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DIY guideStove and oven

Clean the cooktop, burners and igniters

Soak a gas cooktop's grates and caps, clean round the burners and dry the igniters; lift out coils to clean their drip pans; scrape a glass top flat.

  • 20 to 45 min
  • 8 steps
  • Every step animated
Clean the cooktop, burners and igniters: the animation’s first picture

8 steps

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  1. Turn every knob to Off and let the cooktop cool right down before you touch it.

    Smell gas? Don't touch the stove or any switch: leave and call the gas utility from outside.
  2. Lift off the grates and the burner caps and soak them in hot soapy water in the sink. Scrub them with a soft brush and rinse.

  3. Wipe round each burner with a damp, soapy cloth. Keep water out of the burner's slots and off the small white igniter.

  4. Dry the caps and grates right through and brush the igniter with a dry toothbrush. Set each cap back flat and centred.

    A wet cap or igniter won't light: let them dry fully.
  5. With the coils cold, lift each one out of its socket. Wash the drip pan under it, dry it, and push the coil firmly back in.

    Never put the coils in water.
  6. On a cold glass or induction top, rub on a cooktop cleaner with a soft cloth. For burnt-on spots, hold a razor scraper almost flat and push gently.

    Keep the blade almost flat, so it can't scratch the glass.
  7. Wipe off the last of the cleaner with a damp cloth, then buff the top dry so it doesn't streak.

  8. A cracked glass top, a burner that won't light once it's dry, or a coil that won't heat: switch it off and ask Handyman for an appliance repair pro. Never move the gas connector behind the range. Smell gas? Leave, and call the gas utility from outside.

What you need

  • Dish soap and a soft brush
  • A dry toothbrush
  • Cooktop cleaner and a soft cloth (glass tops)
  • A razor scraper (glass tops)

Call a pro if

  • A glass top is cracked or chipped
  • A burner still won't light once it's dry
  • A coil or ring won't heat
  • You smell gas (leave first, then call the gas utility)

Handyman says: Problem? I'll find an appliance pro.

Free for every home. Handyman asks a few questions, then books a pro it trusts.

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