Cooking With Gas – The Best Way To Maintain Your Gas Stove

One of the most popular household kitchen appliances in Australia is the gas stove. Gas stoves offer speedy and convenient cooking with several burners operating at the same time, which means you can get dinner ready in no time.

While some people enjoy cooking, and it goes without saying, everyone enjoys eating – the after-dinner cleanup isn’t as exciting.

Regular cleaning is essential to maintain the condition of your gas stove. After all, this kitchen appliance is a substantial investment that you’ll want to keep working in tip-top shape for years to come.

Here, we suggest practical maintenance tips for your gas stove and outline the benefits of regular cleaning as well as the risks you’ll be averting by doing so.

Cooking With Gas Is Popular in Australia

70% of Australian households are connected to the mains gas supply, according to Energy Works Australia.

Gas is also an energy source for hot water systems and heating in many homes; overall, gas accounts for 44% of household energy consumption in Australia.

Also, the price of using gas is half that of electricity. This cost-saving quality makes gas a widespread energy source for millions of households.

Why Is It Important To Clean Your Gas Stove Top?

Properly maintaining your gas stove goes a long way in reducing the risk of causing fire hazards in your home.

Regularly cleaning your gas stove also saves you expensive repair costs further down the line. If your stovetop becomes defective because of negligence and a lack of cleaning routine, buying a new and costly gas stove may be the only option left to you.

It’s therefore wise to avoid unnecessary costs and keep to the regular cleaning and maintenance of your gas appliance.

How To Properly Clean And Maintain Your Gas Stove

Wipe The Stove Surface After Every Use

If you’re an avid cook, you’ll know that stovetop spills are inevitable. Make it a habit to wipe down the surface of your stove after every cooking session to keep your appliance in mint condition.
Use a water and vinegar solution in a squirt bottle, and a paper towel or clean lint-free cloth to wipe down any spills on the surface. This action immediately cleans up spills that would otherwise stick and harden.

If the spills have settled and don’t come away as quickly, mix some baking soda with a few drops of water in a bowl, and place this paste onto your stovetop. Scrub the affected areas using a kitchen sponge, pan scraper, or toothbrush, and thoroughly wipe clean with a lint-free cloth or small bath towel to reveal a sparkling surface!

Regularly Deep-Clean Burner Parts To Remove Accumulated Grease And Food

Failing to clean hardened food and grease from burner grates, and caps is dangerous because the pilot flame won’t burn all the gas due to blockage from accumulated grease. This hazard could lead to gas leaks, which could ignite and create a potential fire hazard in the home.

To avoid this situation, make sure to regularly soak your burner grates and caps for a few hours in the kitchen sink or a shallow plastic bucket.

Use water from a recently boiled kettle together with some dishwashing liquid, vinegar, or baking soda to lift grease from the enameled iron parts, leaving them sparkling clean.

For baked-in grease and tougher food residues, vinegar or baking soda won’t do. It’s advisable in these cases to use harsher cleaning agents like ammonia or a non-toxic, odor-free, heavy-duty degreasers.

Wearing rubber gloves and if needed, a face mask, add a quarter cup of undiluted liquid ammonia or degreaser, to a large plastic food storage bag. Place the burner grates and caps into the bag, seal, and allow to sit for several hours. These chemicals dissolve and lift grime safely from the enameled iron, leaving them sparkling.

It’s best to do the soaking outside to avoid toxic fumes clouding your kitchen. Once done, again wearing gloves, remove the stovetop parts from the storage bag, rinse and wipe off thoroughly, and replace onto the stove.

Don’t forget the drip pans. These trays situated under the grates collect food debris, and grease, and do need regular deep cleaning. Wearing gloves, scrub them well with warm water and a degreaser if need be, and then dry thoroughly and replace onto the stove.

Consider Buying Protective Covers For Your Gas Stove Top Surface

To keep your gas stovetop surface stain and scratch-free consider adding a protective cover to the surface. Dirt, dust, and grease splatter, as well as food and liquid spills, can all leave your stovetop looking ragged and dirty over time.

Protective covers preserve your stovetop surface, leaving it looking new for longer. They’re made of like stainless steel material, tin, granite, and ceramic, which are durable and will last you forever.
Use these protective covers also as an extended countertop.

Bottom Line

Regularly maintaining your gas stove ensures that you don’t spend hours scrubbing baked-on stains, grease, dust, and debris.

Remember, never clean a hot stove to avoid the risk of injury; always allow your cooker to cool before cleaning. Also, return burner grates, drip pans, and caps to the stove when they’re dry, never when they’re wet.

A little maintenance done regularly will mean you won’t have to put in too much elbow grease into keeping your gas stovetop clean. And what’s more, it’ll save you money in the long run and also keep potential hazards like kitchen fires at bay.