How to clean gas stove burners, caps and grates

Step by step: how to clean gas stove burners, caps and grates

Safety first. Turn every burner off and let the cooktop, grates and caps cool fully before you start. Do not use oven cleaner, bleach or rust remover on the burners. Never poke ports with a wooden toothpick, which can snap off inside. If you smell gas at any point, do not light anything: turn the burners off, leave the house and call your gas company from outside.

1. 1

   Turn the burners off and let everything cool

   Check that every knob is at Off and wait until the grates and caps are cool to the touch. Cast iron grates hold heat for a long time after cooking. Put a towel by the sink for the parts.

2. 2

   Lift off the grates and soak them

   Lift the grates straight up and set them in a sink or tub of the hottest tap water with a good squeeze of dish soap. Let them soak for 20 to 30 minutes to soften grease. Do not knock them against each other or the sink, which chips the porcelain coating.

3. 3

   Remove the burner caps and heads

   Lift off each burner cap (the flat disc on top) and, on most sealed-burner ranges, the burner head or base below it. Note or photograph which cap goes on which burner, since sizes differ. Wipe the gas tube opening under each base with a damp cloth, keeping water out of it.

4. 4

   Scrub the grates

   Scrub the soaked grates with a non-scratch sponge or stiff nylon brush. For baked-on spots, use a mild abrasive cleanser or a thick paste of baking soda and water, leave it for 10 minutes, then scrub and rinse. Some grates can go in the dishwasher on its heaviest cycle; check your manual first.

5. 5

   Wash the caps and burner heads by hand

   Wash caps and heads in warm soapy water with a non-scratch pad or toothbrush, using a mild cleanser on stubborn marks. Do not put caps or burner heads in the dishwasher. Rinse well so no cleanser is left in the slots.

6. 6

   Clear the burner ports

   Look at the small holes or slots around each burner head. If any are blocked, push a straight pin, needle or thin wire straight into each one to clear it, without twisting or widening the hole. Brush away loosened debris with a dry toothbrush.

7. 7

   Dry every part completely

   Towel dry the grates, caps and heads, then let them air dry for at least an hour, or longer if water is trapped in the slots. A wet cap or igniter is why a burner clicks without lighting or lights unevenly after cleaning.

8. 8

   Reassemble and test each burner

   Set each burner head and cap back on its own base, lining up the pins or notches, so the cap sits flat with almost no side-to-side wobble. Put the grates back and light each burner. You should see an even ring of blue flame all the way around.

What range makers say about cleaning burners and grates

Use soap, warm water and mild cleansers on cool parts, keep harsh chemicals off the burners, and make sure each cap goes back on the right base.

• Whirlpool’s grate and cap instructions call for a mild abrasive cleaner, nonabrasive scrubbing and warm water. Some grates can go in the dishwasher on the most aggressive cycle once burned-on soil is soaked or scrubbed off, but burner caps are not dishwasher safe.
• The same page says not to clean grates or caps in the oven during a self-clean cycle, not to bang them together, and not to reinstall caps while they are wet.
• For the ports, Whirlpool says to use a straight pin, needle or small gauge wire, not a wooden toothpick, and not to enlarge or distort the port. It also rules out oven cleaners, bleach and rust removers on the burners.
• Wipe acidic spills such as tomato sauce and vinegar off the cooktop, grates and caps once they cool; Whirlpool notes they can affect the finish.

What the flame tells you after cleaning

A clean, correctly assembled burner gives a steady blue flame all the way around. Anything else points to a specific fix.

Cast iron vs coated grates

Most modern grates are cast iron coated in porcelain enamel, which cleans like any enamel: soap, soaking and mild cleansers, never steel wool. Bare, matte black cast iron grates are less common and need drying and a light wipe of oil like a skillet.

• Porcelain-coated grates: soak, scrub with a nylon brush, use a mild cleanser or baking soda paste on burnt spots, dry fully.
• Bare cast iron grates: wash quickly, dry right away, and rub on a very thin coat of oil if they show rust; see how to remove rust from cast iron for orange spots.
• Once the burners are done, finish the surface under them with our stove top cleaning guide.

Mistakes to avoid

• Poking ports with a wooden toothpick, which can break off and block the gas.
• Twisting a pin in the ports or using a drill bit, which enlarges the holes and changes the flame.
• Putting burner caps in the dishwasher or grates in a self-cleaning oven.
• Spraying oven cleaner or bleach on burner heads and caps.
• Putting caps back wet, or on the wrong burner, then wondering why the burner clicks or burns unevenly.
• Banging grates together in the sink, which chips the porcelain coating.