Sticky fingers, over-confident cooking attempts, and common spills are all things many of us have experienced in the kitchen. It’s time to take control and clean up the mess! Whether you’re dealing with finger-stained fridges or boiled-over water stains on your stove, we will teach you how to deep clean all your appliances. Let’s get cleaning!
Stainless Steel
The number one thing to remember when cleaning stainless steel is to never use bleach. It can create streaks that will stain! Different brands use different qualities and textures of stainless steel, meaning each appliance is unique. Different cleaning products will work differently on each appliance. Our recommendation: 1 part white vinegar and 1 part warm water. The combo is a great stainless steel cleaner and you can make it at home. Put the mixture in a spray bottle, and you’ve got a DIY cleaner! This mixture should work properly on most stainless steel appliances. But to be sure, spray a small section of your appliance to test how it will react. If this mixture does not pair well with your stainless steel, mix 1 cup water and 1 tablespoon of dish soap in a spray bottle.
If you want to sanitize your stainless steel as well, pour a small amount of rubbing alcohol onto a rag, wipe down the appliance, then clean off the rubbing alcohol with the water+vinegar cleaner. Remember to wipe in the same direction as the grain. Check out our video testing different cleaners on different refrigerators here.
Aluminum
Thankfully, it’s just as easy to clean aluminum as it is to clean stainless steel. 1 cup of warm water mixed with 1 tablespoon of mild dish soap should do the trick! For tougher stainers, use the same water+white vinegar mixture to clean. If you’d like to polish your aluminum appliances, commercial oil cleaners work great. If you want to use an at-home alternative, baby oil and olive oil are highly recommended. But remember, always test your cleaners and polishes to see how they will react to your appliance.
Oven Glass
Who else has dirty oven glass? Let’s see… so, basically everyone reading this. It’s okay, cleaning the inside of your oven is not usually a fun task. But it doesn’t need to be a difficult task! The first step to cleaning your oven glass is to make sure the oven is completely cool. Next, create a paste by mixing water and baking soda. Spread the mixture all over the glass. Leave the paste for 15 to 20 minutes. Take a damp, microfiber cloth and wipe off the paste. Use a glass cleaner for a nice shine. If you have particularly tough stains, apply a layer of the baking soda+water paste, mix 1 part water with 1 part white vinegar in a spray bottle, then spray the paste with the vinegar mixture. The vinegar will cause the paste to bubble. After waiting 15-20 minutes, use a damp, microfiber cloth to wipe off the paste. This homemade cleaner is safe, cheap, and effective!
Stove Top
First, ensure the burners are cool. Remove the burners and soak them in warm, soapy water for 15-30 minutes, depending on their grease level. Next, use a damp soft microfiber cloth and some dish soap and wipe off the stovetop. If you have some difficult, stuck-on stains, create a paste mixing 1 part water and 1 part baking soda. Lightly coat the stovetop with the paste and allow it to sit for 15-20 minutes. Wash off the paste. Rinse and dry off the burners. Finally, you have a clean stovetop!
Microwave Interior
Similar to oven glass stains, the inside of the microwave always seems to be dirty, yet no one knows how to easily clean them. We have the solution. Fill a microwave-safe bowl with 1 cup of water and 3 teaspoons of white or apple cider vinegar. Place the bowl in the microwave and microwave it on high until the water bowls (around 3 minutes). After allowing the water to cool, remove the bowl, then simply wipe down the inside of the microwave with a sponge or microfiber cloth.
To clean grease, take a damp cleaning cloth, dip it in some baking soda, then proceed to wipe down the greasy spots.
Grills
The infamous grill… dirtier than anyone cares to admit, and grime older than anyone knows. Let’s dive into how to clean your gas grill! First, you’ll want to preheat your grill on high heat for around 15 minutes. This will loosen up grime and grease. Next, turn off the gas. Prepare a bucket of water with dish soap and a stiff wire cleaning brush. Next, carefully scrub the grates with the wet brush. The water on the hot grates will create steam, which will help loosen the grease. You can also purchase a specialized grill cleaner. After the grate is cool, wipe it down with a damp cloth. Remove the heat deflectors (located above the burners).
These can be cleaned using dish soap and water and dried with a cloth. Next, remove the burners (make sure they are cool).
You’ll want to use a stiff wire brush to remove any food or grease blocking the holes. Any blockage of the holes can cause uneven cooking/burning. Rinse it off using soapy water.
While all the components are out of the grill, remove the propane tank, and replace it with a bucket. Clean out the interior and hood of the grill with a wire brush and soapy water. The bucket underneath the grill will catch the dirty water. Finally, reinstall the burners, deflectors, and grate. To clean the exterior of your grill, follow our steps above to clean stainless steel. If you have a Traeger grill, watch our video "How to Clean a Traeger Grill"
Finally! A clean kitchen: there is no better feeling. What cleaning hack will you use first?