I’m going to change your life today. (Well, your stove top at least.)
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Don’t you judge me! I cook. A lot. These were my stove burner/grates.
Yep. They were so bad that I am almost embarrassed to put a watermark on this photo. You cook… oil and grease spatter… they get heated and reheated and then pretty soon you have a disgusting coating that will not. scrub. off. ever.
What to do…? Stop. Scrubbing.
Remember ammonia? Basic ammonia? Take about 1/4 cup of ammonia and seal it up with one of the burners in a large ziploc bag.
The fumes from the ammonia are what clean the burners. See the condensation building up inside the bag?
You only need a little ammonia in the bag. You are not trying to soak the burner… you just want to seal it up with the ammonia fumes.
I leave it outside on a cookie sheet overnight. (You can leave it inside, but I move it outside just in case the bag springs a leak or something. Stinky.) It is the fumes from the ammonia that dissolves all of the grease and hardened oil. You don’t need to soak it, it just needs to be sealed up with the ammonia fumes.
When it’s done sitting, it should wipe clean with a sponge.
See how amazing? It’s the same burner. Easy peasy, no more greasy.
If you have over sized stove burners you can get these extra large size bags 
Why buy expensive cleaners and/or use a lot of elbow grease? Cheap ammonia and 12 hours = totally clean. …Remember all you need is gallon zipper bags
What would you do with extra time and money…?
You. Are. Welcome.
*****Updated: Never, EVER mix ammonia with anything that has bleach in it. It creates toxic fumes. (In general, I suggest you don’t play chemist and try to mix ammonia with anything, period.)*****
Updated 3/6/13: The nice ladies at Made From Pinterest tried this out and were super happy with the results and had an extra tip or two in there as well.
Note: This post contains affiliate links.
Excellent tip! The grate looks brand new. I’ll have to give that a try, thanks.
I tried it and it didn’t work for me even after scrubbing. The one doubt I had is that I was using an old, open bottle of Amonia. I will try again with a new bottle and see if that works.
Will the ammonia trick work on cast iron grates as well?
Thanks so much
Missy
I don’t think it will work on cast iron.
I tried this method on my burners. Oh my this is the greatest method to clean the burners off. My grates were so bad and I tried everything from soup to nuts. Then I tried the amounia in a bag. I left the grates in the bag for 24 hours and every grease stain came off with no elbow grease. Thank you its the best my stove has looked since I perchased my stove in 5 years and yes the grates look brand new and very shiny again thank you (02-19-15)
Just pour a can of pepsi cola or coke or soak it in while still hot, result it works better than that chemical stuff
It’s scary to think that something people are ingesting into their bodies is capable of eating away baked on grime on one’s stove top. I think I’ll keep the chemicals on the outside of my body whenever possible.
Really great idea. i must try it. i have never thought that cleaning burner is that much easy. wow……
i tried this and it didn’t work for me. i did it just like you said. i even went back and bought 4 more jugs of amonia and put a bottle each in each bag and it still did not work. what went wrong!
Triva, it is the fumes from the ammonia that remove the built up grease and gunk… not soaking the burner in the ammonia. You used too much.
DOES ANYONE KNOW IF this WORKS WITH DRIP PANS?
I will give this a try tonight. However, my burners are to big to fit in a ziplock bag. Will use a large garbage bag and seal it with duck tape…
How to clean stove top with black enamel. Used baking soda and vinegar and didn’t get the crud off. Will amonia work or exposed be too much. I have cast iron grates what would be a great way to clean them.
I didnt find out how to clean the grates, can you tell me please?
A great tip, I have done this and it does work!
How much ammonia about a teaspoon
I tried this but had no luck is there a certain ammonia u used
I just put mine IN THE OVEN AND run self clean cycle
does anyone know if Is it safe to use this ammonia fume method to clean the burner coils of an electric range top? (Not grates, but the actual burner coils) Mine can be unplugged and removed from the stovetop. It seems like the end that plugs in could be left outside the ziploc bag and the bag sealed around it to hold in the fumes. Hate to be the first to try it and end up ruining them, so please let me know if it has worked for anyone else. Thanks so much!
I don’t think it would work on burner coils. The enamel coating on the stove burners I cleaned protect the metal from the ammonia but dissolve the grease.
wow, very informative, i like it, thanks
Wooow! I been looking all over to see what is the easiest way to clean my stove irons . Thank you so much!
What iF you haVe very large burners/grates that don’T fit into even the jumbo zip lovk bags?
The important thing is to seal them up tightly so the ammonia fumes can do their work. Maybe put them in a bin?
Hmmmm, can’t wait to try this! Although my stove grates are black, I know that crud is there. My DH will be quite impressed.
Oh. Yeah. I’m sooo doing this…thank you so so much for the amazing tip, Viv!!!! I can’t believe how the good the “after” looks…
Can we use the same tip to clean the inside of the over for the grease??
Wow, that is an excellent tip. I am going to try this on my 1987 stove!! Thanks!
Whoa baby!!! That’s amazing. I have one of those glass top stove and it’s so hard to get clean.
Sprinkle baking soda then spray with vinegar, most will wipe off.
Sprinkle with baking soda and spray with hydrogen peroxide. Works very well. Mixing baking soda with vinegar I’d a waste . The baking soda actsAs a mild scouring AGENT, when mixed with vinegar they unrealized each other and you have gritty water.
Baking soda and peroxide kill germs and dirt and grease and safe for the household. It can be used WI TO clean most anything. I prefer to keep it off my skin because it kills bacteria and can cause white spots your hands. And it doesn’t stink as bad as vinegar.
try a scrapper with a new razor blade in it. that worked on mine.
I just sprinkle baking soda, then take a warm wet hand towel lay OVer the area for a few hours or over night. After some time i basically clean up the baking soda & it wipes up EFFORTLESSLY sometimes I’ll use a green scrubby thing depending on how bad it was but thats with very minimal elbow grease.
Do I have to use the cookie sheet? Or could I just set Out side as is in bag
You could set it outside as is in the bag. I like the cookie sheet for extra protection, in case the bags leak or something.
Great tip! I am very impressed.
Have a great day!
Pam
I have tried this with my oven racks in my old stove but didn’t have much luck. I think mine were in worse shape (hanging head in embarrassment)
Remember to never get ammonium with any products with bleach in them or you will have toxic fumes.
I bought a stove that was terribly abused. I tried this and it did work a bit, but not very well. I ended up getting oven cleaner and spraying it on the grates, and using a wire brush to get in the crevices. The grates look like new now. I will try this however to keep them looking new.
Nothing could have been worse than my oven racks. I laid my racks on an old towel – in my bath tub. Just covered the racks with super hot water (combination of the hottest tap water and a kettle of boiling water)added 2 bottles of ammonia and a little dish soap. Let soak for several hours or overnight (Close your bathroom door). Then cleaned off crud with a cloth and a green scrubbie or tooth brush for the crevices. Most all came right off with just a gentle rub. If not – repeat.
I put my oven racks in a black traSh bag sealed tightly after placing A Small bowl with aMOniNa inthe sUn. I isuall leave it all day and overnight. The yuk comes Off with ver little effort.
well hot damn, I’m gonna try that! I so wish I just had a flat top stove and never had to worry about dang burners or the casings that hold them in.. they drive me crazy!! I’ll keep ya posted if I can get it to work for me!! Otherwise, you can visit Dallas again soon, right? You have better luck with products working than me.. or more patience.
You can clean pots and cast iron by boiling water with a sprinkling of baking soda and a drop of dish soap in the dirty pan. After the liquid cools just wipe the pan clean and rinse with water. It has worked every time for me.
Flat top electric stoves are a bitch to clean, take firever to heat up and just as long to cool down. You will regret it if you buy one of tnese ranges.
I am trying to clean the top of my mom’s and everything i try is zip!!
Seriously?? Where do you learn this stuff????
~Becca
Why don’t you all just clean up after you cook each time?
Well Louise, I actually do clean up after I cook each time. However, oil or grease on a burner that has high heat applied to it bakes on and makes it impossible to remove without a really deep cleaning, such as the one outlined here.
Louise,
I’m someone with severe arthritis. I’m lucky to make a meal. It would be great if you remember not everyone is you.
Wow, that is one of the coolest cleaning tips I have seen in a LONG time! I cook quite a bit too, and my stove shows it! I keep thinking one of these days the black powder coating on my gas rings is going to come off from all the scrubbing. And, to some extent, I have given up. Now, do you have a wonder solution for Copper Pans? I have a nice set, well loved, they no looka so nice…….
Use barkeepers friend, make a paste with it and let it sit for about 1hr should wipe clean…good luck:)
Use barkeepers friend, make a paste with it and let it sit for about 1hr should wipe clean…good luck:)
Vinegar and salt !!!! It’s an instant reaction right before your eyes!!! You don’t even have to scrub!! Rub it with a paper towel or sponge
Slather with catsup…they will be beautiful. Make take a couple of treatments.
