Important Note: Ammonia is a corrosive substance that can cause burning on the skin and respiratory system on contact. Both ammonia fumes and concentrated ammonia can be dangerous when mishandled. Always wear gloves and protective gear with handling ammonia, and work in a ventilated area to allow fumes from the ammonia to dissipate.
Cleaning burnt cast iron grates requires some good, old fashioned elbow grease as you work to scrape off the grime. Cleaning solutions like a baking soda paste, vinegar, or an oven cleaner can lift the grime, making them easier to remove. The same goes for using ammonia to clean your stove top grates.
Unlike baking soda and vinegar solutions, ammonia can be highly dangerous. We recommend wearing protective gear when cleaning stove grates with ammonia. Like a baking soda paste, however, ammonia lifts the grime from stove grates to make them easier to clean, and all you'll need are some garbage bags and ammonia.
What You'll Need
- Ammonia
- Large garbage bag
- Scrub brush or Scouring pad
- Protective gear:
- Gloves
- Protective eyewear
- Mask
How to Clean Stove Grates with Ammonia
Step 1: Don Protective Gear
First, wear gloves, eyewear, and other protective gear to prevent coming into contact with ammonia and ammonia fumes. Move to a well-ventilated area or open your windows to let the ammonia fumes dissipate, especially if you have children or pets around the house.
Step 2: Place Stove Grates in Garbage Bags
Place stove grates in separate garbage bags - large enough to comfortably fit the stove top grates. You can do the same to the drip pans, stove burners, and grill grates or burner grates. Don't tie the garbage bags just yet as you will be adding ammonia to the garbage bags. It is helpful to have a plastic box to place the garbage bags in to keep your cleaning organized.
Step 3: Add Ammonia
Add 2-3 cups of ammonia in each garbage bag. Make sure the stove grates are completely coated in ammonia. You may want to turn the fans on before doing this as the fumes from the ammonia can be off-putting to smell. Tie up each garbage bag tightly to make sure the ammonia does not leak out of the bags.
Step 4: Let it Sit Overnight
Let the stove top grates sit in the ammonia solution overnight. Around 8 to 12 hours is the ideal time to let it sit. As the gas stove grates soak in the ammonia, the solution eats away the grime on your cast iron grates. Make sure your stove grates and gas stove burners are made with cast iron, as ammonia may damage a glass or ceramic stove.
Step 5: Scrub and Rinse
Take the stove grates out of the garbage bags the next day, and give it a good rinse. Scrub away the loosened grime with a scouring pad, and rinse until the ammonia smell is completely gone. Dispose of the ammonia-filled bags properly, and dry the clean stove grates before placing them back on the gas oven.
Cleaning Your Stove Top
While you wait for the ammonia to clean stove grates, you can clean your stove top as well. Use a mixture of baking soda and vinegar to create a thin paste, and apply this paste all over your stove top, focusing on areas with baked-on grease. Let the solution sit, then use a scrub brush or paper towel to clean out the remaining residue, as well as the loosened grime.
Add a few drops of dish soap on a damp cloth, then use this to wipe the stove top clean, and remove any remaining grease residue. Do the same for your oven, oven racks, and the exterior of your entire stove to remove any stains.
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