You have been meaning to clean stovetop drip pans on your stove for weeks, but you just haven't found the time, or you don't know how to. The build up on these pans is not only unsightly, but it can also be dangerous. If dirty drip pans are left for too long, the buildup of oil, food, and crumbs can cause a fire in your kitchen.
Cleaning these drip pans isn't hard at all. All you need are some basic household supplies and about 10 minutes of your time. Follow our simple instructions below, and soon you'll have a clean stove that will look like new again.
How to Clean Stove Drip Pans Using Vinegar and Baking Soda
A mixture of white vinegar and baking soda is a safe and chemical-free way to clean your burner pans. The combo of these two common household items makes a powerful degreaser that will help you get rid of the grime and residue on your pan with little effort.
The best part about this is that the baking soda and vinegar mixture will neutralize any odors coming from your burner's grate or drip trays. You won't have bothersome smells like garlic lingering in your kitchen, either. To use this method, follow the guide below.
- Mix one part baking soda into three parts vinegar. You can use a measuring cup or just close your eyes and pour equal parts of each ingredient into a bowl.
- Use a rubber spatula to mix the two ingredients until they form a dark brown paste. The cleaning solution should be fluid enough that it is easy to spread on the drip pans but thick enough so that it will stick to them once applied to your stove's drip pan.
- Be sure to remove the pan entirely from your stove so you can do it better.
- Soak the drip pans on hot water and dishwashing soap for 15 minutes
- Drain the hot soapy water and soak the pans again in distilled white vinegar for another 20 minutes.
- Sprinkle baking powder on the pans and scrub with a scouring pad.
- Rinse and let it dry
Don't be afraid to clean the stove's drip pans, as they should not be treated delicately. You can scrub them with a metal scouring pad or use steel wool and elbow grease if you prefer a more thorough job. Make sure you protect your hand by wearing gloves when cleaning these drip pans.
Use Baking Soda and Dish Soap
Dishwashing soap is another detergent that you can use to clean drip pans together with baking soda. The dish soap mixture works well for dry or baked food residue, so it makes sense that it can work for your drip pan. Here's how to use the two:
- Dilute it with warm water and use a scouring pad or abrasive cleanser and remove any visible dirt
- Dry the drip pan thoroughly using a soft towel or rag.
- If baking powder is poured onto a greasy surface, it will foam up like an active volcano spewing out lava as it reacts with the grease. The reaction can be easily controlled by adding some water while gently mixing then adding a scouring pad or sponge for easy cleaning to finish.
- The more baking soda you use to mix with the dish soap, the more powerful the cleaning agent will be.
- You can clean stubborn, greasy stains in your drip pans using this method
- Once you're done cleaning, take some time to dry them off thoroughly since moisture can cause rusting and you’re not ready to buy new drip pans.
How to Clean Drip Pans Using Household Ammonia
Ammonia may not be one of the desirable household cleaning products you want to use, but if all else fails, it may be your only choice left. There's no denying that this product is perfectly effective for cleaning your burner pans.
- Wear rubber gloves while using household ammonia as it can irritate the skin.
- In a plastic container that's safe for storing toxic chemicals and other unwanted substances, scoop two tablespoons of ammonia into the container.
- Fill the plastic container with as much water as you need to submerge your drip pan into it.
- Soak your drip pans in the mixture for at least 24 hours so that this can work on removing any grease, grime, and filth from them. The longer you let it soak, the more effective this method will be for cleaning your drip pans.
- Using your hands, scrub off any residue that remains with the help of a cleaning brush. If you do not have one readily available, use an old toothbrush.
- Rinse your drip pan thoroughly with water to make sure it's completely clean.
How to Clean Burner Pans Using Bar Keeper's Friend
If making your own home cleaners doesn't work for you, you can purchase one at the store. Bar keeper's friend is a mild abrasive that you can use to scrub away any stains on your drip pans. Here's how it works:
- Use a spray bottle to spray water on your drip pans
- Sprinkle bar keeper's friend on the stained areas of your pans
- Sprinkle a little more water on top of it
- Use an old toothbrush to clean away the stains
- Let it sit for 5-10 minutes, then rinse thoroughly with water. Ensure all residues are gone, or you'll be left with stains that won't budge easily.
