-reach places and eliminate smudges.
To avoid contamination of the gas stove as a whole, some housewives recommend covering the surface with foil before starting cooking. After finishing cooking, the foil is removed. Then there are no traces of grease splashes left on the hob.
Also, during preventative cleaning, do not forget to clean the stove handles. What can you use a paste made from soda and water for? It is convenient to apply it with a toothbrush, treating not only the handles, but the contaminated areas nearby. The composition is suitable for cleaning removable and non-removable handles.
Conclusions and useful video on the topic
The video below will allow you to compare and evaluate the effectiveness of the most popular home methods for cleaning gas stove grates:
There are many options for easily cleaning gas stove grates from grease. Mustard powder, soda and other homemade “cleaning” products cost pennies. However, they cope with carbon deposits and various contaminants no worse than expensive store-bought gels. The main thing is to choose the right cleaning method for cast iron and enameled structures and don’t forget to wear gloves. Steel gratings are easy to maintain and can be washed using any of the methods listed in the article.
What tools do you use to clean the grate? Or do you think that it’s easier to buy a bottle of cleaning “chemistry” than to experiment and tinker with calcination and preparing various home remedies? Express your opinion, take part in the discussion, ask questions that interest you on the topic of the article - the comment form is located below.
