The Ultimate Range, Stove & Oven Cleaning Checklist

by West Coast Chief Repair

August 14th, 2017

Your stove and oven get used day in and day out. They see it all from oil to vinegar, grease, burned-on food, sticky honey and sugar, and even worse. Spaghetti sauce splatters all over the stovetop and the marinade from your chicken dish might slop into the oven as you’re pulling it out.

A stove and oven can get really dirty, and fast! It can get so bad that, let’s face it, sometimes just looking at your stove and oven unit can make you want to cover it all with a big sheet and call it quits.

Cleaning your stove and oven is a tough job, especially when you’ve put off the task of cleaning it for a while. But unfortunately, if you ignore your messy situation, not only will you have a difficult clean ahead of you, but it will only get worse.

After all, you’re only going to continue using your stove and oven, and likely add to the mess. What can you do about it? Here is our handy checklist for stove & oven cleaning that will make the process much easier:

1. Make a Plan of Action

The first thing on your checklist isn’t even a tangible thing or a cleaning strategy, it’s an attitude! Plan to clean some areas of your stove and oven at least once a week. The stove top or range is one area that often requires frequent cleaning.

Other areas like the sides and interior of your oven can probably get away with a clean about once a month or so. Make a plan and stick to it. The more often you clean, the less work it will be, and the less despair you’ll feel.

Regular cleanings of the stovetop will keep everything looking nice and make your deeper cleans less of a burden. It’s also wise to wipe up spills and splatters after every meal so that not so much accumulates between cleanings.

The first thing on your checklist isn’t even a tangible thing or a cleaning strategy, it’s an attitude! Plan to clean some areas of your stove and oven at least once a week. The stove top or range is one area that often requires frequent cleaning. Other areas like the sides and interior of your oven can probably get away with a clean about once a month or so. Make a plan and stick to it. The more often you clean, the less work it will be, and the less despair you’ll feel.

Regular cleanings of the stovetop will keep everything looking nice and make your deeper cleans less of a burden. It’s also wise to wipe up spills and splatters after every meal so that not so much accumulates between cleanings.

Now, on to the cleaning plan. This is a checklist you should follow about once a month to keep your stove and oven in perfect condition.

Point number two, the stove range, can be completed more frequently, more like once a week, to keep this high-traffic area clean. However, in the end, every kitchen is different and it all depends on how much you use your stove and; oven.

2. Clean the Stovetop or Hob with Dish Soap

This is likely the most frequently used area of your range, meaning you should also clean it the most often. How can you best attack this messy zone? First, make sure everything is turned off and cool.

Then remove the grates and the burner tops if you have a gas range, remove coils and bowls if you have an electric stove. Clean these parts separately using mild dish soap, warm water, and a sponge. Remember not to submerge your coils in water. Then, using a dry cloth, wipe away any loose debris on your stovetop.

Next, use warm soapy water to wipe away spills and any additional mess. If you have any really tough spots, you can let a soapy wet cloth sit over the spill for a few hours to soften it up. But remember, the sooner you clean up a spill, the easier. Once it’s caked on, it’s harder to clean up. Finally, replace your grates and burner tops or coils and bowls. Be sure to test each of the burners to make sure that they all turn on correctly.

3. Remove & Clean the Control Knobs

On most stoves, you can take off the knobs altogether. This makes cleaning much easier as you can soak them in hot soapy water to get any spills and stains off. Scrub them with a soft cloth or sponge, then dry them off and place them back on the stove.

4. Use Soapy Water for the Oven

Many modern ovens feature a self-cleaning mechanism. Using steam-cleaning technology, the oven is able to do a lot of the hard work for you. Just follow the instructions in your stove & oven manual, and all you’ll have to do at the end is wipe away the residue using a soft cloth.

Make sure the oven is cool before you do, though! If your oven doesn’t have a self-cleaning feature, don’t worry, you can still successfully clean your oven. Use warm, soapy water to wipe down the interior of your oven.

Remove the oven racks completely and run them through your dishwasher or soak them in warm soapy water in your bathtub. Once they’re dry and you’ve finished cleaning your oven, you can return them to their place. For tough spots, you can use a mixture of baking soda and vinegar. Spray it over the affected area and let it sit for a few minutes, then wipe it away.

5. Vinegar Will Clean Doors & Glass

Ideally, your oven door is crystal clear and gorgeous, making it easy to see in and check on whatever delicious roast, cake, or cookies you’ve baked. How can you achieve that shine? First, wipe down the inside and outside of your door with warm soapy water and allow it to dry. Then, if your oven door is still streaky, spray on a mix of one part vinegar and one part water. Use a towel to wipe it down.

6. Wipe Down the Exterior of the Range

Don’t forget to wipe down the sides of your stove if they’re exposed. Although you’ll rarely have food spill down the sides, dust will build up over time and your stove will have that completely clean look if you wipe down the sides with a damp cloth.

That’s it! Congratulations! If you’ve completed this oven and stove cleaning checklist, then you have a completely clean stove. Although it does take some time, dedication, and a bit of elbow grease, if you go through this list every so often the cleaning will get easier and easier. You’ll know the steps by heart and because of your regular cleaning, the dirt and grime won’t build up so much.

What are your tips and tricks for stove and oven cleaning? Did we miss any essential steps you use in your stove & oven cleaning routine?

West Coast Chief Repair has been installing and repairing stoves and ovens for a generation of Los Angeles Residents. If you’re having stove or appliance trouble that a simple cleaning won’t solve, don’t hesitate to give us a call.

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