I use bar keepers friend, wet the bottom of the pan, sprinkle on the cleaner use the rough side of a sponge and it will clean up nice and shiny, make sure to dry real good. Hope this helps you
Tomato paste will clean copper pans. Wipe on a thin layer, let it sit 15 minutes, wipe off with a paper towel. Cheap and easy.
to clean copper, mix about a pint of apple cider vinegar and a good tablespoon of salt. Squirt onto copper and the gunk falls right off in front of your eyes!
Try ketchup, rinse with cold water
use baking soda and lemon juice for your copper.
Use Cream of Tartar paste to clean copper pan bottoms
Liquid metal cleaner/polish.
A powdered cleaner named “Bartenders friend ” is amazing on Copper, it’s in the same type of container as Comet. You will love it.
Kristi
A powdered cleaner named “Bartenders friend ” is amazing on Copper pots, it’s in the same type of container as Comet. You will love it.
Kristi
For copper pots, cover in tomato sauce, leave for an hour or so then wash off. Wipe a small section off first if it hasn’t fully worked leave on longer.
Salt and Vinegar for copper bottom pans. Pour vinegar over the bottom, sprinkle with salt and rub! It’s that easy!
try good old ketchup. shines up copper quite well.
You can also easily clean copper with a fresh lemon or lemon juice and iodized salt. I found that tip in a book called Haleys helpful hints. I have my grandmother’s copper bottom pots and THEY have been gorgeously kept this way for years now.
I use kleen king on my copper pots. it’s like barkeepers friend but it works instantly on discolored copper pots. if the pots are black with cooked on gunk it works but it will take some work and time. i have cleaned up garage sale copper to like new.
I worked in a kitchen where we used copper pans ,they were cleaned using salt moistened with vinegar
Ketchup ! Cover copper with Ketchup and let sit for hrs, my copper pots, revereware i got in 1978 look like new! Vinegar is the way to do it. But , of couse ketchup has Vinegar and stays where u put! Great for removing rust too!
Clever girl!
Clean King is the best for copper bottom pans…sprinkle on and it almost looks magic in front of your eyes..hardly any scrubbing needed.I wet the pan and sprinkle iut on and let it sit a second and use a wet paper towel squeezed out and my pots gleam like new!……takes all the black off after cooking.I use it every time after I cook in a pot!I was it in dish soap after and then use the clean King.rinse and walla!
yeah right.. its cool
This will work in a stove as well…a flat pan filled on the bottom and leave overnight(perhaps a bit longer in certain cases) and bingo! Wipes clean for me every time!
I’ve used this in the oven, too, & it works. I have a self-cleaning oven & directions tell you not to use oven cleaners due to the coating used on the oven surface. The self-cleaning does not always remove everything.
For the copper…salt and lemon juice works well.
My burners a very big and black {stop it Connie, I know what you’re thinking} so they don’t look nasty but I could still get the grease off of them if I can find a bag big enough. Great tip!
Ziplock makes very large zip top storage bags. Have cleaned double burner grates and oven racks in them. Find them with the storage products in your grocery store.
Dollar store sell vacuun storage bag, size large work perfect for big burner
Just reading your comment…can only say, WOW, REALLY!!
My burner grates are like the size of 2 small ones I wonder if the press n seal would work as a large bag???? Anyone have any suggestions
For larger items use a trash can plastic bag.
Use a trash bag. There are plenty of sizes to choose from.
I was wondering how your black stove grates turned out. I too have dual black grates rather than individual ones. Did the black come off with the ammonia? Did the ammonia leave any stains?
Did u find a solution to rhe largw grate problem?
I found 2 gallon zip lock bags at Dollar Tree and Wal Mart, They really can cover big items. Good luck.
Mine too are to big for a zip lock bag, so I used a trash bag and taped it up real good to keep the fumes inside.
I have the same issue. Do you think a garbage bag would work, then leaving it outside, of course?
Use a 13 gallon garbage bag sealed with a rubber band or rope. You have to use a bit more ammonia because it’s a larger area.
What about using a small tote with a locking lid?
I use a kitchen can trash bag and tie up with a twisting.
I used ammonia on my black grates and left it over night. It peeled off more than just the grease. I wasn’t pleased.
I use a plastic grocery bag
What a wonderful tip! Thank you so much for sharing and have a wonderful weekend!
Aledia~
I am so excited to try this tip! I have the grates in the ziploc bags right now. I am optimistic!! Thanks for sharing!!
Great Tip! – found you on The Frugal Girls 🙂
Well done.
Amonia is now on the grocery list. Woo hoo!
wow thank you so much VIV this is one tip i needed ALOT 🙂
You are one handy woman. Have an awesome weekend!
Thanks for sharing! I’ll try it!
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I think I love you… I hate cleaning these things.
I’d love for you to share it at my link party.
I tried this and was So looking forward to seeing my gas stove elements clean. Unfortunately, it looks like the part of the element that actually touched the ammonia became discolored or dark. Any suggestions?
great info…thank you!!
I need away to get the burnt on black on the stove top around the burners ( caused by using pans bigger then the burner) I have tried everything . My stove is white so it looks awful.
Try puttig a small flat dish of amonis in the center of stove top and taping/tieing a doubled garbage bag over entire surface.
Try using NO FUMES oven cleaner. My spouse is a wreck in the kitchen and on the stove. My burners get so disgusting I wanna new stove. But I used the oven cleaner and wallah. It worked. May take a couple of times but it does. No scratches like Brillo and cleansers.
Just make sure you donts spray the burners themselves. If you do may take while before gas gets thru. But I used a toothpick to unclog.
Baking soda and peroxide. After 5 min. I’m scraping it with my finger nail. I can’t believe it.
Carla…sprinkle water on your stove then sprinkle generously with baking soda. Let it dry overnight then wipe up the next day. That will clean just about anything off a stove top. Also i put my grates into the stove and run the self clean function. Cleans as well as the ammonia without the fumes!
I put amonia on the top of my stove and cover with cellophane since the area usually needing cleaning is recessed and let soak overnight works great. Don’t use a ton of amonia the fumes are what loosens the grease and burnt on stuff.
I’ve been using this trick the last couple of years…works every time! I’m always amazed after I take them out of the ziploc bag and the grime slides right off! Definitely beats all of the elbow grease I have wasted over the years!
What a fabulous idea! Thanks for sharing this easy way to clean those pesky burner grates! Please stop by http://www.laughloveandcraft.com and link up to my Share the Wealth Wednesday Link Party! I’m your newest follower!
you may have just saved my teapot from trashcan banishment! i leave it on the stove 24-7 because we use it so much, and it’s as dirty as the burners. i’ll be giving it your magic ammonia treatment today! thanks so much for sharing. : )
Check out Grainger’s Metal Restoration for any metal you would like to restore.
Thanks SO much for the great tip. I have struggled with what to do with my gas burner grates. Mine are cast iron, do you think the same thing will work? They are also huge.
I have black cast iron grates for my gas stove as well as the black drip pans underneath.
It worked beautifully!
Make sure they are thoroughly rinsed and dried before replacing on the stove top to avoid rust
This sounds genius! I’m trying this as soon as I get home today.
-Amber
Brilliant tip! Why didn’t I know that 10 years ago!
Thanks so much!
Yvonne
Awesome, mine are so bad too & I have scrubbed & scrubbed, thanks so much! This looks wonderful =D I would love for you to link this up to My Favorite Things party! There’s a new one every Friday
& be sure to check out my giveaway too! Stopping by from the Tip Me Tuesday party.
Thanks
~Iffy~
http://www.stayathomenation.blogspot.com
Thanks! mine are horrible. Anyone have a suggestion for the stove top that;s just as bad-my husband blows up the kitchen when he cooks.
Try small dish in center and doubled garbage bag taped/tied over entire surface.
What if you have a gas stove? Can you still do it?
dang! that is amazing Im trying this!
thanks for the tip!
Jess@ the balanced libra
SO can’t wait to try this! Your before picture is exactly what mine look like!!
Wow! What a transformation! I wonder if I could somehow make it work for my flat glass rangetop. Maybe if i put a little condiment dish of ammonia in the middle of the burner and sealed in the fumes with press n seal. Though not sure what I would do at the end to avoid a fume filled house. hmmm. Thanks for linking up with DIY under $5!
Put a thin coat of baking soda down and spray with hydrogen peroxide. Usew fingers to gently mix and coat every inch let stand an hour and wipe!
I have ammonia, large ziplocks, and dirty burners! They always get neglected on our gas range. Thanks for sharing 🙂
-caroline @ c.w.frosting
Thanks for the reminder that ammonia can work wonders, but thanks also for reminding all of us about the potential hazards.
