EASY Way to Clean Stove Burners & Grill Grates!
Wipe your grill grates and stove burners clean! No scrubbing!
I was talking with a friend recently about how she had tried everything to clean the gunk off of her gas stove burners and NOTHING was working. Then she tried using household ammonia. When she shared her awesome results with me, I knew I needed to test it out myself and share it with everyone!
I picked up a 64-fl oz (2 qt) jug of ammonia at my local Walmart for only $1.12, but you can find it at most any retail grocery store.
We found that it worked best to double-bag the stove burners in resealable gallon-sized bags. Add about 1/4 cup of household ammonia in with each burner. Seal the bags. Then put those into a garbage bag and use a rubber band to seal it. You want to seal the ammonia fumes in there and let those fumes break up all of the food gunk. The fumes clean it, not the liquid.
The grill grates were too big for a gallon bag, so we just doubled up on the garbage bags, added about 1 cup of ammonia, and tried to seal it up well.
Let it sit outside in the bags overnight, or for about 12-24 hours. It is possible that the ammonia will leak out of the bags, so it is best to let it sit outside and on a surface that will not be damaged from the ammonia. We decided to move the bags to the concrete patio after taking the pictures.
Then, carefully remove the items from the bags, dispose of the ammonia properly (see below) and you should be able to wipe all that gunk off easily with a sponge. That’s right, JUST wipe. No scrubbing! If it doesn’t wipe clean easily, you can try doing this process a second time and that should do the trick. Then just rinse the grates and/or burners in a sink to remove the any remaining ammonia and you’re good to go!
This is definitely my go-to way of cleaning grill grates and stove top burners from now on!
For safety precautions, wear rubber gloves and safety glasses when working with ammonia. You don’t want it to splash up into your eyes! The Poison Control Center recommends disposing your ammonia down a sink where there is plenty of ventilation, such as a garage sink. If you do not have a garage sink, they recommend opening a window near the sink you are using for 10-15 minutes.
Household ammonia cleaning solutions usually have between 5 -10% ammonia. If you store and use the proper safety precautions with household ammonia, it can be used WITHOUT any toxic effects. By rinsing your items thoroughly after using this cleaning method, all of the ammonia can and will be removed.
After doing this the first time I like to use my pyrex measuring cups because they are non porous and will not absorb smells and chemicals that may happen with plastic. Here’s a great deal on a set of three!
Pyrex Glass 3-Piece Measuring Cup Set
- Includes: 1-Cup, 2-Cup,and 4-Cup
- Handy for cooking, baking, and making your own cleaning recipes!
Thanks, The V Spot & Made From Pinterest for sharing this awesome method!
Thank you to my friends, Sarah and Esther!
See our tried and true DIY household cleaner recipes!
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I just throw my burners for my stove in the diswasher. I will have to try my grill grate with this or in the dishwasher, until now, it has been a lot of elbow grease. Thanks!
Yes, you should definitely try it. It was so easy!
Do you know if this would work on or damage the grates on a Viking range? They don’t have that “porcelain” type shiny coating. Mine are not caked with gunk, however they have grease spots and discoloration. Anyone try this on a “flat finish” grate?
I personally don’t know about if it will help much with grease spots and discoloration. I know the ammonia fumes are really good are getting food gunk off though. I’ve even cleaned the inside of my oven with a similar technique. I’m thinking that the finish of the grates won’t make much of a difference and maybe it would be worth a try. You could always try contacting Viking first though if you are concerned about it.
I tried this method and nothing! The baked on grease is still there, so any other ideas?
Good my name is angie it’s July 28 2017 I went on google a few days ago and tried it soaked in gallon bags but I agree the bags wasn’t big enough so I put those bags inside plastic shop rite bags put in out side for over night poured some amonoa in the bag and I’m telling u it worked it really did I was amazed if it didn’t work for u reduce due be patient let it sit over night I promise u the next day like brand new sin angie
use easy off. same method as the ammonia. put it in a bag and let it sit. I do this with my oven racks too, but use a garbage bag and just tie the top. The seal doesn’t need to be air tight. Putting the bags outside ensures that it wont ruin any surfaces if they leak.
I put mine in the dishwasher. Works fabulous ly!
This also works great on the oven racks, and they fit perfectly on a kitchen trash bag. