10 Ways Your Shortening your Stove’s Lifespan
The stove is one of the most important items that you have in your kitchen. It makes sense to ensure that you’re looking after it. After all, without your stovetop, you won’t be able to make all the delicious meals that you and your family love.
What’s more, replacing a stovetop can be an expensive endeavor. The next time you splash out on the perfect cooking appliance, make sure that you’re not making the following mistakes and potentially reducing your stove’s lifespan.
Not Reading the Manual
Reading the manual for your stovetop might not be the most exciting way to spend your afternoon, but it’s an important way to avoid further problems down the line. A quick glance over the points in the manual that tell you how to take care of your stove is crucial. This goes for all the appliances that you have in your kitchen, for that matter.
You Ignore Burner Clogs
If you go to use your stovetop and notice that a burner isn’t working, the problem could be a clog. If a burner is clogged, it can start to corrode and reduce the lifespan of your appliance. Make sure that you clean out your burners thoroughly when necessary, to ensure that you can keep your system up and running for as long as possible.
You Don’t Realign Burner Caps
Burner clogs aren’t the only way that burners can cause you problems. If your burner cap isn’t aligned properly, then it might stop ignition from happening at all. If you notice that your igniter is clicking but nothing is happening, make sure that your cap is in a place where it needs to be and aligned properly. If you’re not sure about your alignment, listen to the igniter, if it’s louder than usual, this could be a sign that something is wrong. Like a clog, a problem with your burner cap can shorten the lifespan of your appliance.
You Don’t Watch Your Cooking
All pots boil, even the watched ones, and stepping away from your stove could increase the chances that your next meal boils over. The last thing you want is for liquids to damage your stovetop or leave annoying stains on your worktop. Make sure that you’re paying attention to whatever you’re doing when you’re at the stove. That means not texting while you work too!
You Don’t Clean Your Glass Stove Top
Glass stovetops are great for when you want to create a sleek look in your kitchen. However, if you simply leave dirt to build up, then you’re going to end up with a problem. It’s so easy to wipe over a glass stovetop when you’re finished cooking and make sure that no food bakes on in the future. Give your stovetop a wash and you’ll be able to keep admiring its elegant appearance for longer.
You Use Too Much Water
When you’re cleaning, you might be tempted to drown the stovetop in water to get the job done. However, sometimes less really is more. Stoves, both gas and electric, can short out when customers use excessive amounts of water to clean them. Make sure that gas stovetops have electrical elements too, and too much water can damage the wires that are underneath your burners. Take it easy with the water.
You Use the Wrong Tools to Clean
Speaking of cleaning your stovetop properly, make sure that you don’t go over the top when you’re trying to remove baked-on dirty. While it might seem like it’s practically impossible to get rid of a bit of burned-on food, don’t use a knife or a razor to try and get the job done. You’re going to harm your stovetop that way. There are plenty of natural solutions like lemon juice and white vinegar that can help to cut through the dirt. Stay away from wire brushes too. These aren’t designed for surfaces like glass and they can end up harming your electrics too.
You Use Dangerous Chemicals
More often than not, the natural substances that you already have in your home are usually better for cleaning your stovetop than most chemical cleaners. Sprinkling baking soda onto your stovetop and using a microfiber cloth to scrub away dirt works much better than you think. A bit of distilled vinegar added to the baking soda can make cleaning even easier too. While you’re at it, consider looking for products that are specifically designed for your type of stove. If you have a glass stovetop, then you can find products out there that are intended to make cleaning glass a lot easier. You might spend a bit more on these cleaners, to begin with, but you’ll get more benefits in the long-term too.
You Ignore Signs of a Gas Leak
A potential gas leak won’t just reduce the life and longevity of your stovetop; it could be seriously detrimental to your health too. If your appliance explodes, it could destroy your entire kitchen, and put your family’s lives at risk too. Don’t just ignore the smell of gas in your kitchen. While it’s normal to smell a little gas when you turn off your range, make sure that you pay attention to a smell that continues. Open the windows when you notice gas and call an expert immediately from outside of your home.
You Try to Fix Problems on Your Own
Finally, while there are somethings that you can do on your own, fixing the inner workings of your stovetop probably isn’t one of them. There are going to be times when you need to call an expert for assistance, and if you try to save money by taking the DIY route, then you could be putting your appliances and yourself in danger. Make sure that you don’t leave it too long to call an expert. If there’s a problem, seek assistance straight away to reduce your costs in the long run.