Where can I get Ammonia? In Grocery store? Which section?
The Cleaning section of your grocery store. Usually kept on a lower shelf because it is an older product and not as popular as it once was..
You can buy ammonia in any grocery store in the country, in the cleaning section. (For pennies on the dollar.)
I’ve known about this for a long time, but forgot. Thanks for reminding me-I’m off to not scrub my stove.
Can’t wait to try this! I am thinking I can clean the actual stovetop, too. Maybe create a “seal” with plastic wrap or foil or something. Hmm, the possibilities. Thanks for sharing!
Elisa
elisakoranda@aol.com
Great tip, thanks for sharing!! Can’t wait to try it 🙂
Oh my word. I have those same exact oven rings. I really appreciate the tip, and a picture of the jar of ammonia, (i had no idea what that was)!Found you on TT&J.
I would love for you to link this up at my weekend Link Party, Once Upon a Weekend. This weekend is my first-ever party, and I am so hoping people will participate! 🙂
Here’s the link if you’re interested:
http://familyeverafter.blogspot.com/2011/07/once-upon-weekend-link-party-1.html
Also, if you have a list of favorite link parties, I’d love to be included on Fridays. Thanks a ton!
So excited to know this cleaning tip! My stove top looks just like your before photo and I’ve tried everything to get them clean. This method is so simple. Yay!!
TO Good Time Charlie Re: Copper bottom pans; when I ran out of my copper cleaner my dh told me to use ketchup and salt and it worked beautifully. Also, like the other gal posted lemon & salt. Good Luck!!
For cleaning copper bottoms of pans, my mom would get a cheap brand of tomatoes paste and wipe all over the copper,let sit for an hour or two till it looked a bit dry then washed off. She always had shiny clean copper with no fuss:)
I forgot to mention this. I thought, then I googled to confirm that one should never get ammonia on aluminum as it will pit it.
I let mine soak for 24 hours yesterday and they came beautifully clean. I wish I’d read about the aluminum pitting. I sat my bags on my baking sheet and the ammonia ate the surface and turned it dark grey. Well, live and learn. Thanks for the clean burners.
Great tip! I have to try this! Any advice for getting the same nasty grease build-up off the actual stove? Ours gets gunky around the oven timer and we can NOT find a way to get it clean!
I use Westley’s Bleche-Wite to clean around knobs, oven timer and back-splash of stove. It is a spray. It’s actually a whitewall/tire cleaner – can find in automotive areas in stores such as Walmart, etc. Works great!
How about the actual stove top? Mine looks like the grates, but much, much worse.
If this tip works for the grates, I’ll be so ecstatically happy.
OK so how do I get my glass cooking top clean? Ive tried it all and nothing works. HELP!
How do you clean stove’s black top? someone told me to use orange glow, made everything greasy. I have tried everything.
Awesome tip! I’ve found “plumber’s screen” (not sure of the brand of specific name, I just know of it as plumbers screen) on my burner pans works well after soaking in either vinegar or Dawn. It does take a little elbow grease but works well.
I may have to try the amonia, but I’ll admit, I am a little chemical shy. Would anybody happen to know of any other tips that don’t require harsh chemicals? Your burners looked so great I might have to bite the bullet & take a leap, but I thought I’d ask. :0 )
What about the new stoves without the tray thingies? The burners are sealed, but the stovetop looks just like the darn grates, and I’ve lost a lot of “finger skin” cleaning those things.
thanks!
Hi, I have cast iron grates. I wonder if the amonia would hurt them?
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If they are too big to fit in a Ziploc, could you stack them in an old plastic storage tub?
This is the type of tip our mothers should have told us, but they didn’t listen to our grandmothers! Thanks a ton for sharing! I am going to use this on my grill racks once the summer is over!!
God Bless You!!!!! For years, I have tried the old fashioned elbow grease with Scouring pads to clean those darn grates! Now, thanks to you, I have a better way! I am going to try TODAY!!!!!
Check out the dollar stores for the large ziploc bags for blankets. Oven grates should fit in the extra large blanket bags.
Do you have to add more ammonia, or peroxide, for the bigger bag ?
Oh you genius you! I can never get these things clean enough and it drives me nuts.
I wish I’d seen this before I spent money on new grates. Live and learn. Thanks bunches!
THANK YOU for this post. I tried this last weekend, sorta skeptical, and it has totally changed my life! I even bought a special ammonia container to let them all sit in overnight. Tip though – I found out that, letting it sit for 2 nights kinda defeats the purpose. You HAVE to do it the next morning or it’s a waste and you have to do it over. I seriously am going to try my pans now and am trying to think of other things I could use this trick on!
my mom was doing this 40 years ago she put them all in a trash bag out on the gravel driway along with the bbq grate
This is a great, economical trick that my grandmother used to employ! I soak my oven racks in humongous garbage bags to cut the crud! Works like a charm. 🙂
This is the BEST cleaning tip I ever got!!!! I left the burners over two nights and I couldn’t believe how easily all of the baked-on grease rinsed off!!!! Amazing!!!!
This worked! It was amazing! But man, that ammonia smells sooooooo disgusting. I gagged so many times while putting the ammonia in my baggies. I definitely kept it outside overnight. The smell was worth a clean stovetop!
They ARE saying that peroxide works just as well. I’m going to try it. I can’t stand the smell of vinegar !
Thanks so much! I can’t wait to try this!!!
Michelle
Love this tip. You can actually use a garbage bag to do a big batch of things (the broiler pan and all the burner things). Even better, you can recycle the ammonia. Just put the ammonia in a cup, sealed inside the garbage bag with all the gunked up stuff. In the morning you have easy clean up and you can reuse what’s left of the ammonia in the cup.
Awesome and amazing, Viv! I can’t wait to try this out!
This is the most helpful thing I’ve learned in a long time! (If I find out my mother knows this and never told me, there will be hell to pay.) I also used this method a few days ago to remove a bunch of gunk from several doorknobs I was about to spray paint. A quick pass with the sandpaper and they were ready to go!
BTW, I spent the better part of last Sunday – the hottest day on record in Austin (112 degrees!) – inside reading your blog. Thanks for helping to keep me cool!
Thanks for the tip! I saw it on FrugalGirls. I tried one grate last night to see if it worked. I still had to lightly scrub, but it really seemed to loosen the grease/etc. I always put them in the dishwasher and it never got them clean. Going to do the other 3 grates tonight!
How do I stick my entire stove top into a ziplock bag to do this?! 🙂 We are trying this FOR SURE!
I did this and it WORKS! My stove looks so great & it was BEYOND easy! I ended up putting everything in a garbage bag & just closing it up tight & put it outside, just in case.
Thank you!
Thanks for the tip!
To clean glass/ceramic stove tops, use spray-on oven cleaner. It works AMAZINGLY well, but be sure to open lots of windows and put the kids & pets outside. It produces vicious fumes.
Found your tip in pinterest. Love it!! Thanks so much!
Found you via Pinterest and I’ve tried this w/ my burners! They look quite similar to your before pics! I posted about it at my blog and referenced your blog.
You can see it here…Feel free to grab a button as well! 🙂 Thanks!
http://thecurvylife2011.blogspot.com/2011/09/un-burning-my-burners.html
Amazing. Now I have to go buy ammonia and try this. I just hope that gallon Ziplocs are big enough for my burner grates, which are square instead of round.
A few people asked about if this works for uncoated cast iron grates…I didn’t see a response. I bought the ammonia, but now worry that I’ll ruin it. Anyone?
*Great blog by the way, found it on pinterst*
Wow. I . . . I . . . I think I love you.
Would this work on drip pans for electric stoves too?? I just have the cheap kind of silver drip pans…
Thanks!
I am definitely going to try this! What can I do to clean off the burned-on yuck that’s built up around the burner pans on the actual stove-top? Thanks for any help!
I just did this over the weekend at my new house. I ended up letting it all sit for 4 days (busy moving and painting) and it was SUPER easy! I have long drip pants that each fit over 2 burners and put those in a garbage bag with ammonia and it also worked great. Thanks for the tip!!!
Just did this on one of my black grates. I can’t believe it, looks like new. So glad I stumbled across your blog. Thanks V!!!
Why not kill two birds with one stone and put them in the oven With the ammonia in a pan like someone suggested up above along with your grates. Clean both and skip the ziploc all together?! That’s what I think I would do if I had a gas stove. And for smooth tops there is a pintrest that is getting a lot of traffic with a liberal amount of baking soda and a slightly wrung out cloth with warm soapy water set on top for 15 minutes. She says it wipes right up without the toxins of oven cleaner like suggested above… Just sayin… Great tips on here that are new to me! Great post!!
