Your kitchen cooker is an integral part of your daily life. This is because it allows you to provide for your nutritional needs and those of your family every single day. So, it is highly recommended that you keep this unit clean and in good working order. This is to prevent any issues and keep your stomach feeling good. But that doesn’t necessarily imply you have to spend hours cleaning every day. We may all be familiar with the process of cleaning a kitchen cooker, but it doesn’t make it any more pleasant.
During the process of making dinner, there are actions that you can take to lessen the amount of mess you generate. This will allow you to maintain the pristine condition of your cooker with a minimum of effort.
The lifespan of a cooker that is properly cared for should be somewhere between ten and fifteen years. However, if you ignore it, it may start to deteriorate. Frequent maintenance will save you time that you might otherwise spend scrubbing away at particularly difficult stains. It will extend the life of your cooker so that it can serve you for as long as possible.
Here’s how you can maintain your kitchen cooker:
At least twice a year, give your cooker a deep clean.
How frequently should you give the cooker a thorough cleaning? You should give your cooker a deep cleaning anywhere from 2 to 3 times a year. But this will depend on how often you use it and what you cook in it.
Here are a few things to keep in mind when cleaning your cooker:
- Only clean a cooker when it cools down completely.
- If you plan on cleaning the cooker by hand with a damp cloth, unplug it beforehand. If the plug is too high for you to reach, turn off the breaker instead.
- Take the racks out of the cooker and wash, clean, and dry them before putting them back in.
- Leave the knobs on the cooker burners. The wiring in your cooker could suffer damage if a chemical cleaning solution gets under the knobs.
- Plug the cooker back in after use.
- Wipe the interior of the cooker with a damp cloth dipped in a mix of baking soda and vinegar or a mild commercial cleaner. Let stubborn spots soak for a while before you use a towel to clean them.
- Dry the cooker off before using it.
- If you plan on cleaning the cooker by hand with a damp cloth, unplug it beforehand. If the plug is too high for you to reach, turn off the breaker instead.
Wiping down the cooker and burners after every messy meal, or at least once each week, will greatly facilitate subsequent deep cleanings. Don’t, under any circumstances, leave a thick layer of residue on the cooker’s bottom. This is because it can smoke or even go up in flames.
Use of the self-cleaning feature
Your cooker’s self-cleaning function uses high heat (up to 600 degrees) to loosen stubborn crumbs and spills. It’s ideal for when you haven’t cleaned the cooker in a while or after a disastrous overflow of lasagna. Overuse will cause harm to your cooker if you don’t stop to manually clean it on a regular basis.
Avoid high-heat settings
Overheating the cooker from continuous use of high heat settings increases the risk of fire and even damage. It is important to use the right heat settings for the food you are preparing. You should also keep a close eye on the hob while it is in use.
Be sure to consult the handbook that came with your specific model before using it for the first time. As an added safety precaution, you should never turn on the self-cleaning function of your cooker and then leave the house.
Replacing damaged burners
You should get a new one if you notice a spot that shines brighter than the rest or any abnormalities or debris on it. As it shorts out, it may cause a spark and a fire to start. In most cases, this is a small problem. But this poses a serious risk of damage to the cooker. If you observe this, turn off the cooker immediately and replace the element or burner.
Coils deteriorate with age and dirt. If you notice a bright red spot on the coil while cooking, you should immediately turn off the cooker and have a professional service it. This can indicate that it’s on its last legs.
Inspect the gasket on the cooker
The rubber seal around the inside of your cooker door is an essential part of keeping heat in during cooking. Before using the self-cleaning function, inspect the gasket for general wear, holes, or tears during your deep cleaning. If everything seems in order, you can clean it with some water, soap, and a cloth.
If you find damage to the gasket, don’t use the cooker until you replace it.
Hood filter cleaning
At least once a year, clean the fan above the cooker and the filter in the range hood. Depending on the make and model, you can remove the filter quickly and easily using a flat-head screwdriver or by hand.
To remove the grease from the filter, soak it in a large tub of water, dish soap, and baking soda. A large casserole dish would also work. Use a sponge to soak up any residual grease. After you’re done, dry it off and put it back in.
Use the right tools
Make use of a scraper or soft brush that has been made for use with tempered glass cooker tops. After applying the cleaning solution to the stains that won’t come out, wait a few minutes before cleaning. Please choose a cleaning solution that does not have abrasive properties. After removing the stains, use a damp towel to wipe down the area in order to eliminate any leftover dirt. After that, you should dry the region using a towel made of microfiber.
Inspect and replace it with a new gas line
It is important to note that whenever you buy a new cooker, you also update the gas line. It’s the most sensible course of action, right? A new line will have less potential for bursting in the future. However, let’s say you’ve already spent the money on a reliable cooker that you have no plans to replace any time soon. It’s a good idea to check the line if you’ve had your cooker for a while. If it appears worn, you should get a new one.
Check behind the cooker
If you’ve ever cooked with your kids, you may recall a time when someone threw a piece of pasta behind the cooker. The dust, mold, and insects that unavoidably invade a kitchen can be avoided with twice-yearly cleanings behind the cooker.
Before you try to relocate your cooker, be sure to unplug it. You can do it yourself if you just need to draw away from the wall a few inches. Collect any debris from behind the stove using a vacuum attachment, microfiber mop, or broom.
When repairing a stove, a contractor may be necessary if the appliance is too big for one person to handle alone.
Do not take the knobs off your cooker
The knobs on the cooker are wired straight into the control system of your appliance. You risk electrocution if you take them out to clean them with a spray cleaner. Despite how tempting it may seem, avoid cleaning them in this manner. Don’t touch those knobs; they’re fine as they are.
Be a responsible cook
Carefully preparing potentially sticky dishes can reduce the amount of time spent cleaning in the afternoon. Cover a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper to prevent spillage from dishes like casseroles and pies.
Important reminder: the vents in your cooker’s bottom should never be covered with a baking sheet or aluminum foil. Doing so can protect your cooker’s burners from the blast of heat and perhaps cause damage.
Treat your cooker with the same care you would any other appliance you use frequently. You can guarantee years of worry-free baking and healthy food preparation with just a little TLC.
Remember to clean the racks
It’s simple to overlook what’s happening on the sides and bottom of the cooker. The majority of the time, it is precisely where the food is. However, this is not the case everywhere. It must travel through the racks before it can settle at the bottom. When cleaning the cooker, be sure to give these areas the same care as the others.
Conclusion
You should think of the cooker as an investment and treat it as such at all times. This entails carrying out the necessary maintenance on a regular basis. This will help you get the highest level of functionality for the longest period of time. Therefore, make it a habit to clean your kitchen cooker on a regular basis in order to avoid such messes in the future. You should clean it inside as well as around it, and the gaskets and elements should be inspected. Additionally, the knobs should stay exactly where they are, and unplug the cooker before cleaning it.