It's A Cinch Stove Grate Cleaning

While blog reading I went to look at one thing and of course found something else I had to check out.  Vivienne over at The V Spot had a tip for cleaning the grates on a stove.  An easy peasy tip and there IS an It's a Cinch party going on.  Lord knows I had me some baked on mess to try the tip out on, just needed to pick up Ammonia.  Set me back a whole $1.78 and I hardly used any.  Pretty powerful cleaning supply for just pennies.

 Problem is, at Vivienne's the recommended way is to put each grid in a Ziploc and wait 12 hours.  The fumes, not the liquid of the ammonia, is what degrease's and cleans, she recommends 1/4 cup per zip-lock/grate.  I didn't have 12 hours but mostly I didn't have big enough Ziplocs.  And let me tell you, I always thought my Ziplocs were plenty big!  So I opted for the next best thing..... my giant size box of plastic wrap -  (a Christmas gift from a BFF in 2010 - we dated it to see how long it lasts) and my kitchen sink.  Only a BFF knows you well enough to know you will LOVE a giant roll of Purity Wrap.  Sounds more like a chastity aid.

At The V Spot Vivienne also says don't judge.  She cooks, stoves get dirty.  I agree.  I wish we didn't need a before picture for this post, but we do.....

Shameful, but real

Remember I'm not the only person who cooks in this house, but I am the only person who cleans the stove.  And here is my disclaimer:  I only did the grates and trays, not the parts that look like there is white ash from a fire on them.  Yes there is white ash from a fire on them.  I'm hot when I cook.  That part of the stove just got wiped off along with the surround, I didn't feel like scrubbing and polishing stainless today.

DIY giant Sink Ziploc

I loaded up ALL of my grates and drip pans in the sink, poured in about 2 cups of ammonia and then sealed that sucker up with the industrial plastic wrap.  The avocados are optional to hold down the plastic, 68¢ each on sale.  The smell of the ammonia reminded me of my mom when she was dying her hair when I was little.  Stinky.  Do not mix your ammonia with anything, and don't stand over it and breath, it is hazardous.  In fact don't do this when you are alone in the house, if you pass out from fumes no one would be there to help.  If you mess this tip up I am not responsible!  For full directions head over to The V Spot, but she's not responsible if you mess up either and end up with ammonia nostrils.

I only fumed it for about 4 hours, mostly because I was too anxious to see if it would work and partly because I had dinner to cook.

The black spots are water beads, I said I couldn't wait so it didn't get to dry

I am happy to report that YES it did work and it worked very well even in that short time.  The grates could of used a bit more fumeing, so next time I'll do that part over night for the full 12 hours, but The V Spot Ammonia treatment will be my method of grate cleaning from now on.  It was the easiest cleaning on them I have ever done, really effortless.  For those of you who already knew this little tip, shaddup!

**UPDATE**  A smart blogger informed me (and a big DUH fell over my brain for not thinking of it myself).... that I could use a trash bag for this chore, put it in the sunshine to heat up and work faster, and then hose them off in the yard.  BBQ grates, oven racks, you name it.  So next time I won't have to have a DIY ziplock sink .

 

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