Question…I’m sorry if you already answered, but there are so many posts! Can I use this method on my stainless steel cooktop and cast iron burner covers? Thanks!
Sorry, I don’t know about stainless steel or cast iron. I need to google that, I guess.
I see that in the picture you are using SUDSY ammonia. There is clear ammonia and sudsy ammonia. Sudsy is best for tough dirt; clear is better for things that you don’t want streak marks left on-like windows.
This works great! I couldn’t believe it, I am amazed.
Thank you so much for this tip. I’m SO glad I stumbled upon it on Pinterest!
I put both my double burner black grates in a garbage bag with ammonia overnight and they look the best I’ve EVER seen them. I couldn’t be more excited to have clean grates.
I have tried so often to scrub them and soak them and put them through the dishwasher, but they never looked clean.
But this tip – it was like magic! Barely any elbow grease required, which is the best part 🙂
YOU… are a genius! I have cleaned my burners with ammonia over night (covering with plastic wrap to avoid smell) but was mortified about doing the grates. I was so afraid they would be ruined!
I’m off to go put my grates in baggies!
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
Sweet of you to share. I’m embarrassed with the way mine look too 😉
Thank you!
to clean your stovetop sprinkle baking soda liberally on the dirty spots . Let it sit ten minutes and then take a wet cloth with alittle soap in it and lay over the soda. Let it sit 30 min. or more then lift and scrub. might have to do more than once depending on how dirty. good luck
Your advice is a great help. Scrubbing stove burner crates is now a thing of the past.
Your details are amazing! thank you for helping a lot of us:-)
I tried this today on my enamel covered burners! After many years of unsuccessful attempts at cleaning them with various methods, this one was/is by far the fastest,easiest and best method I have ever used!! My burners aren’t perfectly clean but they are WAY better than they have been in years!! I think I will use this method once a month now to make sure they continue to look nice now that I know how!! Thanks for the great tip
Just found this on Pinterest. Could you do the same process for a nasty oven? Say, leave a cup inside the oven (turned off of course) overnight?
my aunt rescued many of my mother’s kitchen belongings following a house fire using this method.
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I had already spent 2 hours scrubbing just half of the burner grates for my stove when my daughter remembered seeing a pin about this post and looked it up for me. I was so thrilled with how easy the grime wiped off the next morning.
i am going to try this!!! so simple…do you have a tip to get the burnt on grease off a glass stovetop? all the items sears recommended haven’t taken it off! thanks!
I clean my WHITE glass top stove (big mistake but it’s done) with the cleaner / polish they sell for this purpose. I also use a razor scraper which they recommended to get the worst spots off first, then the polish cleaner. Works like a charm. Wish I had my old stove back, though. This one is a nearly daily job!
Hmmmmm….the only ammonia I have in the house is in my diaper pail. I wonder…LOL!
I also cook a lot and have nasty burners. They are big grates and cover two burners though, so I wondered how I could do this. I put each grate in a tall kitchen garbage bag with 1/2 C ammonia and twisted and folded it under so it would seal. Then I put it out on the deck table in case it leaked. They aren’t perfect, but much better. And the kitchen garbage bags did leak, but it was outside, so I didn’t really care! Thanks so much!
Shut the front door…I was going to buy new ones. Now I don’t have to. YEAH!
I will try this. Currently we just use oven cleaner. We put the grates somewhere safe,spray and wait. (The grates are bake on enamel just like your oven interior.) This will break down the grease and crud easily. Then wipe clean. We have found that the fume-free oven cleaner does not work as well though. Here’s to less time scrubbing the stove.
wow! Can’t wait to try this!! thanks for sharing
I love this idea!!! Would you mind if I reported this to my blog? http://www.fourlittlegems.blogspot.com
I was curious about cast iron as well – This is what I found…
http://whatscookingamerica.net/Information/AmmoniaCastIron.htm
If it’s OK for pans, grates are GOOD TO GO!! WooHOOOO!!!
Cleaning is a tough occupation. The process demands skill, tools and practices. Chemicals use in cleaning are not enough until you know about the soldierly you are using them on. Some specialized cleaning tactics are needed for carpet cleaning and cloth cleaning. So when you consider to do clean anything classy with no acquaintance then just think for a while if this would wreck your product.
manchester city cleaners
You might just be my hero!!! Thank you so much!!!
Well it did clean them.. but it also ate the finish off of them.. so now they are grey on top of my black stove… I am sort of sad so wanted to be sure and share.. it does work but will clean everything off of them
Buy a can of bbq paint which is a mat finish and respray them. The heat will not hurt them.
Great. Now I love you.
So you flush this down the drain ? ” the kitchen garbage bag did leak but I didn’t care because it was outside” ?!?!?
This stuff is very very bad for the environment. frequent scrubbing should prevent grease getting burnt onto your stove and a bit of elbow grease should get rid of the rest .
This article got an extra 100 people who would otherwise not have used ammonia to flush dozens of liters of amonia ( or as in the comment quoted above simply let it leak into their garden…
I’m sure it gets the job done but that doesn’t mean it should be your method of choice …
“However, fish and amphibians lack this mechanism, as they can usually eliminate ammonia from their bodies by direct excretion. Ammonia even at dilute concentrations is highly toxic to aquatic animals, and for this reason it is classified as dangerous for the environment.”
http://www.health.ny.gov/environmental/emergency/chemical_terrorism/ammonia_tech.htm
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/is-ammonia-safe-for-cleaning.html
http://www.webmd.com/health-ehome-9/green-cleaning
Dude… no one is advocating the dumping of liters of ammonia down the drain. And I don’t know where you live, but our drains lead to a treatment plant, not directly to the ocean. Also, because you only need to use a little, (as opposed to gobs and gobs of other toxic, but ineffective cleaners) I think it’s actually BETTER for the environment.
Dude… no one is advocating the dumping of liters of ammonia down the drain. And I don’t know where you live, but our drains lead to a treatment plant, not directly to the ocean. Also, because you only need to use a little, (as opposed to gobs and gobs of other toxic, but ineffective cleaners) I think it’s actually BETTER for the environment.
This looked like a GREAT idea, so I asked my sister, who is a chemical engineer, if she thought there would be any unanticipated side-effects. This is what she sent me: “Are your burners smooth/sealed like this lady’s or are yours more like cast iron (like Mom’s)? If they are sealed, I’d say go for it (with only slight reservations). If they aren’t sealed, I’d say this was likely to cause rust and corrode them, pronto!”
I am so very relieved that I am not the only woman that has trouble keeping her stovetop clean! I have tried heavy duty oven cleaner and several other substances to try to clean the yuck off of it. Thank you so very much for passing on your great find to us! You are awesome!
Wow! What a great tip, thanks for sharing! I wonder if they make a ziploc baggie big enough to put my whole stove in for 12 hours, lol!
You don’t need to use any chemicals. Just put the grates into the oven and run a self-clean cycle. All the burnt-on stuff turns to ash and wipes right off.
Will this work on electric burners? the ones that are not covered by glass. I worry the ammonia will eat away at some part of the electric wires or conduits that gas burners do not have. thanks!
rzarector, I doubt that this trick would work on electric burners, as the heating element is in the coil. My burners are enamel coated and are for a gas stove.
Sam Lesher, I had tried the put the grates in the self-cleaning oven trick with no success.
I’ve googled searched for a way to do just this but came up empty. My burners look similar to yours except
they’ve been scrubbed by an over-zealous person and some of the gray coating has already come off at the ends. I’m wondering if the ammonia would ruin them such that they’re non-functional.
Any ideas?
I guess I could just try one…but it seems they’re awfully hard/expensive to replace. Anybody know a good way to replace them?
Thank you-
Luci
This was great I linked back to you from my blog http://www.missinformationblog.com
Your blog is great!
My grates are 2 in one do you have suggestions on finding larger plastic bags? Or an alternative to using the zip lock bag?
There Are 2 gal ziplock bags in the groc. Store. Walmart has them. ZipLock brand.
you are awesome!!! thank you so much for this hint.
After many years of hard work and minimal success, the stove now looks brand new with hardly any effort. Even the stuff that’s never come off is gone.
Thank you!
Will this work for pots too?
wow. this is amazing. I can’t believe it! Thank you!
Try goop hand cleaner,works on stove microwave etc.
Also it leaves hands soft.
http://www.goophandcleaner.com
http://www.momsgoop.com
great tip cant wait to try it thanks for sharing
saw this on pinterest…gonna try it. Thanks!
tried this over the weekend and it worked a little bit, not entirely because we haven’t cleaned them in over 5 years. oops.
question: what do you do with the ammonia afterwards????
thanks!
I am in OWE of you!!!!!!!!!! it worked like a charm!!! thank you soooo much!!!!
