There are some cleaning tasks we just don’t want to even think about doing! One of these jobs is cleaning the drip pan liners on the stove. These liners can become extremely dirty with built up food and can be extremely difficult to clean. Food that gets dropped or spilled down there then becomes “fused on” due to the heat from the burner. We think this job is too hard and will take too long. And, might require nasty chemicals. But most people don’t know how to clean stove drip pans in a green way.
Some people wrap their drip pans in aluminum foil to avoid having to clean them, but that really doesn’t give the stove a clean look. Other people remove the drip pans before cooking only to have the spills go down inside the stove itself. Still others spray oven cleaner on the drip pans and let them sit overnight in the sink. This option disturbs me as the oven cleaner is very toxic and leaving it sit overnight in your sink fills your kitchen with very toxic fumes.
Fortunately, there is an easy way to green clean these liners with some very simple ingredients. Here’s how to clean stove drip pans with a few items in your pantry.
Stove drip pans
- Start by removing the drip pans from the stove and placing them in the sink to soak in the hottest water possible.
- Let them soak for 10 minutes, then drain the water and pour straight distilled white vinegar into the bottom of the sink. The natural acid in the vinegar will start to work to soften the burnt on crust that’s baked onto the liner. Let them sit for 10 to 30 minutes.
- Next, sprinkle baking soda onto the liners and use your fingers to rub it into the stains. The baking soda is a natural lifter and will react with the vinegar by foaming. Let the baking soda work with the vinegar for 10 – 15 minutes. You will notice that there will be flakes of the burnt on substance starting to float in the vinegar.
- Rinse the stove liners with hot water and add more baking soda. Use a very aggressive sponge or even steel wool to work the baking soda into the rest of the crusty residue. This may take some elbow grease depending on how long it’s been since the liners have been cleaned.
- Rinse again with hot water and towel dry. Your will be able to see your reflection in your clean stove liners.
- If you have burnt on areas of the liner that just won’t come clean, replacing the liners is not expensive. Just remember that if you wipe them out with a wet microfiber cloth after each use, you will never have to go through the cleaning process I outlined above ever again.
Now that you know how to clean stove drip pans in a green way, you need never use harsh, toxic chemicals again for this task.
Another spot around the stove that never gets the attention it deserves is the stove hood. Commercial kitchens have to pay a certified cleaning company to come in and remove the grease from the stove fan and filter. Fortunately, you don’t need to pay a professional to clean your stove hood. Here are some great quick and easy tips to get and keep it clean.
Stove Hood
- Place the fan filter in your dishwasher on a monthly basis. Your stove’s fan collects excessive amounts of airborne grease. An easy way to clean that filter is to pop it into the dishwasher. Just place it on the bottom shelf of the dishwasher and use a grease cutting dishwashing soap. The hot water in the dishwasher will melt the grease and keep it clean so that the exhausted air can pass through it.
- To cut through built up grease on your stove hood, use rubbing alcohol in a spray bottle. Spray the area and let it sit for 5 – 10 minutes. Then use a drop of dish soap on a wet microfiber cloth to wipe the alcohol off the hood. If you have a gas stove, do not spray the alcohol around the open flame.
To read more great green DIY cleaning tips, visit Leslie’s site at www.greencleaningcoach.com
