Food is prepared on the kitchen stove every day. Most often, housewives touch handles and switches. We touch it in a hurry with a dirty hand, then when we fry, splashes of fat fly in different directions, dirtying our hands, or the milk runs away.
As a result, dirt and grease become clogged in small cracks, dents and crevices. Attempts to wash these stains with a sponge and detergent end in vain. And how do you clean it all up?
In this article, you will learn about cleaning methods in different ways, depending on the type of pens, the degree of contamination and affordability. You will learn which household chemicals are suitable for you, as well as some effective recipes that you can prepare at home yourself.
Methods for cleaning pens depending on the type
If the regulators are easily removed, they can be soaked or boiled in a solution to remove grease, and then easily clean off the residue with a brush.
If the handles on your stove are not removable, do not be upset, and for this case there will be a way; in this situation, sticks with cotton wool, again a toothbrush, which is no longer suitable for brushing teeth, gauze swabs and toothpicks are quite suitable for helping us.
Cleaning of fixed handles is carried out in the following sequence:
- take a product that contains chlorine;
- moisten a gauze swab in it and apply it to the hands (or spray it with a spray bottle);
- wait a few minutes;
- Next, we take a brush and clean it, in hard-to-reach places we go through with a cotton swab and a toothpick;
- Afterwards, use a sponge or cloth to wipe away any remaining dirt.
Plate handles
These elements, as a rule, are made of durable, heat-resistant plastic, so they are difficult to clean using conventional means - dirt literally eats into their surface.
Removable handles:
- It is not difficult to clean such regulators from grease: remove, soak, brush (rough sponge), rinse with clean water and wipe dry.
Important: do not keep the pens in the solution. Fatty accumulations first soak well and come off, but as the water cools, it will all be absorbed back!
Fixed handles:
- Such gas stove control regulators must be cleaned extremely carefully. If you apply soda mixture or detergent powder to the handles, some may get inside, and it is impossible to clean the inside.
Important: prepare toothpicks, cotton pads, and ear swabs in advance. Then this problem can be avoided.
Kitchen stove
Types of pollution
Housewives in the kitchen most often have to deal with two types of dirty handles:
Light soiling of handles
If you pay attention to cleaning the handles and the entire stove after each cooking, keep your hands clean, and wipe off grease and burnt food in a timely manner, then the stains will be light and washing them will not be difficult.
ingrained fat
It happens that for various reasons, it is not possible to wash the handles and stove immediately after cooking, then the fat eats into the surface, and here other methods are needed.
Basic care
To less often encounter the problem of old grease on the stove handles, you should always keep a clean rag or paper napkins on hand to wipe off the grease that has dripped from the pan before it has time to stick to the surface. It is also worth washing this part of the device each time along with the working surface of the stove, using regular dishwashing detergent.
You can clean a greasy surface with a mild oven cleaner, but it is not advisable to use household chemicals that contain large abrasive particles - they can scratch the surface and ruin its appearance. Metal sponges and cleaning powders are also prohibited.
Knowing how to clean the stove handles, you can choose any of the suitable methods, folk or professional, and always enjoy the cleanliness of the appliance, ensuring comfort in the kitchen and safety when preparing food.
What products should I use to quickly clean stove handles?
For quick cleaning of handles, special wipes are suitable. They contain alcohol and citric acid, which successfully remove fat.
This also includes a spray product that you can buy in a store or prepare at home.
You can also use window cleaner by spraying the handles and then wiping them with a dry cloth. When using this method, the solution gets into hard-to-reach places, dissolving fat.
Folk remedies
There are many grandmother's remedies that can be prepared at home from the most ordinary materials. They can always be found in almost every home.
Lemon juice
After processing this method, a pleasant lemon aroma will remain in the kitchen. We work with the use of this representative of citrus crops in the following sequence:
- We take one lemon, squeeze the juice out of it, then take a toothbrush (which we will no longer use to clean our teeth) and, dipping as necessary, clean our hands in a circular motion.
- If after this the dirt remains, additionally take baking soda and alternately dip it in juice and then in soda and clean off the remains.
- Afterwards, wash with a damp cloth or sponge and rub with a dry towel.
Important!
It is advisable to apply the solution in this way quickly while the quenching process is taking place.
Vinegar will get rid of odors and remove dangerous bacteria.
If the handles are removable, add a solution of equal proportions of water and vinegar in a saucepan, carefully remove the handles from the stove, lower them into the diluted liquid and put them on medium heat, bring to a boil and boil for 6-8 minutes. Then remove, cool and rub with a towel until dry. We install it in place.
If the handles are not removable, then in a spray bottle you need to dilute the composition of one part vinegar plus one part water, spray the handles generously, wait a while, and then wipe them with a clean, dry towel or paper napkin.
