Caring for Your AGA or Rayburn

A little bit of care and maintenance will help you to get the most from your cast-iron range cooker and it will reward you with a long service life. 

AGA eR3 Series in Pewter with pale cabinetry
Cleaning the Enamel

A daily rub with a damp soapy cloth followed by a clean, dry cloth can help to keep your AGA or Rayburn sparkling.

Try to wipe up any spills on the AGA or Rayburn top and front plates as soon as they happen, as baked-on food is more difficult to clean, but can usually be removed with AGA enamel cleaner and a damp cloth. Never use 'oven cleaners' or a cold wet cloth on the enamel. 

Milk, orange juice or anything containing acid can damage the enamel and should be wiped up immediately. The AGA E-cloth is brilliant and it may be worth keeping one on hand.

AGA eR3 Series in Slate roasting oven
Cleaning the Ovens

The ovens help to keep themselves clean by carbonising cooking spills and splashes. Simply use a wire brush to remove any dust and light rust, or to scrub off stubborn stains from the cast-iron surfaces.

 

Griddling steak on the AGA hotplates
Cleaning the Hotplates

The hotplates are made from cast-iron and are very durable and easy to care for. Most spills on the hotplates will carbonise and you can remove them quickly with a wire brush. You can remove burnt-on spills with a damp cloth or sponge, but you must ensure that you rinse all detergents off thoroughly afterwards. 

The hotplates can also be susceptible to rust if exposed to surface moisture regularly. Remember to switch them on for a few minutes to dry them after cleaning to prevent this. Every now and then, you could apply a thin layer of cooking oil when the hotplates are cold to help season them.

Muffins in the AGA baking oven
Cleaning AGA Door Linings

The best way to keep the door linings clean is to wipe them over after cooking, when the AGA is off and the linings are cool, so that splashes do not get baked on. Use a cream cleaner or a soap filled pad.

To deep clean the door linings, first ensure that the ovens are off and cool. Place a towel on a work surface and carefully lift off the oven door, placing it enamel side down on to the towel. Clean with a soap filled pad to remove marks and avoid immersing the doors in water as excessive water can damage the insulation in the doors. Never put the doors in the dishwasher. Carefully dry the doors before replacing. 

Cooking with pans on the AGA Induction Plate and hotplate
Cleaning the Lid

You can protect the interior of the lid from unavoidable cooking spills and splashes by the use of an AGA or Rayburn Splash Shield. If the lid interior requires a clean, you should first ensure that the hotplates are off and cold. Use hot soapy water and/or a cream cleaner to remove stains, but ensure that you do not use excessive water and that the linings are dry before you close the cover. 

The AGA lids are stainless steel and can be wiped with a damp soapy cloth, followed by a wet cloth and then a dry cloth to finish. The AGA E-cloth is ideal for this. 

Grilling a Full English Breakfast in the AGA roasting oven
Season the Ovens

Due to the porous nature of cast-iron, there may be occasions when rust appears inside the ovens, especially if your cooker is new or you have not used your ovens for a while.

To combat this, we recommend regularly rubbing corn oil on the oven surfaces, which will build a protective layer on top of the cast-iron, reducing the amount of water permeating the oven and preventing rust from appearing. Leave your ovens on full heat for one hour afterwards to allow the oil to permeate the cast-iron. 

The AGA R7 and AGA eR7 have the NEW AltrashellTM coating which seals the cast-iron

AGA Dual Control in Pearl Ashes
Burn Off Period

When your AGA cooker is switched on for the first time, you will need to perform a 'burn off' process to remove any oils used during manufacture. You will need to switch the ovens of your AGA cooker on full heat to literally burn off the oils and preservatives.

This can take between 4 and 8 hours. You will know when this process is complete as you will no longer be able to smell the oils. 

If your cooker is new, following the burn-off period, you should season your ovens weekly for a 6 week period. 

AGA 7 Series cooker in white
Regular Servicing

Having your AGA or Rayburn serviced according to the recommended servicing intervals will help to ensure that it is performing optimally and it will give a trained engineer an opportunity to identify and prevent any issues before they become major problems.

By having your cooker serviced by RepairTech Services UK Ltd or by an AGA or Rayburn approved engineer, you can rest assured that all the parts used are authentic and that the engineer working on your appliance is fully trained and qualified.

Not all AGA models require servicing, please ensure that you check whether your cooker needs to be serviced and how regularly. 

Important Information

  • Never use a steam cleaner on your AGA or Rayburn cooker
  • Do not use abrasive pads, caustic cleaners, oven cleaners or metal scrapers on your AGA or Rayburn.
  • The touch panel may only be cleaned using a damp cloth and warm soapy water, never use power sprays or oven cleaners.
  • Some components such as the handrail brackets and side panels are powder coated and nothing abrasive should be used on these, even 'Astonish', only a soap filled pad.
  • You can remove fluff or dust build-up around the burner door or the flue chamber safely with a soft brush. Do not use a vacuum cleaner when the burner is alight.
  • The insulated rings around each hotplate can be removed for cleaning, but be careful to replace them in the same position. There is often a small notch which should face the rear of the cooker.