The little-known problems caused by the dirtiest kitchen appliances have a simple fix
9honey Living's The Wash Up: Your 30-day spring cleaning guide is a month-long series aimed at making your annual house clean easier with hacks and expert advice.
The rangehood filter, oven and stovetop are among the hardest working parts of the kitchen, yet rarely do they get the thorough clean they need.
Cleaning these appliances is actually really important because all that grease and grime makes them work much harder, leading them to use more power than necessary and potentially break down sooner.
Dirty ovens can also prevent food from cooking evenly, while food stains on stovetops can attract insects while a clogged rangehood can result in grease splattering across your entire kitchen.
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The stovetop needs cleaning regularly to remove food particles. Getty
If all that's not enough to convince you, oil and grease-filled rangehoods are a potential fire hazard, so they at least need to be cleaned every one to two months.
Here are the easiest ways to clean your rangehood, stovetops and oven.
Rangehood filter
Before cleaning your rangehood, turn off the power to keep yourself safe. You will need a sponge, warm water, dish soap and a cloth.
Most rangehoods have metal filters that will trap grease and you can remove it by pulling it out or unhooking it.
Soak the filters in a sink or bucket filled with warm water and dish soap, submerging them for at least 10 minutes to loosen debris and grime.
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Rangehoods can collect lots of dirt and grime. Getty Images/iStockphoto
Once the grease has softened, you can scrub the filters with a sponge or a soft-bristled brush.
Then, rinse thoroughly to remove all of the soap, allowing the filters to dry completely before reinstalling after the rest of the area is clean.
Use dish soap and warm water to wipe down the exterior surfaces of the rangehood, paying particular attention to the greasiest areas.
Once everything is dry, you can reassemble the rangehood, wiping down its entirety with a dry cloth to avoid streaks.
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Stovetop
Gas and electric stovetops can harbour grease build-up that can spread throughout the kitchen, attract bugs and just generally be unhygienic.
The method for cleaning your stovetop depends on what type it is but supplies for all will generally include dish soap, hot water, a sponge and/or a cloth.
If you have a gas stove, remove the grates and burner caps and soak them in a sink of dish soap and warm water for 15 minutes before scrubbing them with a sponge.
Stovetops should be cleaned before they get to this state. Getty
Regardless of your stove type, wipe down the surface with a sponge, dish soap and warm water.
If the stain is particularly stubborn, you can leave some dish soap on the area for five minutes.
Rinse with a clean cloth before thoroughly drying the surface, ensuring that the grates and burner caps are entirely dried before placing them back.
Oven
Cleaning an oven can be one of the most taxing kitchen cleaning tasks. Getty
Cleaning an oven is one of the most irritating kitchen tasks. The small space is often hard to reach, and the stains are very stubborn after being baked into place.
Pre-heating the oven before cleaning it will make the chore easier. Set the temperature at around 90°C for around 30 minutes before letting the oven cool down until it is safe enough touch.
While wearing gloves, remove the oven racks and submerge them in hot water in the sink or a large tub with washing up detergent or a dishwashing tablet.
After allowing them to soak for at least 15 minutes, wearing gloves, give them a good scrub to remove all the grease and grime.
Now, for the oven, for tough grime, mix water and baking soda into a thick paste before spreading the mixture throughout the interior, avoiding heating elements.
Allow the paste to sit for several hours or overnight to really lift the stains and then use a damp cloth to wipe off the mixture while wearing gloves.
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It's important to wear gloves when cleaning your oven. Getty
If there are any stubborn spots, scrub with a non-abrasive sponge to loosen the debris.
Rinse off any remaining residue and dry thoroughly before replacing the racks and enjoying your clean oven. Wipe down the exterior with dish soap and a cloth, then rinse and dry.
For all of these methods, do a patch test in an inconspicuous area and check the manufacturing details of your appliances to ensure you are doing these steps in accordance with its safety manual.
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