You love putting your stove to use, but you hate how difficult it is to clean it. Whether you have grease or burnt-on food, here’s how to clean a stove top.

Oh no, there’s company coming for dinner, and the kitchen’s a wreck!

You can wash the floors, tidy up the dishes, and wipe down the counters, but there’s one difficult thing that remains: the stove.

There’s no way to get rid of all that baked-on grease and burnt food before they get here…unless you know the cleaning hacks that will make all the difference.

If you’ve been wondering how to clean a stove top that’s seen better days, keep on reading to find out.

How to Clean a Stove Top with Removable Burner Grates

Cleaning a range with removable burner grates is a two-step process.

First, remove the grates and flame caps from the stove and soak them in hot water mixed with heavy-duty degreasing dish soap. If they won’t fit in your sink, use a plastic tote bin from the dollar store. Soak them for at least a few hours (overnight is best) and scrub them down with steel wool.

Then, wipe down your stove with a mixture of lemon juice and white vinegar and a microfiber cloth to loosen up the cooked-on food. Make a paste with baking soda and soapy water and use that to scrub the remaining stains. For the most stubborn grease spots, you may need to use a handled razor blade to scrape them off.

If your stove has electric heating coils and drip pans, you may have to unplug the coils for cleaning. Don’t soak the coils in water—spray them down with the same solution you used to clean your stovetop and scrub them with a stiff nylon brush.

Cleaning a Flat Glass or Ceramic Stove

Glass and ceramic electric stoves are much more delicate and damage-prone than gas or propane ranges. As such, they won’t hold up to a lot of heavy scrubbing or scraping.

First, spray your stovetop down with white vinegar. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes and then wipe it off with a damp cloth. This will loosen up the baked-on bits and make the deep cleaning easier.

Then, sprinkle an even layer of baking soda over the entire stove. Cover it with a hot, damp towel and let it sit for another 15 minutes before using the towel to scrub the surface clean. The baking soda works as a mildly abrasive cleaner that won’t leave any scratches behind.

To polish it up afterward, spray your stove with one final round of vinegar and wipe it clean.

Preventing Stains and Build-Up in the Future

The best (and easiest) way to clean grease off a stove is to prevent it from ever building up in the first place.

Every time you use your stove, spray it down with some diluted white or apple cider vinegar and wipe it off to kill germs and remove stains. It only takes a few seconds after you use your stove to save yourself hours of scrubbing later on.

Can’t Seem to Get Your Stove Clean?

If you’ve tried and tried to clean your stove to no avail (or just don’t have the energy to tackle the project) it might be time to call in the professionals. At The Homekeepers, we know how to clean a stove top with even the worst of baked-on grease.

Need help with scrubbing your stove or other kitchen and home cleaning tasks? Request a quote today from the cleaners that know the difference is in the details.