During the colder winter months, it can be tricky to clean the kitchen efficiently and it can seem like the cooking never ends. After surviving the holidays and with spring looming, it’s time to start thinking about a deeper clean for hard working kitchen appliances. In this article, we will present three cleaning tips to get your kitchen ready for spring.
In most homes, the oven is one of the hardest working appliances and it tends to get used throughout the year. So, there’s a good chance that there is some food residue stuck in the appliance. Over time, these food particles become burned and charred and they produce bad smelling smoke during cooking. The obvious solution is to clean the oven, but you need to check the owner’s manual for safe cleaning advice. Some commercial oven cleaning products can be very harsh and the caustic chemicals can damage the surfaces.
When you manually clean an oven, it’s important to remove the grates and racks first. Soak them in a sink full of soapy water and turn your attention to the inside of the oven. The grease and grime should be removed with baking soda or an appropriate commercial cleaner. Baking soda is a great natural cleaner because it breaks down grease quickly and it neutralizes acids. For the tougher baked-on grease deposits, use a scraper tool and place the grease and grime in the trash. When the scrubbing is finished, wipe the oven surfaces clean and dry them thoroughly. Scrub the racks and grates clean, dry them and replace them.
If you have a self-cleaning oven, it’s important to understand that this process can be tough on your oven. During self-cleaning, the oven is superheated over an extended period of time to incinerate any food particles. After this process, the oven should be left until it’s fully cooled, and then any residue should be wiped away.
Whether you choose a manual or self-cleaning approach, it’s a good idea to clean the oven regularly. Smelly smoke and lingering bacteria from food particles can affect the taste and health of your cooking.
During the oven cleaning, many people focus solely on the interior and forget about the exterior surfaces. But, areas, such as the control display, knobs, and the oven door can affect the cleanliness of the food that you cook. Cleaning the oven door is simple, spray the inner and outer surfaces with a mild cleaner. Leave them as directed and gently scrub them clean with a non-abrasive pad.
The oven control panel is important because this is where the temperatures and cooking modes are set. Keeping this area clean will prevent the transmission of bacteria to your fingers as you work in the kitchen. The control panel should be scrubbed gently with a glass cleaner or soapy water with a damp sponge. When the surface is clean, it can be dried with a clean cloth until it shines.
The final task is to clean the knobs, many people remove them to clean them easily, but this can damage the control valves. A better method is to scrub them gently with a non-abrasive pad and a mild cleaner. For detailed cleaning, dip an ear swab in the cleaner to scrub under and around each knob.
Checking and cleaning the burners every week or two is a great way to keep them working efficiently. If the burners are clogged, it can lead to uneven cooking performance, extended cooking times, and half cooked meals. Wiping up spills immediately helps to prevent wear to the burners and prevent unexpected repairs.
If you’re still having issues with your oven or hob, you can rely on the expertise of a home appliance repair technician to assist you.