how to clean stove grates

I'm going to change your life today. (Well, your stove top at least.)

The absolute easiest, no-scrub, best way to clean stove burners. Ever.

This post contains affiliate links.

Don't you judge me! I cook. A lot. These were my stove burner/grates.
YUCK! grease, dirt, stove grate, stove burners - what's the best way to clean them? Ammonia!
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.

Cleaning greasy stove burners with ammonia fumes.

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.
Stove burners cleaned with ammonia - no-scrubbing!

See how amazing? It's the same burner. Easy peasy, no more greasy.
cleaning stove burners, grates

If you have over sized stove burners you can get these extra large size bags , but regular gallon sized bags fit most burners. If you like use gallon zipper bags for the freezer, as they are thicker.

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 , and regular gallon zipper bags or extra large plastic 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.