I did this last night and wiped them down this morning and it worked perfectly! I used a scrub sponge to get in the corners (I have square burners) and it was super easy! Now I need to figure out how to clean the long rectangular grate- I don’t think there’s a Ziploc big enough!
Seriously? OK, I stopped over here because I hear tell you use branches in your projects, but this little tip is one I’ve been waiting about 30 years for. Just added ammonia to my shopping list.
~Bliss~
I am now the proud owner of a jug of ammonia, and my grates are now fuming in it. I didn’t read the 12 hour part first, so I may only do half the time and see how it works. I should of done this AFTER dinner, not in the middle of the day.
~Bliss~
Try this on the bbq grill: wrap the grate with a couple of sheets of newspaper, put it in a large trash bag, pour in a cup of ammonia (enough to saturate the newspaper) close it up leave overnight, hose it off and voila all of the grease and grime is gone. (use rubber gloves to peel off the newspaper)
I love this idea for a bad thing I work with to no good ending except sore fingers!!lol Anyway, i just signed up & I do want to ask a question…. Do you have a fix for the top of the stove? I really really need help with this one too! Thank you soooooo very much for what you do to help us all.
Nae
nananae@bellsouth.net
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Thank you for this tip! I am still in the process but two burners are done. Looks like a new stove. Used the same ammonia and bag over and over.
My ammonia worked its way though the bags…? Also I think you should make it clear that this should NOT be used in as Gas oven.
This is great to know! But sadly I can’t have ammonia in the house or any where close to me it put me in the hospital because of my asthma every time! I had a doctor tell me asthma can be set off by ammonia. So if you have asthma PLEASE take extra care and be careful. Some asthmatics don’t have issues with ammonia but a great number do.
Holy crap! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! And oh yeah, thank you~
Love it! I have the exact same burner grates, so I am asuming I have the same stove.
What do you use to clean the drip pans?
Ammonia a good cleaning agent because it helps in removing stubborn stains and dirt from the floor and glass surface. If we use ammonia with ease and in its full concentration or even diluted with water or soap to serve as good cleaning agent.
fire damage restoration boston
Ammonia is a great cleaning agent for organic stains on clothing as well. Works wonders to get blood stains out. For stubborn stains, pre-treat with ammonia. Then, throw about 1 cup in the laundry with your detergent (NO BLEACH). It also removes odors. Your clothes will not smell like ammonia. Been doing this for years, because my Mom told me about it. Helps whiten whites, but is color safe and a LOT cheaper than buying expensive additives.
I wonder ( and hope) it will work on my electric grills!
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This might be a stupid question (all the best ones are) but will this work with electric burners?
This works wonders… I also placed ammonia on the cook surface because I have sealed burners. Placed cling wrap over the top to seal and left over night. Everything wiped off very easily!
Wonder if this will work with grill grates??
Would this be okay to do if you routinely use a spray product that contains bleach??? Would it still create toxins???
Thanks
OMG this is just what I need!
I scrub and soak in bleach but it doesn’t budge! I can’t wait to try this on my grates!!
I have the type of burner tops thAt is two big pieces so they won’t fit in a ziplock bag…any suggestions on how to clean them? Avaqueenofcpns@gmail.com
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I did this a couple months ago and it really works! I was ready to throw my grates away and replace them they was so bad and would not come clean for anything! Great tip for sure! 🙂
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Hi Vivienne,
This is an awesome idea! If you don’t mind, I’d love to pin it to The Home Depot’s Storage and Organization pinboard!
Best,
Caroline
From The Home Depot blog
http://ext.homedepot.com/community/blog/
Thank you for this great tip! I never would have guessed that the ammonia *fumes* did most of the work! xoxo
HI LADIES(and guys)This is an awesome tip!!! My “grates” were not the best when I moved into my home, and I hate cleaning generally, but that being my resolution this year I am getting better. BUT I did have to scrub a little (not sure if it was because it was that dirty OR I was rinsing as I was wiping) but still this tip made the cleaning so much faster and easier than before. I literally would only “deep” clean them twice a year because I had to scrub so hard. Now I am going to do this once a month and I can bet my “scrubbing” will come to a halt all together! All in all I loved this tip it helped my kitchen start to look prettier and prettier (for a late 70’s early 80’s dingy galley kitchen)
AHHHH Reading thru the previous posts. maybe next time i grab soem amonia I will get “sudsy” see if that helps a little more. If not I am still impressed with the ease I had getting them as clean as they are@!
Hi Vivienne!
I tried your ammonia cleaning tip and my stove burners are looking wayyyy cleaner! LOL You can see my before and after pictures on my website.
I must warn you, my stove burners/grates were just so DIRTY, thanks to years and years of neglect. But the ammonia got rid of majority of the grime 😀
Thanks so much for sharing this great tip!
Judy
http://cleaningjunkie.com
This is such a great tip. I can’t wait to try it. Do you know if you can also do it with the burner base and the burner cap (the things that go over the igniter)? Those get really nasty too.
Hi Butterfly, Yes, it should work on the base and the burner cap as well.
Really so cheap & great idea to clean the stove burners…i would like to apply that idea! It’s so easy. Cleaning Service
Didn’t work
will this work on appartment drip pans for the stove?
will this work on appartment drip pans for the stove?
Im trying it as I type. Hopefully tomorrow they’ll sparkle
This is the BEST idea that I have learned from Pinterest. I have told all my friends and WE all LOVE this idea. It works. I have tried it over 5 times. Get a Trash bag if you have super big grates. My girlfriend did it and says our friendship is stronger than ever because of this GREAT idea. Thanks would never be enough 🙂 God Bless you and your Family <3
Been doing this for years ! Learned this as a Navy wife.. Had to have the white glove test whenever we left from one base housing to the next… great stuff !!
How about cast iron grates with no enamel on them? Worth a try, I suppose… Then what about leaving a dish of ammonia in the oven overnight for the emameled surfaces in there? Anyone tried that? I worry about the heating elements.
Do all four of them in a five gallon bucket with a lid. You can cram a ton of stuff in there at the same time.
wow great tip, can’t wait to try this…
Chemicals
i’d forgotten about this! I remember Heloise or someone (my mom, maybe?) used to swear by it.
I’m moving in a month and so thankful for your reminder of how to clean them the easy way, so our landlord won’t charge me for new grates!!
I have used this before. Now I have a glass flat stove top and it is hard to keep clean. Any ideas on how to clean those? Also I found a great place that you can get lightb bulbs for inside your stove. http://www.lightbulbu.com
How do you clean burnt grease around gas burners, not the grates. Do you use oven cleaner??
I have heard that combinations of vinegar and baking soda are good. If you read through these comments there are several suggestions that might be helpful.
Wow your grates look brand spanking new. I really hope this tip works as good for me. Thank u so much.
It’s really a lifesaver!
Great tip! I was able to clean my *non-removeable* black stove-top by soaking rags in ammonia and laying across the surface. Then I taped a trash bag over the top to contain the fumes. Baked on stain came off with a paper towel the next morning. Some of these stains were from spray on non-stick oil which I thought would never come off (short of using a jack hammer). Thanks for the info!
I’ve been using this for 50+ years, but neglect the burners for long periods of time in between. The last time it took off a great deal of gunk and softened the rest so I stuck them in the dishwasher to finish the job – WRONG! Gummy stuff all over. My granddaughter said, “Well Gram, that wasn’t such a good idea.” Instead, use the same ammonia for a second or third time.
I guess my mom was anal about things, but I was taught to wash them after every meal or at least wipe them off. I dont have a gas stove so it may be different in that it makes more of a mess….and also, I buy that purple degreaser from the automotive area, you can get a big gal of it well it was about 5 or 6 bucks the last time I bought it, it goes along way…and spray that on too…that stuff is amazing. I also use that on clothes, like around the neck and any grease spots on the clothes. Best stuff I have ever found, but be sure to wear gloves or be VERY careful because it pulls the oil out of your skin and will make it crack!
So how about putting a dish of ammonia in the oven part and putting all of the burners on the shelves? Wouldn’t that clean the oven portion as well as the burners??
Thanx for this helpful tip I will try it for sure..:)
I wanted to share that you can also clean your outdoor grill with this technique. Enclose the entire grill in a very large garbage bag. Close all the vents, top and bottom, put a bowl of ammonia on the grate, close the top and twist-tie the bag shut. Let the grill sit in the sun all day. Be careful when you open the bag/grill top because of the fumes. Remove the bowl and blast the entire grill with the hose. Ta-Da! Clean!
