Welcome to day 11 of the '31 Days of Deep Cleaning Your Home' series!
Today's task is to clean your stove top and oven.
We are going to start with cleaning our stove tops. I found a method I always use from Real Simple to speed clean the stove top.
First, remove the grates and the knobs and soak them in your sink with some hot, soapy water.
Wipe the crumbs off the stove top with a damp paper towel or cloth.
Remove the knobs from the sink, wipe them off and dry them. (Do not let them soak too long, or some of the writing could wear off.)
Spray the stove top with an all purpose cleaner. Allow to sit on there for 1 minute. While this is soaking, wipe down the back and knob area.
 |
| I use diluted Simple Green for this. It is a great degreaser. |
Scrub the stove top with a gentle scrubber. I use a scratch free scrub sponge.
Wipe the stovetop clean with a dry cloth or paper towel. You can shine your stove top with a glass cleaner. (I use a mixture of vinegar and water).
Scrub off the grates you had soaking in the sink and dry them. Replace the grates and knobs.
 |
| It took me about 11 minutes do clean my stove top and that was with taking pictures of each step! |
Now, we are going to clean the inside of the oven. You can always use your self-cleaning cycle on your oven if you have one. It does get very hot and stinky, so take that into account. Be sure to wipe out any crumbs or burnt on food before you start the cycle to minimize smoke.
If you don't want to use your self-clean cycle on your oven (or you don't have one), start by making a paste of baking soda and water.
Spread this mixture all over the inside of your oven. Don't forget to check the heating element of your oven. If anything splatters, you can have a lot of food up there! You can even use this mixture on your oven door and glass. Allow this to sit for 15 to 30 minutes.
Take care to not get cleaner on the door seal.
While you are waiting for the baking soda to do it's magic, take your oven racks and soak them in your bathtub with hot water and some dish soap.
After the time has elapsed, wipe out your oven, rinsing as you go. This should remove most, if not all of the baked on grime. You can also use a plastic scraper to help remove really stuck on gunk.
Now your oven should be nice and clean.
My oven racks are really dirty. I am going to try a trick I read about and I will report back tomorrow if it worked or not. If yours are not too bad, wipe them off, rinse and dry them and put them back in your oven.
If the inside of your glass door is dirty, I found a
great tip on Ask Anna to get it clean. Basically, you take a hanger or ruler, tape a cloth to it, spray it with cleaner and insert it into one of the slats from up underneath the door in between the two pieces of glass. I tried it and it really does work!
Now, wipe down the front of your oven with all purpose cleaner. Don't forget to wipe off around the drawer at the bottom.
Be sure to clean inside the drawer as well. A lot of stuff can fall down in there and it can get pretty dusty! (And yes, I know I need some new baking sheets!)
Get yourself a helper and pull your oven out from the wall. Clean the sides and back with an all purpose cleaner. A magic eraser can help to get any stuck on grime.
 |
| I haven't pulled mine out in about a year. Gross! |
Remove any items that may have made there way underneath your oven. I have two small kids and cats, so I never really know what I am going to find back there. Vacuum up any dirt and wipe down your floor.
Have your helper assist you in putting your stove back into place. You are now ready for all your holiday baking!
Check back tomorrow for day 12 of the '31 Days of Deep Cleaning Your Home' series!
Labels: 31 days of deep cleaning your home
