Are Gas Ranges Hard to Clean?

Cooking is both fun and satisfying, but cleaning up afterward? Not so much. No one likes doing the dishes, and cleaning the stove is even less fun.

Any serious cooks knows gas stoves are superior to electric, but are gas ranges hard to clean?

Here we’ll take a look at the differences in difficulty between cleaning an electric range and a gas range.

Then we’ll dive into how exactly to clean a gas range. (Spoiler: It’s definitely easier than you might think!)

Cleaning a Gas Range vs. Cleaning an Electric Range

Gas ranges are cheaper to operate, more responsive and provide more even heat distribution than electric. For all these reasons and more, gas ranges are preferred by many.

(There’s a reason nearly all restaurants have gas ranges — professional chefs hate electric!) However, one place where electric stoves prevail is in the cleaning process.

Most electric stoves have a smooth glass top that’s very easy to clean. To clean up spilled food, you simply spray the glass top with a cleaning solution and wipe it down with a paper towel or soft cloth and voila — it’s clean and ready to use again!

Gas ranges are a different story. Due to the burners and fittings that allow you to ignite gas and work with an open flame, there are many more crevices and small parts for food and liquid to cling to.

If you’re not diligent about cleaning, grease and food particles will accumulate, leaving a big mess (and potentially attracting pests).

How to clean Gas Ranges

Here are simple steps to ensure your gas range is always clean.

The supplies you’ll need are:

• Vinegar
• Dishwashing liquid
• Scrub brush
• Rags or paper towels
• Warm water

1. Remove grates and knobs

The first thing you need to do is to remove the grates and the knobs. This will provide easier access to the top of the gas range therefore making cleaning a simple process.

Proceed to place them on your kitchen sink for cleaning later or you can soak them in soapy water to allow any food particles or grease to become loose. Remember, remove them lightly to prevent any dislodging making the appliance ineffective.

2. Use a sponge/cloth with dishwashing soap

The second thing you need to do is to squirt a little dishwashing liquid on the piece of cloth or sponge you have in your hands. Wet it in a bowl of warm water mixed with vinegar and squeeze out the excess water.

This helps to prevent the excess water from dripping into the crevices on your gas range.

Proceed to wipe and scrub off the food particles, spilled sauces, and grease splatters from the surface. Use gentle hand motions when doing so.

You need to re-wet and re-soap the sponge from time to time. This step will help in loosen any dirt sticking on the surface.

3. Rinse the gas range top

Once you are done, you need to rinse off the soap from the gas range top. Use clean water to complete this task. When doing so, you need to use long strokes to wipe away any excess soap residue left.

Rinse the sponge or cloth often to ensure the surface stays clean and soap-free.

4. Buff the gas range top

Once the soap residue has been removed, you can now buff the top in order to give it an extra shine. You’ll need to use a clean microfiber cloth in order to achieve this.

This will help to wipe away the water streaks as well as getting all the water out of the corners.

5. Clean the grates and knobs

To clean the grates, you need to use the scrub brush with soapy water. Dip the brush into the soapy water and proceed to scrub the grate clean.

This will help to remove any food particles as well as any sauce or grease sticking on it. Once you have done so, you need to rinse it and let it dry completely before putting it back on the gas range top.

Start wiping the oven handle and any other area grease splatter may be present. Clean the knobs using the soapy water and wipe them dry. Proceed to replace back the grate and knobs.

Hooray — now you have a clean gas range!

Final Thoughts

Now that we’ve answered “Are gas ranges hard to clean?” you’re prepared to give your stove a thorough scrubbing. This will keep your home neat and tidy and ensure no pesky rodents or bugs come in to feed on your messy stove.

Ready to shop for a Gas Range?

Now that you know how to clean it, are you ready to buy a gas range? If so, you’ll want to read our top 10 picks for the best gas ranges. (Or if you’re buying an easier-to-clean electric range, we’ve chosen the best electric stoves as well.)

Learn More About Gas Ranges

Before purchasing a gas range, make sure you know what you’re getting into. Here you can find out if gas ranges require venting, if gas ranges produce carbon monoxide, and you can also find some safety tips for gas ranges.

Once it’s time to install that new range, check out our guide to installing a gas range. And if you want to take your gas cooking outside, look at our choices for the best gas grills.