Let’s be honest, no one really looks forward to cleaning the top of their stove. Things do tend to get a little messy around what, in most homes, is a well-used area, especially if you do a lot of cooking. Just think of all those spilt sauces and oil splatters.
We’re all aware that an unclean stove top is not only unhygienic, but it could also prevent your appliance working at maximum efficiency. And, aesthetically, it could mar the overall look of an otherwise spotless kitchen.
With our simple guide to cleaning a range of different stove tops, you can get the job done quickly and easily, with very little effort at all.
Clean as you go
The easiest way to keep your stove top looking, and working, its best is to clean up immediately after you finish cooking. All it takes is a quick wipe with a damp cloth or sponge as soon as you can.
Working this way will mean you won’t have to deal with dried-on stains and spills later on. A minute or two spent wiping up after your meal and you won’t have to spend more time on a deeper clean at a later date.
But that’s in an ideal world. If you do forget to clean up after you’ve finished cooking, or you just don’t have time, our step-by-step guide will show you how to clean a stove top in no time at all.
How to clean cast-iron hotplates
The cast-iron hotplates found on AGA range cookers are extremely hard wearing. They are also very easy to care for. Any spills on the hotplate itself will usually carbonise from the heat, meaning they can be removed swiftly with a wire hot plate brush.
You can also clean up spills with a damp cloth or sponge, but be sure to remove any traces of detergent after you’ve done so by rinsing thoroughly. After rinsing, turn on the hotplate for a few minutes to ensure they are thoroughly dry, as surface moisture can cause rusting.
You may also want to season your cooker’s hotplates every so often by applying a thin layer of cooking oil.
If you also want to find out how to clean the other parts of your range, such as the ovens or enamel, take a look at our handy guide to caring for your Aga or Rayburn.
How to clean a glass, ceramic or induction stove top.
The great benefit of these types of stove tops is that, with their shiny and smooth surface, they are very easy to clean. However, they are also very easy to scratch, so do take care when cleaning.
If you are using a proprietary brand of cleaner off the shelf, do make certain it’s one especially recommended for ceramic, glass and induction hobs.
If there are any baked-on or hard-to-shift spills on your electric stove top, they can be removed with a hob scraper specifically designed for the job. However, using this method, you should take great care not to scratch the surface.
You should hold the scraper at an angle of 30 degrees and, using as smooth a stroke as possible, run it gently over glide it over any stubborn, burnt-on residue.
How to clean electric stove tops
There are alternatives to cleaning your glass, ceramic or induction hob with branded cleaning products. And one of the best, easiest and cheapest ways is to use baking soda and water, which you probably already have in your kitchen cupboard.
What you’ll need:
- Large microfibre cloth
- Kitchen bowl
- Non-abrasive scrubbing pad
- Washing up liquid
- Baking soda
Before you start, it’s important to make sure your stove top is completely cold. Never try to clean a glass, ceramic or induction hob while it’s hot, or even warm.
Step one
Add a couple of drops of washing up liquid to a kitchen bowl filled with warm or hot water. Then mix until suds have formed.
Step two
Take your large microfibre cloth and submerge it thoroughly in the soapy water until it’s thoroughly soaked.
Step three
Sprinkle the baking soda over the hob until you have a thick layer.
Step four
Wring out the cloth and place it over the baking soda. Leave for at least 30 minutes.
Step five
Remove the cloth and, using a non-abrasive kitchen pad, gently scrub the stove top using a circular motion, being sure not to scratch the surface.
Step six
Remove excess water and all traces of baking soda with another dry microfibre cloth or paper towels.
How to clean a gas stove top
Gas cookers, which use a real flame, are still one of the most popular choices of stove options. And here’s how to keep your gas stove top looking its best.
If you find your hob is very greasy, or the high heat of the gas flame has caused spills to become baked-on, we’ll also show you how to clean up using vinegar and baking soda.
What you’ll need:
- Kitchen bowl
- A cloth
- Non-abrasive sponge
- Washing up liquid
- Baking soda (optional)
- Vinegar (optional)
It’s important to ensure everything on your gas stove top is turned off and completely cool before you begin cleaning. You should also remove the stove grates and burners.
Step one
With a damp cloth, wipe down the surface of the hob.
Step two
Fill a kitchen bowl with hot or warm water and mix in a few drops of washing up liquid until suds have formed.
Step three
Dip a non-abrasive sponge pad in the soapy water and wash the entire surface of the gas hob.
Step four
Using a damp cloth and clean water, wipe down the hob until all traces of washing up liquid have gone.
Step five (optional)
If your gas stove top is very greasy or has hard-to-shift spills, mix together one part baking soda with two parts vinegar.
Step six (optional)
Spread the vinegar and baking soda mix over the tough stains and leave it for around 15 minutes or 20 minutes.
Steps seven (optional)
Using a non-abrasive pad scrub the surface until the hob is clean, then dry with a clean cloth.
Step eight
Replace the stove top burners and grates.
Cleaning gas stove burners
The proper flow of gas is essential to the safe and effective operation of your gas stove and this depends to a great extent on how clean your cooker’s burners heads are.
So take a look every so often under the burner cap to see if they need cleaning. If they do, here’s how to do it, again ensuring everything on your stove top is cold before you start.
Step one
With a damp cloth, remove any spills which have made their way into the burner heads.
Step two
Using a non-abrasive brush, remove any crumbs and other food debris from between the burner slots. An old toothbrush is ideal for this.
Step three
Get a damp cloth and wipe down everything you’ve cleaned.
Step four
Replace the burner heads and caps, then put the grates back in place.
As gas appliances all vary in some way, it may be worth taking a look at the cooker’s instruction manual to ensure you’re removing and cleaning the burners in the correct way.
How to clean gas stove grates
The burner grates (the parts on which your pans sit) are the one area of your gas stove that probably takes the most punishment.
As such, they are not the easiest to clean. However, with a little time and the right products, you can easily remove all that oil, grease, food debris and sticky residue.
The easiest way to clean your stove grates is in a dishwasher. But do check in the product’s manual to see if this is or isn’t recommended by the manufacturer.
If using a dishwasher isn’t an option, or there are any particularly hard-to-shift and burnt-on stains, you can clean the grates in a kitchen sink filled with hot water and washing up liquid.
Just leave them to soak for a while to break down the grease and then scrub them using a non-abrasive pad or, if the grates are uncoated, a more abrasive scouring pad.
Final thoughts
We hope you’ve found our guide useful and you now have all the information you need to clean the top of your gas stove or glass, ceramic or induction hob.
But remember, by far the easiest way to keep your stove top looking its best is to give it a quick wipe as soon as you’ve finished cooking.