Laundry soap
For removable regulators, the following method is suitable:
- take a basin or large saucepan (the main thing is that everything fits there);
- rub laundry soap on a coarse grater into our container, fill it with hot water (about 80 degrees);
- stir until the soap dissolves (dishwashing detergent, washing powder);
- carefully lower our hands into the resulting solution and hold for 20-30 minutes (depending on the degree of contamination);
- then, after the time has passed, we find an unnecessary toothbrush and carefully clean the regulators on all sides and rinse with water.
After such cleaning, the removable regulators will again sparkle like new.
Advice!
If the contamination is very heavy, the soaking process should be increased to 10 hours.
This solution can also be used for handles that are not removable. To do this, use the non-soft side of the sponge, after applying the solution to it, and thoroughly rub the stained areas. And then remove the residue with a rag or paper towel.
Ammonia
This drug will help remove very strong and old stains if you work in the following sequence:
- dilute one part of water with one part of ammonia;
- dip a gauze swab and apply the product to the surface; We treat hard-to-reach places with a cotton swab and toothpick;
- wait a few seconds and wash off any remaining dirt with a clean, damp cloth.
Advice!
You can also use ammonia to clean furniture, dishes, taps in the kitchen and bathroom, and even items made of precious metals. It is advisable to carry out cleaning with this product while wearing a mask so as not to be poisoned by its vapors.
Cleaning technology for removable and non-removable handles
Sooner or later you have to solve the problem of cleanliness radically. And in this case, in order to clean the handles on the stove, you need to decide whether they are removable. The cleaning method, its speed and the effort involved depend on this.
Removable
Removable handles are very convenient; in this case, you can also tidy up the panel to which they are attached: congealed fat always accumulates where the parts fit.
How to wash the handles of a gas stove - step by step:
- Carefully pull each handle towards you and remove it from the special pins.
- If the dirt is strong, place the regulators in a cleaning solution for several minutes (dissolve grated laundry soap, powder or dishwashing detergent in water at 80°C), then clean them of grease with a sponge or an old toothbrush to rinse hard-to-reach areas.
- If there is only a little dirt, simply clean the switches with a soapy sponge in the sink.
- Rinse in clean water, wipe dry.
- Wash the panel, especially at the attachment point.
- Place dry, clean handles onto the pins.
Now the stove looks completely different: well-groomed and neat. Cleaning the hob exclusively does not give this effect.
For electric and some models of gas stoves, the handles cannot be removed. But you can still clean them; this only makes cleaning a little more difficult, but does not cancel it.
In this case, you can simply wipe all contaminated surfaces with a damp cloth, or resort to special household chemicals in the form of a spray, or even prepare them at home. The spray is sprayed, getting into the most inaccessible places. It is left on the surface for several minutes, then removed with a damp cloth and wiped dry.
When it comes to more thorough, for example, weekly cleaning, it is better to do this:
- Spread old newspapers or film on the floor near the stove so that when cleaning the non-removable handles, detergents do not drip or spill onto the floor: then simply roll everything up and throw it away.
- The electric stove must be disconnected from the network.
- Treat the surface of the handles and the panel itself with a special spray or cleaning agent containing chlorine, leave for 5-10 minutes, depending on the degree of contamination.
- Heavily dirty areas can be scrubbed with an old toothbrush or household sponge.
- To clean handles in hard-to-reach places, use the tip of a toothpick.
- Wipe everything with a clean, damp cloth several times, carefully removing any remaining detergent.
- Wipe the stove dry. All that remains is to throw away the auxiliary materials spread below.
We suggest you familiarize yourself with How to clean carpet from dirt at home.
Don’t forget only about safety precautions: wear rubber gloves and a bandage or a respirator to protect your respiratory system from caustic substances.
Hard-to-reach areas can be easily cleaned with a toothbrush
Here's how to clean the handles on a gas stove if they are not removable:
- choose a suitable fat dissolving agent;
- apply it with an old toothbrush;
- leave for 10-15 minutes;
- wash everything off with a dish sponge and warm water.
It is important to do everything carefully, especially if there is an electric stove in the kitchen. If moisture gets inside the device, it may malfunction.
Note! It is convenient to use a steam generator to wash the fixed handles of the stove. It quickly melts dried fat by releasing high temperature steam under pressure. As a result, you will only have to wash the surrounding surfaces, since grease and dirt scattered from the pressure will settle on them.
Household chemicals
For those who are used to buying cleaning products and detergents in household chemical stores, there is a huge variety and choice.
Household chemicals consist of various alkalis and solvents with the addition of soap and other ingredients. When using these tools, you should also not forget about the safety measures, which include the following:
- work with gloves;
- strictly follow the instructions;
- ventilate the room after treatment.
It is worth thinking before buying products in a store, as they are more expensive and not as effective as homemade products.
How to keep your pens always clean
To ensure that the control knobs are always clean and last longer, also to prevent the accumulation of germs, regularly, after each preparation of food, wipe them with special napkins or a damp cloth, dipping it in a detergent or cleaner, and keep your hands clean.
Choose the product that suits you best, follow our recommendations and do not forget about precautions. And let cooking bring you only joy and pleasure.
