Cleaning a gas stovetop. Any suggestions?

[Bengaliwife]

I have checked other threads and found one suggestion but I was wondering if people had others. I cook alot of indian food and my gastop burner areas get gunky with cooked on grease very quickly, especially If I fail to clean them right away. I have cleaned them before with vinegar and baking soda which cuts pretty well for cooked splashes, but fails to remove the really cooked -on ,burnt food. I find baking soda to be abrasive and it scratches the porcelain surface(I also use a paper towel. would a sponge be less abrasive but still do the job?).
The Hood over the stovetop is another problem. It has a very, very greasy and sticky coating on the top which even baking soda cannot remove or even totally cut through. does anybody have any suggestions for that as well? Someone suggested something to me the other day called "Bom". Does anyone know anything about that? I've also seen recommendations for "Barkeeper's Friend". What is that, does it work on tough stuff, and where may I find it?
Thanks.

[HillJ]

Once you have the stove top clean, rub Turtle Wax (the car cream) on the stove and hood surface and it will prevent greasy build up from becoming a bigger problem the next time. The wax repels the buildup.

I have a black enamel gas stove with black enamel grates and enamel burner covers. Once a month I run the grate and burner covers in the dishwasher on a short steam cycle to clean them. Once a month I spray Easy Off on the stove top and let it sit for 20 mins, removing the residue with hot soapy water but the Turtle wax btwn cleanings is what saves me from grease build up and a harder clean up job.

Learned about the Turtle Wax thing from our mechanic.

[Klass]

I have a black enameled top on a gas range. Not sure if I may have caused permanent damage to the surface. When I wipe around the burners it almost appears as though there are tiny blisters on the surface. They are also showing up in other areas where there has been considerable heat. Has anyone else noticed this type of behavior? Anyone know of an appropriate solution?

[HillJ]

Klass, I would call the manufacturer of your gas range. Nearly all have some sort of customer service/hot line for specific issues and they will know their appliances best. If you don't have the stove manual, search online, you should be able to find a toll free number.

[cstr]

Whatever you do, turn off the gas to the stove first.

[al b. darned]

I have never tried this on my stove, but I remember it worked great on my car: Armor All Car Wash Concentrate. The blue bottle, not the stuff with the wax in it. For really tough stuff you use it full strength and let it soak for a bit. It will dissolve bugs and tar without killing the paint, so I'm sure it would work on your stove.

[Sal Vanilla]

Apply glass top cleaner (I used to use one in a white bottle with a black label - name escapes me - but it was a white very non abrasive cleaner. I applied it while the burner was warm and before I cooked anything else on that burner. Rub it in and maybe dilute it with boiling hot water. And then with a razor scraper that looks like this http://www.drillspot.com/products/732...
you go at it at an angle chipping and peeling back the goo. Use a deep angle at first if you are worried or try it on a hard surface to practice if worried. It will come off. Those scrapers are lovely.

I have a gas range now. I am too messy for glass.

[AreBe]

Pick up a bottle of "AWESOME" at your nearest Dollar Tree store. It almost certainly will cut the greasy buildup on your hood.

[Bengaliwife]

Thank you all so much for your responses. I will try some and report back.

[pepperqueen]

Hope I'm not too late!!! I use Orange Soft Scrub for my stove top (gas stove) and put all the removeable pieces (grates, etc.) in the dishwasher. After 6 years, my stove looks brand new. I also cook lots of Indian and other stuff that makes a mess.

[hsk]

Oven cleaner (easy-off or generic) works great, I've never had a problem on enamel or stainless. Try it on an inconspicuous spot to make sure it doesn't damage the finish if you're concerned about it.

[BeefeaterRocks]

Could it be "Bam" instead of "Bom"? made by Easy-Off, it's a foaming cleaner, works really good for me. Bar Keepers Friend is a mildly abrasive powder cleanser & polish, I use it on my glass top stove, does an excellent job. I find both products in the same aisle of my supermarket.

[queencru]

How about Magic Eraser? It has a minimal abrasive, but so far nothing I've used it on has gotten scratched. I use it on my white laptop, walls, pretty much everything. I just tried it on some hard-to-remove stuff on my gas stovetop and it came right off!

[LindaWhit]

I'll be awaiting other responses, as the hood over my (electric) stovetop also has baked on greasy/sticky coating that won't come off with regular cleaners. I've already tried scrubbing at it and all that's done is worn off some of the enamel, which means I'll have to paint it if I ever leave the apt.

[dinin and dishin]

Linda, have you tried the citrus based cleaners -- especially the ones with orange oil? I find them very effective on that type of sticky grease when used undiluted.

[LindaWhit]

Yeah, that's what I have at home, I'm pretty sure. I"m wondering if that cooktop cleaning creme you mentioned would work.

[dinin and dishin]

Yes, it would probably work and be less abrasive than some of the other options. Of course for abut $40-50 you can replace the hood with something basic, unless it is one of those high tech special ones. That's about the same price as buying a bunch of cleansers and repainting it before you move. Very easy to install. Just a thought. :)

[LindaWhit]

Believe me, this is *not* a high-tech special one. Not from my landlord. :-)

[LindaWhit]

Updating my own reply 2+ years later.....I *will* be moving out of this apt. in a month, and will make sure I know how much the hood costs so the landlord doesn't try to ding me for a more expensively priced replacement! :-)

[Stephanie Wong]

We have an old chrome top stove which our housekeeper thinks is absolutely gorgeous. (she's raved about it to another client of hers, who's a friend of mine). Ana uses Easy-Off oven cleanser on it. I don't know whether she uses the cotton shop towels or non-stick safe scrubbing sponges we provide. I do know that paper towels can be abrasive because I have scratched eyeglass lens using them. The chrome-top just gleams when she's done.

[dinin and dishin]

I use a product called Cook Top Cleaning Creme that works well. I usually find it in hardware stores, appliance stores or department stores that carry appliances. And along with that I have razor blade scraper that actually came with the stove. It works the same as scraping dried paint from windows. Very effective for the baked on gunk.