Cleaning surfaces that have grease build up and gunk can be a taunting task. I have always been good about cleaning my stove top after I use it, so it does not build up. The past few weeks I have not felt well, so you can see the terrible mess I had to clean up. My husband bought this stove for his mom ten years ago and it is difficult to clean. I would have never chosen this stove. Manufacturers are designing much more efficient appliances that are easier to keep clean. Don't you just love those flat top stoves? I have discovered a great way to clean messes like this without using harsh chemicals. Let's get started.

Step 1: Products to Consider

Grease build up can be cleaned using an oil base cleaner or concentrated liquid dish soap and baking soda. I have great success using Murphy's Oil Soap, Concentrated liquid dish washing soap, or Lemon Oil to remove the grease, so one can begin to clean the food from the surface. I have had great success using an all purpose cleaner and Baking Soda for the food particles.

Step 2: Supplies

Several bar towels.
Paper towels.
Sponge Scrubber.
Scrub brush with a long handle.
Rubber Gloves.

Depending on the surface, you may need stronger cleaners and scrubbers. I do not like to use paper towels but in some cases paper towels are the only way to go especially with very dirty surfaces. I also do not like to use oven cleaners, but at times you do need a very strong cleaner. It helps a lot to clean up after each use.

Step 3: Remove All Drip Pans and Removable Parts

Remove all drip pans and removable parts.
Place them in the sink.
Wearing gloves use an old scrub brush with a handle and run hot water over the parts scrubbing off as much as you can.
Hot water is your best friend.
If you have a dish washer place them in the dish washer and run on a heavy cycle but do not dry them.
If cleaning them by hand run hot water over the parts scrubbing with the brush removing as much as you can.
Then coat your sponge with one of these products and coat all the parts with a layer of soap and let set until the food loosens.
While you are waiting for the parts to soak go on to the next step.

Step 4: Wipe Excess

Wipe the stove top with a paper towel to remove the loose gunk.
Using a damp sponge coated with a layer of dish soap, Murphy's Oil Soap, or Lemon oil, and scrub the stove top.
Let it set until the food loosens, about 30 minutes or so.

Step 5: Wipe Again

If using the dish washer remove the parts from the dish washer and place in the sink if they need more cleaning.
Run hot water over the parts.
Coat the sponge with Baking Soda and scrub off the food particles.
Rinse well.
Dry with a towel.

If washing by hand, run hot water over the parts again; scrubbing off what you can;using the Baking Soda.
This time soak them in a sink with hot water for about 15-30 minutes.
Then using the scrubber; remove the rest of the food particles, rinse and dry with a towel.

Step 6: Stove Top

Add a little water to your sponge and scrub the stove top again.
Rinse the soap residue with a damp bar towel.
Use Baking Soda to remove the rest of the food particles.
Rinse again using the bar towel.
Repeat this process until all the food and grease are removed.
Dry with a bar towel.

Step 7: Replace Parts

Place all the stove parts back on the stove.

Step 8: Sunshiine's Final Thoughts

I hope this Instructable has been helpful. I am sure there are easier ways to clean messy jobs like this using harsh chemicals but I am making an effort to use safer products around my home. I clean more often and have less build up. I have found that the oil base cleaners for grease work very good. They work great on top of the refrigerator where it gets that sticky gunk on top. I usually clean mine weekly but I know some people do not have time to do that. I suggest placing wax paper on top of refrigerators to save you all the work of cleaning them. It helps a lot. As you can see, cleaning the stove parts made marks in my old porcelain sink. My next Instructable will be How to clean it.
Thank you for stopping by and I hope you have a great weekend!
Sunshiine