With just two common household items you can get BBQ and gas stove grates that haven’t been cleaned in years, spotless.
Gas stoves are great for cooking. Many serious home cooks swear by them for their increased cooking control and instant, evenly distributed heat.
But they’re not perfect. In fact, one of the biggest complaints about gas stoves is that the cooking grates get really dirty really fast. You’d have to scrub them everyday to keep them looking like new but who has time for that?
But then I came across this “No Scrub” Method for Cleaning Gas Stove Grates on The VSpot Blog and the results were amazing! Grease that had built up over the years virtually slid off the grates. Then it was just a simple wipe and wash and the grates looked like new again.
It’s incredibly easy and while it’s not completely “scrub-free”, the amount of scrubbing you have to do is minimal.
Check out these Before and After pictures from The VSpot Blog
Before
After
So how do you get such clean grates without having to scrub?
All you need are three simple things:
- Ziploc bags (large enough for your grates to fit in)
- Ammonia (a common cleaner available in the cleaning department of most hardware stores)
- Patience
Directions:
Place one grate inside a Ziploc bag. Pour 1/4 cup of Ammonia into the bag then seal it. Let it sit overnight or (approx. 12 hours). When you take the grate out of the bag the next day, most of the grease build up should come right off when you wipe it! Some areas might still be a bit hard to clean, especially if you’ve been putting off their cleaning for years. You can repeat the Ammonia process or just use a bit of elbow grease and wipe it down.
Notes:
- You only need a little Ammonia in the bag. Remember, it’s not the liquid Ammonia that removes the caked on grease, it’s the fumes. You may be tempted to put more Ammonia but it really works best when it’s about a 1/4 cup.
- Make sure to seal the bag tightly. If the fumes escape, your grate will not get clean.
- You might want to leave the grates outside when you’re letting them sit for 12 hours. You may get a bag that’s leaking and you do not want the smell of Ammonia to spread throughout the house.
- An important note from Vivienne at The VSpot Blog: *****Updated: Never, EVER mix ammonia with anything that has bleach in it. It creates toxic fumes. (In general, I suggest you don’t play chemist and try to mix ammonia with anything, period.)*****
- Be careful to turn your face away when you open your garbage bag the next day. The fumes will be strong and can make your eyes burn. Also, it is strongly recommended to use rubber gloves and safety goggles when handling Ammonia.
Click to check out The VSpot Blog for more on this tip and other great cleaning tips
Does This Work For My Oven Racks and BBQ Grates?
You bet it does! It’s the same exact method but of course you will need a much bigger bag than a Ziploc. Most people use a garbage bag instead which is then tightly sealed with a twist tie or rubber band. You’ll also need to use 1 cup of Ammonia rather than a 1/4 cup but the length of time is still the same – 12 hours.
Check out this post for more details – Cleaning BBQ Grills The Magic Way
And here’s a post on using Ammonia to clean the inside of your oven – Oven Cleaning The Magic Way
Ammonia Disposal
Another important note is how to dispose of Ammonia. This is not something you should just dump on the grass or down a storm drain. What you should do is dump it down a sink in a well ventilated area like a garage sink or a kitchen sink with lots of windows nearby. As much as possible, dilute the Ammonia with lots of water. After dumping the Ammonia, leave the area well ventilated by keeping the windows and doors open.
** Again an important note about Ammonia: Ammonia should never be mixed with bleach and general home cleaning products, as the mix can produce toxic gases. When using ammonia around the house, make sure the rooms are well ventilated and avoid contact with your eyes. **
Some Other Great Uses for Ammonia
You can use it to:
- Cleans bathroom tiles (works great at killing mildew)
- Removes hard-to-remove soap buildup in tubs, sinks, and bathroom tiles
- Removes tarnish from silver and brass and even cleans gold jewellery
- Cleans clothing stains such as pen markings, perspiration, and blood; and carpet and upholstery stains caused by pets and food or drinks (like red wine)
- and much, MUCH, more. Click here, here, or here to get even more uses for Ammonia
- Worried about safety? Read Is Ammonia a Safe Cleaning Agent? for info on proper use and handling.
Scrubbi is an Edmonton cleaning service that cleans homes throughout Edmonton, Sherwood Park, and more.