- If you notice that there are still some dirty areas, repeat the process
Use DIY Hydrogen Peroxide to Clean Stove Drip Pan
You probably already have some hydrogen peroxide at home, which will make this process easy. Baking soda also works here to clean your stove plates together with hydrogen peroxide. Here's how this method works:
- Take a bowl filled with hydrogen peroxide. Add one teaspoon of baking soda and one teaspoon of water to the mixture.
- Place an old toothbrush in it and let it soak for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, scrub away at your drip pans using the soaked toothbrush.
- Rinse away the dirt and let the drip pans dry completely.
- If there are still some areas that need more attention, repeat the entire process until you have satisfied results.
Using Oven Cleaner to Clean Stovetop Drip Pans
The plain old oven cleaner can be another great way to remove gunk build up from your drip pans. Follow these steps:
- Apply oven cleaner on the surface of the drip pan
- Spread it evenly so that you can cover all grease and dirt
- Let it sit for 30 minutes, then clean it using a scouring pad
- After that, rinse off the excess cleaner and loose gunk and let it dry
Wear rubber gloves when handling oven cleaning products. Make sure that you have read the directions carefully to know how long to wait before washing it off.
Use Elbow Grease
Since your stove pan drip contains grease and oil build up, elbow grease might be the best way to remove them. This product works well for cleaning kitchen cabinets and countertops as well. Here are some tips:
- Lay out your drip pan on newspapers
- Rub a dry rag over it using a circular motion
- Make sure that you have removed all of the grease and oil from your burner pan with a dry rag before washing it off in the water
- The liquid will not work well if it is on top of the grease and oil
- Gently wipe away the cleaner using a paper towel or rag
- Remember to do this in an area with good ventilation to avoid breathing in the fumes of the cleaning liquid.
How to Clean Stove Drip Pans FAQ
Can you use harsh chemicals to clean stove drip pans?
If you use a liquid that contains harmful chemicals, this could potentially damage your drip pan. It can also weaken the glue that keeps it attached to the stove and make it more likely to fall off while you are cooking. Make sure to use only mild soap or an all-purpose cleaner with warm water.
What's the powerful spray for cleaning stove drip pans?
The best spray that you can use to clean burner pans is a lacquer thinner. Lacquer thinners are designed to dissolve gunk and drip on the exterior of cars without damaging the paint or other parts of the car. They work by loosening any trash on the area you're cleaning and help you achieve sparkling cooktops.
How often should you clean stove drip pans?
Cleaning stove drip pans need to be done only once a month or after having a big barbecue with lots of grease that gets splattered on the stove. The frequency can also depend on how many spills your pans have to endure every time you cook something.
What's the best way to clean burner pans?
The best way to clean your stove drip pans is using homemade cleaners. This is because most commercial cleaners might have harsh chemicals that can harm your skin or damage the pans.
If you don't want to use homemade cleaners, then make sure to wipe them with a damp cloth before cleaning the stove drip pans using a non-abrasive scrubber pad or sponge.
Choose Your Preferred Method to Clean a Stove Top Drip Pan
Cleaning sticky grease deposits, food spills, and dirt from the stove drip pans is vital for efficiency. If you don't attend to it regularly, the odor might accumulate in the kitchen that can be unbearable. Not to talk about the unsightliness caused by all the grease, gunk, and spaghetti sauce spills, among other things.
It's also an opportunity for you to keep your house clean throughout the year because cooking isn't just a temporary activity. You'll be using your stove most of the time, not just on special occasions. Also, remember that the cleaning methods outlined above don't work for everyone, although they may fit your needs. So, feel free to adjust them and try different cleaning products until you find what works best for you.
