Cleaning Your Stove & Range
The stove and range top are among the highest-grease-accumulation surfaces in any kitchen — and the variety of range types in Ontario homes (gas burner, electric coil, smooth glass-ceramic) each requires a different cleaning approach.
Gas Ranges
Remove burner grates and the burner caps. Wash grates in hot soapy water — a non-scratch scrub pad handles baked-on residue. Soak burner caps in hot soapy water 10 minutes if there's significant buildup. Wipe the range top surface with a damp cloth and degreaser, accessing the area under the grates. Ensure all burner openings are completely dry before reassembling — a plugged gas port causes an uneven flame.
Electric Coil Ranges
Remove coil elements (unplug from the socket) and the drip pans beneath them. Drip pans are the primary grease accumulator — soak in hot soapy water and scrub, or replace if heavily degraded. Wipe the cooktop surface under where the coils sit.
Glass-Ceramic Smooth Top
Glass-ceramic tops require a specific approach — never use abrasive scrubbers which scratch the surface permanently. For fresh spills: wipe immediately with a damp cloth. For baked-on residue: apply a ceramic cooktop cleaner (Cerama Bryte or equivalent), leave 2 minutes, scrape with a razor blade scraper held at a very low angle, wipe with a soft cloth. Keeping a ceramic cooktop cleaner and a razor scraper under the kitchen sink makes weekly maintenance quick.