When I bought my house, the stove was a mess. Disgusting I was looking for places to actually buy replacement grills. I found this website I gotta tell you I was very hesitant on this idea. I figured ok it’s gonna cost me a couple of bucks either way try this trick or buy new. Let me tell you this works absolutely 100% . My grates/grills where so bad I let them soak for about a week. I then took them out of the bags and cleaned with someones tip of using tinfoil to get the real stains off, and much to my surprise this tip works. They Look brand new. I posted pictures on my Facebook page and none of my friends believed this trick actually worked till they saw the pictures. — Try it !!! All it’s gonna cost is maybe 5 bucks, and some time. Thanks for this great tip !!! You saved me about 200 dollars to replace them.
That’s awesome! Thanks for sharing!! It made my day. 🙂
I tried that ammonia trick on my drip pans and it did not do anything to them.
Would this work with outside grill racks? Maybe in a garbage bag??
Can you use this method to clean the… I don’t know what they’re called, the bowl-like things that sit under the burners, that come out?
For double burners too large for ziplocks, either in-oven or a large garbage bag will do also.
Or if you need to defunkify a trash can too, uee that, and put a trash bag over the top of the can containing the burners and ammonia.
I have some ammonia but thought I’d try the salt and vinegar suggestion. Yup – works just fine. Thought I’d try it in my stainless steel kitchen sink – super shiny now! And all natural.
Thank-you! It worked so well.
For those that asked about the stainless steel oven grills etc. I pop them into my laundry tub, fill with hot tap water and pop in some Napisan oxiaction. Let them soak overnight. If it’s really baked on (like months of baking), you may need to scrub a little with a brush but they come out nice and shinny. (Note: this is only for stainless steel.
I have an electric stove and the drip pans under the burners get gross and stained over time. I there something that can bring them back to life?
I tried this on my gas stove, and had… mixed results. Left them overnight, each burner in a different bag. The ammonia definitely softened some of the more recent crud on the burners, but I still had to use quite a bit of elbow grease to get everything off. I’m wondering if letting it sit overnight in vinegar might do the same thing with a slightly less potent smell.
I wonder if you can use this method to clean your oven s well?
Would this work for stainless cookie sheets? I have gunky backed on oils and sprays that have discolor end them
Could this be used for bottom of skillets or iron skillets?
Vivienne,
What an absolute lifesaver !!! I tried scrubbing them with all sorts of sprays and scrub pads, did nothing to the greasy burner grill. And then we bought the ammonia, did the same, ziplock bags, left them overnight + a few more hours for good measure and then it looked like magic, when the grease came off !!! It was super exciting – my husband said power of science over brawns !!!
thank you so so much !!!!
Very best cleaning trick that I have heard in years. Now I won’t have to be so frustrated in not being able to get the grates clean. THANKS!!!!
I use a small amount in a glass and sit in my over overnight and it wipes clean the next day. No spray, no spatter. Also works on your gas grill the same way. Amazing!
This is me jumping up and down. Your a life saver!! Will try this tomorrow. Thank you
Our cast-iron burners are unfortunately too big for any ziplock bag. I have a plastic tub I could possibly fit them into (they’re long, covering 2 burners each across the stovetop,) but not sure what kind of seal I could create to keep the fumes in to do their work. 🙁
Emily you can use a garbage bag or plastic container (those to store clothe in). I have those big stove covers too and will try it in a garbage bag.
Great post! I am definitely going to try this out. Keep up the good work here!
This is the second pinterest link that lead me to cleaning with Ammonia. And with respect and kindness, you should not be breathing in Ammonia, not be dipping your hands in ammonia. Not mixing it with bleach (with creates fumes that will kill you) is not quite enough in my opinion. If you are using straight ammonia- you need to be taking more precautions then not mixing it with bleach. Here is a link stating the hazards of Ammonia. Please be careful with this substance, just because it is frugal … not a reason to use it: http://toxtown.nlm.nih.gov/text_version/chemicals.php?id=2
Use with caution!
Thank you for your comment, Andie. If you read the post and its instructions you will see that I recommend keeping the ammonia outside overnight, never ever mixing it with bleach and being very careful with it.
Is it okay to leave grates in a tub overnight in 4 bottles of ammonia?
Will 4 bottles of ammonia in a clear plastic tub overnight clean the grates?
You do NOT need to soak the grates in ammonia. You only need a little ammonia. It is the fumes that loosen the grease and grime.
I see a lot of people asking what to do with the ammonia after use. How about using a shallow dish with an airtight seal, leave the ammonia IN the dish in the bag, remove then cover and store for the next use? No sense dumping it out…just sayin’…
Now to try this on MY oven! Whoo hoo!
That’s a great idea!
I am definitely going to try this! Thanks! 🙂
i have an eletric burners that don’t come off, the ring around them is black, how could i clean them? thanks
Hi, thanks for your comment, but I am not sure how to handle it for an electric stove. Good luck!
I am in an identical situation, so my dilemma is identical to yours. I was pondering my circumstance when I happened onto your posting / question. What I am going to try is to pour some Ammonia (which I use almost exclusively for my household-cleaning needs in any event; the GOOD NEWS about Ammonia is that its foul ODOR dissipates pretty quickly) into a GALLON freezer bag, “encase” the burner in the bag, and close it as best as I can. Since it’s the Ammonia FUMES that are claimed to cause the cleaning, this SHOULD work (although it might take a bit longer, on account of the fact that the bag will never be totally closed). I MIGHT try this with Lemon Ammonia (which doesn’t smell as bad as the “regular” stuff), but NOT with the “Sudsy” stuff.
I, too, have unremovable electric stove burners. And I was pondering how to inorporate this solution into my circumstance when I happened onto your posting / question. What I am going to try is to pour some Ammonia (which I use almost exclusively for my household-cleaning needs in any event; the GOOD NEWS about Ammonia is that its foul ODOR dissipates pretty quickly) into a GALLON freezer bag, “encase” the burner in the bag, close it as best as I can, and let it stand overnight. Since it’s the Ammonia FUMES that are claimed to cause the cleaning, this SHOULD work (although it might take a bit longer, on account of the fact that the bag will never be totally closed). I MIGHT try this with Lemon Ammonia (which doesn’t smell as bad as the “regular” stuff), but NOT with the “Sudsy” stuff. I’m thinking that even if it only “half-way works” this way, I’m still ahead of the game.
I love you!! You just made my day!! I’ve been soaking and scrubbing these darn burner covers for 3 days now. NOTHING is getting them clean. Was thinking of getting new ones. WOO HOO!! Now I’ll save money and time like you said. Can’t wait to try this!! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!
do you know if this would work on the bottom of cookware???
Hi Linda, I’m not sure. It would depend on what your cookware is made of.
I will definitely be trying this. I have a black stove top, how do I get around the burner?
Sorry, Tina. I don’t know the answer to that. There are a lot of comments here, with lots of discussion about cleaning methods.
At the end you said ” it should wipe off with a sponge”. It sounds kinda iffie. I hope it works. Thanks
Amonia is extremely caustic. I tried this tip to clean my burner grates and had a asthma attack. Ive never used straight ammonia before and would never again. I followed the instructions and left the grates soaking over night, and to be honest, I still had to scrub them after. The ammonia fumes were very noxious. Risking my health for clean burner grates is not worth it. Don’t try this!!!!!!
Amazing! I didn’t know that I can use Amonia to clean the stove for example! So amazing! I will definitely try it.Regards!
We have an older stove at our cottage that needs some cleaning done. It’s a good time to experiment. Thanks for the cleaning tips.
Holy moley! Amazing!
I have Paula Dean pans that have turned black on the bottom, would the ammonia clean those? They are the pretty red color and I would hate to ruin them.
I spray my gas stove top with Ammonia and cover with Saran Wrap. Leave overnight and wipe all the cooked on grease and stuff off. If there is a tough place then it is easily removed with a plastic scrubber. Love this.
I also use a dish pan and put them in instead of a bag. I cover it with aluminum foil and let sit overnight. Use sprayer on sink and spray most off without even wiping off…Then hit the tough ones with a dish clothe or non-scratching scrubber.
I can’t believe it; it worked.
I was making a huge pot of split pea soup for a soup kitchen (think green sludge) and I accidentally left it cooking on high instead of low. There was spatter everywhere and my stove grate was black. I had tried: oven cleaner, cleanser, special grease dissolver from Italy, Oxiclean, Simple Green, dishwater soap and WD40 (someone told me it that it reconstitutes the grease)…and it was still basically black matte in appearance.
I put in in a trash bag with a bowl of ammonia overnight in my basement (it was freezing outside and I wasn’t sure if that might hinder the process) and most of it wiped off with a bit of scrubbing today.
I’m a convert!
That is awesome to hear! Yay!
will it work on electric ones as well or do you have another idea? thanks..
Sorry Pam, I don’t know. However, if you read through the comments here, I think it’s been discussed before.
