Are you fed up with your grimy range? Though we have discussed how to clean the interior walls of your oven, what about your actual stove top? One particular way to make your stove look like brand new again (well, almost) is to clean up your drip pans. It really makes a difference. As you know, drip pans are superficial, stainless steel-like chrome bowls that fit right below your electric coiled elements.
Besides aesthetically pleasing (when clean), your drip pans serve a vital purpose for your stove. Not only do they mirror heat back to the coils for cooking optimization, but drip pans also collect cooking debris and spillage that could otherwise harm the interior parts of your oven. Drip pans have a dirty job, and as a result lead to caked-on grime and food bits that just seem impossible to clean off.
Now, there are some cases where it may just be better to purchase new drip pans such as: if your drip pans are old and rusted, or if they have blue/gold stains— this is caused by too high of heat and generally cannot be removed. A common practice, but definitely not advised: do not line your drip pans in aluminum foil. This can cause overheating, ultimately leading to potential fire and shock safety hazards. Also, it is not recommended to place your drip pans into the dishwasher as this can cause them to look dull and discolored from the detergent. Now, for the cleaning part, place equal parts of vinegar and water in a large pot, bringing it to a boil and then turn it off. Yes, you do need to use your stove for this even though you are trying to clean it. Then, place your drip pans inside of your brew for a few minutes, allowing them to soak for a little while. Afterwards, submerge your drip pans into soapy water and clean them with a scrubby sponge.Prior to removing your drip pans, remember to turn off your stove’s electrical source—so boiling the water initially is ideal. Proceed with extreme caution when removing the hot element you used to boil the solution…allow it to completely cool first. To remove your coiled elements, watch the video below for the best visual explanation (sometimes it helps to see it rather than read it). Then, it is as simple as grabbing the drip pan and lifting it straight off of its frame. When you reinstall your drip pans, remember to align their side opening with the receptacle and rewatch this video for the correct installation of your coiled elements.
Photo by: Tam Tam | Flickr