This does not work as easy as you say. I did this last night and STILL had to SCRUB my stains off!!! It’s not just “wiping them off” like you say. Plus the ammonia is VERY strong and can be extremely dangerous. Think twice before attempting it.
Jeanette, I am sorry that you had difficulty with this. It has worked brilliantly for most people, including myself. Perhaps you used too much ammonia. You only need a little bit. It is the fumes that build up in the sealed bag that do the trick.
I had no idea that I can use amonia to clean my kitchen. So nice idea! Thank you so much for sharing! I will try it!
Have my large grates in a garbage bag right now…if this works, I’m going to use ammonia to get a few spots on stove top that will not scrub clean no matter what I use, under the burners and under where the grates go. Have some plastic left over from winterizing windows, will use that and duct tape to seal in the stove top overnight with some ammonia.
Amonia for the stove! It never have occurred me to use amonia for this part of the stove! I will give this trick a shot! Thanks for sharing!
This did not work for me. My burners are also medium to light gray, so it’s evident when they’re clean or not. I put one in a Ziploc bag with the appropriate amount of ammonia and left it overnight and into the afternoon. Maybe *some* of the baked on gunk came off, but it would’ve been easier to scub it off myself than to go through this routine. I tried it with a second burner and the same thing happened– there’s no way they looked clean and new as shown in these photos.
Hi Valerie, I am sorry to hear it didn’t work for you. It works great for me and for many other people. Perhaps your ammonia was old? I don’t know. Good luck.
Hi there! I have used this trick with pans and cookie sheets, but seeing this post, I wondered if this was safe too use on my black cast iron burner grates. Any thoughts?
Oh and to Lydia’s question above, I use a lawn and leaf bag outside overnight with some of my big cookie sheets.
Very pleased with the results. Almost all of the grease wiped right off! I scrubbed some of the more stubborn areas but overall I am satisfied with the job!
Yay! Glad to hear it. It’s been a lifesaver for us. 🙂
But what about bigger burners that don’t fit in a zip bag??
There is a lot of discussion about this in the comments. I believe some people were having success with larger garbage bags.
I’ve tried this and it is unbelievable how it works but I did mine on a hot sunny day between the heat and the ammonia it comes right off I had to do just a little scrubbing but nothing hard. I also left it outside over night just remember to have plenty ventilation when opening the bag cause it is quit potent.
WARNING!!!!!
Please take it seriously when the writer says to not mix the ammonia with any other chemical. My dad mixed ammonia with bleach once in an attempt to get rid of mold buildup in my parents bathroom. Mixing those two chemicals nearly killed him (it makes cyanide gas).
I don’t mean to quibble, but the headline mentions stove burners and grates. However, only grates are pictured in the article,and it makes no further mention of “burners”…which are frequently not removable and therefore cannot be sealed inside plastic bags. Was additional guidance unintentionally omitted?
What about electric drip pans???? Would this work with them???
My grates are cast iron and are huge.. will it work on them as well
Hi Dottie, I don’t think it will work on cast iron.
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for this sister!!
Thanks to you, no more walking by my stove top letting out a depressing sigh from the bottomless pit of brillo pad hell.
I confess my burners look like the “before” photos from your place. I cook, I can foods, I make herbal remedies, I am the mad scientist from the black and white movies in my kitchen having a freakin’ good time admiring the outcome only to turn around and say “holy crap!” at the mess I’ve made.
I seriously couldn’t believe your picture and Welcome description at the top of this page. I about fell over. Not only do we look alike but we’re so much alike!
I HATE the moment the biscuits pop open! It’s self inflicted because I’m to lazy to make them from scratch and mine would never come out layered and buttery the way that Pillsbury doughboy who wears nothing but a hat/scarf/smile does.
I wield a Bruce Lee attitude until a spider comes scurrying out of nowhere or I just happen on to one suspended somewhere inside or out.
I’m the thrift store queen but you better be courting me with Charmin or come not near me.
Heights suck! Nuf said. I hate flying on planes. Spiraling to the ground with screaming strangers is so unappealing.
Nice to meet you and can’t wait to explore your awesome site! Thanks again for the stove burner rescue!!
God bless and keep you and yours safe always!
I put stove top pot stands and other baking trays that need extra cleaning in the oven when I am using auto-clean selection. They come out extremely clean.
How do u clean burnt grease and stains on a flat top stove. TIA
I tried I’m sorry I didn’t remember to take pics of my before grills but I’m not going to lie they were really nasty and about five yrs of burnt charcoal grease n I used this idea and it works but I had to use a capper scrubbing pad and it worked miracles IMG_1037.JPG
I have used this method for years on my oven racks. I put them in a trash bag, take them outside, and then add ammonia and seal the bag. You get nice clean shiny racks again.
Extremely satisfied with the benefits. Almost all of the grease wiped right off! I cleaned some of the more stubborn areas but overall I am pleased with your great effort!
works great on oven racks too. Secure the racks in a plastic garbage bag with the ammonia overnite and in the morning they will wipe clean with a paper towel.
Hi, your burners are for a gas stove, right? Would this also work on burners/grates for an electric stove?
I would also like to know this!! Will it work on electric burners? Or, more importantly for me at least, WILL IT WORK ON DRIP PANS?! Mine are abhorrent!
Hi Laura, I think this will work on drip pans if they have the enamel coating on them, but I don’t think this will work on electric burners as I don’t think they have the same enamel-ish coating that the gas burners do. There is lots of discussion about this in the comments. Maybe find a bit of info in the thread?
Hi Brooke, I don’t think this will work on electric burners as I don’t think they have the same enamel-ish coating that the gas burners do.
Id like to share my tip that ive been doing for years. I actually tried it out of necessity due to a shoulder injury and the inability to use my dominate arm for any sort of scrubbing. Th8s one i feel is much much easiier and everything is done in the same bag . So heres my tip. (I didnt read everyones comments so dont know if its been nentioned)
I take all four burners place them in a 13 gallon either trash bag. i put in one at a time Spraying each one once there are in the bag with Non fumed easy off oven spray. Seal it up using a twist tie. You can also put the oven racks in the same bag sprying each one after they are in as well. I leave it on my kitchen counter over night. Ive never had a leak or any smell what so ever. In the morning ALL THAT GRIME just wipes right off!! No elbow grease needed. You may need a green scotch bright or what i have is the cheap brand equivalant. But this is the easiest and no smell to speak of at all. Shining like brand new in minutes!!! The only cost is a tiny amount for the Easy Off spray. They also have bbq easy off if yours is extremely bad. But this is my solution for people who cant stand amonia and dont want to scrub all day. Its the greatest tip ive ever discovered.
Did i miss what you spray youR racks with? Thank you!
Any advice for cleaning hard
Anodised Calaphan pot? (Misspelling ?)
The outside has a white film-splotches on it.
The pot is black and I would love to restore it
To the original way it looked. Thanks!!!
Also my stainless teapot has all kinds of discoloration
That I can’t get off ! Thanks!!!
Sorry Jean, but I don’t know. There is a lot of information about various other cleaning methods in the comments. Perhaps you can find the answer in there?
Try Bon Ami, but only occasionally. can pit the finish.
Good Luck!
I noticed you say to use ammonia on these range grates. But the pic shows Sudsy Ammania. There is a difference. I have been trying for a couple of years to locate a supplier of sudsy ammonia in my area. Albertsons used to carry it bug they stopped and said they can’t get it anymore. Any clues besides ordering online? I used to use a lot of it like a bottle every few months or so. Would love your feedback. Thanks
Hi Linda, I did not know there was a difference and unfortunately don’t know where to buy it. However, people have been using this method with whatever ammonia they have and it works.
I’m such a neat freak,I clean mine each night before going to bed, if I ever get lazy and forget for a couple of weeks I’ll definately try this,great tip!
Well I couldn’t wait to try using the ammonia in the trash bag for my oven racks after years of scrubbing these down. I let them soak for 9 hours and when I took them out, the grease came off easily with a little elbow grease – however, the ammonia took the chrome finish off of the racks where there was no grease. I saw nothing but raves about this method. It was only after I ruined my racks and did another check that I found one comment from one other person who had the same result. I don’t know if I did something wrong or if my oven racks were inferior and more susceptible to the ammonia. Bummed!
I have the exact same burners! I wish I knew about this years ago, i have always been embarrassed about my burners, i clean them, but they never look nice, unless I spent hours soaking and scrubbing them. I did this method last night and today I took them out of the bag with a little skepticism, but am delighted to say that it actually works. My burners look great and now I don’t have to let them go until I have hours to stand at the kichen sick.
For my cast iron grates, I just pop them into the oven when I am using the self cleaning option. After it has cooled a bit I just have to give them as quick wipe to get off the ash that is left and they are perfectly clean. (and no effort from me). Much easier than dealing with any chemicals
How do I clean a glass top burner?
Barkeeper’s Friend
I have owned smooth top ranges for years. TI FIND THEM EASIER TO CLEAN IF STILL WARM (NOT HOT). All you need to clean crud off without ruining them is soft scrub (U buy it w bleach for germs) & A SCOTCH BRITE (ir generic)GREEN SCRUBBY PAD. I buy the dollar tree equivalents & they work just fine. I WAS BUYING THE $6 SPECIAL SMOOTH TOP RANGE CLEANER FOR YEARS & THEN TRIED SOFTSCRUB & IT WORKS GREAT! JUST BE CAREFUL NOT TO USE ANY SCRUBBY OTHER THAN GREEN TO PREVENT SCRATCHING YOUR RANGE & NEVER USE CONET POWDER IS TOO ABRASIVE. 🙂
definitely will try it. I just learn that ammonia is so cheap, less than 1 dollar a bottle
This tip worked beautifully for me!! Thank you for posting!
Great! Glad to hear it!
This works well but for tougher stains try the same technique using spray on oven cleaner. Any brand works very well! Simply spray on place in a bag, seal and wait. For your oven trays or stove grates you can spray and place inside of a clean garbage bag and seal. I also have cleaned the barbeque grates this way! Overnight is the simplest way I have found as the cleaner works while I sleep.
How can I get this to work, or will it work on my stovetop? You know the inserts under the burners on an electric stove and that grimy ring under them? I can’t get that ring clean for anything and I can’t really scrub it with just anything for fear of scratching it. It just won’t come clean. Thanks
Hi, can this be used for the top of an electric stove? You know those pans that sit under the burners and the grimy ring on the stovetop under the edge of it? I absolutely cannot get this off of my stovetop. And I don’t want to scratch my stove and I’ve tried everything. Thanks
i used to clean my oven that way. it was wonderful. i got it from my mother. but since the recession products have not only gotten smaller in size & volume, & tripled in price, but lower in quality. & name brands have disappeared from shelves. i can only find market brands of ammonia & i have tried 3 times to no avail. i have rentals & it saved me so much work, but now i’m using a spray cleaner & i’m not a happy camper. i do have ammonia & i will try it.
i would like to add another tip for ammonia. i have two cats, they like my soft furniture, & leave their ‘mark’, fur smells…so i make a dilution of ammonia & water, say i part ammonia to 3 parts water roughly, & take rags & dip & ring & wipe the the furniture & am amazed at all the dirt that fills my water! i dump the water frequently. it is work & can probably be done better, but it leaves my furniture clean & smelling great.
Larger bags can be found in stores like Gander Mountain,and any sport, fishing,hunting and camping store and possibly in the big stores that sell camping equipment.
Brilliant tip! I didn’t want to write until I’ve tried it, last night I did and it worked like a charm. It’s so effortless and just great, I recommend!
Best cleaning tip ever! Have owned this stove for nearly 30 years, and. Have not had it this clean in almot 25 years! Thank tou for the great tip!
Thank you so much! this absolutely works! a note of caution: don’t be stupid like me and hold your face right over the bag when you open it up – i was so excited to see if it had worked, i got a snoot-full of fumes that almost took me down.
Really great tip! I can’t wait to try this out! My favorite recipe for all purpose cleaner is: 1 tsp baking soda, 1 cup vinegar, 1 cup water. Thank you for sharing!
Hello!
OK—so any tips for cast iron grate that has discolored from black to gray? I suspect it had something to do with old aluminum pot being used???
Great article! My stove top desperately need s cleaning . Love your photos . you did a great job. I am going to clean mine immediately. Thank you so much for sharing your method with ammonia. Best regards!
I HAVE A GAS STOVE WITH THE TWO LARGE GRILLS THAT COVER THE BURNERS.WILL THIS WORK ON MY GAS SOVE GRILL.
It should, as long as the burners are the baked on enamel kind and not cast iron.
Does the ammonia in a bag method work for drip pans too?? we have an electric stove. the burner coils stay okay, but the drip pans below them end up terrible after a while. There have been times I’ve just had to throw them out & buy new, because I couldn’t get them clean.
I’m wOndering the same thing?
I have a BLACK fRIGIDAIRE STOVE. SOMEONE IN THIS HOUSE LIKE TO COOK AT HIGH TEMPS AND WITH GREASE, IT BAKES ON THE surface and I cannot remove it and someone won’t stop. I can try the drip pans in a bag but what about the actual surface of the stove? Under and around the drip pans? Please help, this really annoys the crap out of me. Thank you
Couple of options for you. barmaid’s or barkeepers friend or a mix of water and dr. bonner’s soap. good luck!
I have the same problem with my gas stove top. I use a razor knife and carefully scrape the crud away. After that cleanthe top with cleaner of your choice. Be Very careful not to get any ]moisture or cleaner in the spark jet starters. They will click for hours until they dry out.
I tried the ammonia method and it did absolutely Nothing.
After spending way too much time scrubbing 3 of my burners, I found this ammonia method and used it on my fourth burner. … WOW! i WILL NEVER SCRUB A BURNER AGAIN!
oven died 10 days before thanksgiving. went to sears and ordered a self cleaning oven. they delivered wrong oven. with thanksgiving 5 days away, i accepted the not self cleaning oven.
about a year later i read an article about ammonia. heated oven to 220°, turned off and placed a small bowl of ammonia. left it overnight and grease softened enough i wiped with a sponge.
WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THE AMMONIA AND THE PLASTIC BAG YOU USE….HOW DO YOU DISPOSE OF THAT??
Hi! I’m an editor for Remodelaholic.com and am writing to request permission to use one of your photos from this post in our upcoming post. We would like to feature it in a round up and would include a backlink and clear credit to you.
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Please let me know if this would work for you. Thanks for your consideration!
Kimberly
sorry about caps, but i cant change it!! Th is so amazing!!!! I was skepticAl at first & tried this & it worked!!!! My grates look brand new!!! Highly recommend this tip!!!
I have a rental home. The tenant left it in wuite a huge mess! The white stove top is cover with long left on buRnt grease! At some point someone appears to have “attempted” to clean, but compounded the situation. The electric starter on the burners clIck, but do not light. I need helpful suggestions please. How to i succe clean the stove top? How do I get the burnets to light? Thanjs in sdva for your help. (Sigh)
Would this work to clean inside oven too? How much should I use & would I have the oven on or off? I tried the self cleaning feature but I’d didn’t work 🙂
For larger grates, different dollar storeS carry 2 or 2.5 gallon ziploC-sTyle bags!
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I am so excited. My stove is 14 yrs. old and the grates almost look like new. A few little crevices i Wll have to scrub off, but oh what a difference. Thank you do much fOr this great tip.. Amonia works. Stove manufacurers shoul put this tip on when sellong their product.
Can’t wait to try this. Just found your site, and will be joining.
I’LL BE HONEST… i DIDN’T READ THROUGH ALL OF THE COMMENTS SO THIS MIGHT ALREADY BE THERE. i HAVE A NEW aIR fRYER AND HAVE TROUBLE WITH BUILD UP ON THE BASKET. mY SIBLINGS HAVE THIS SAME COOKER AND DO NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM..
i USED THIS ON MY GRATES AND IT WORKED so well!!!!
dO YOU THINK IT WOULD BE ok TO TRY ON MY COOKER BASKET? iT IS MADE OF COPPER….
tHANKS! jAN
Sorry about the first post being in all caps.
I am 74 years old a I have never seen anything work like this in my life. 1st night I put like they said 1/4 cup ammonia in 1 gal. bag freezer type let them sit 24 hr. cleaned up perfect 2nd night I did the other 2 burners with pans. with the same batch an they cleaned as good as 1st batch. Can.t thank you enough.
Thank You
Bob
Hi Bob! You’re so welcome! Have a great day!
So much info in a small post. Thanks for sharing.
WOW! AMAZING RESULTS! Thank you so much for the info. And yes, it worked on our cast iron grates.
[…] The No Scrub Way to Clean Stove Burners and Grates […]
What some of you critics fail to realize is that not everyone has the time nor the energy to clean the burner grates on a regular basis, much less daily or after each and every use. In the case of my mother’s stove, she was simply unable to clean it as it needed to be cleaned. She did the best she could. When you have a few years of baked-on grease and spills, a simple scrubbing paste of baking soda and vinegar won’t do the trick on enameled gas stove burners. It requires a cleaner with more muscle. Thanks to this ammonia tip, i was able to remove blackened, burnt, crusted greasy junk from burners that i believed all this time were black underneath. turns out there was just so much gunk on them, their true color was no longer visible. they are actually gray! who knew? thanks, ladies!
aMAZING RESULTS! This article was very helpful to me
Very nice
Excellent tip! The grate looks brand new. I’ll have to give that a try, thanks.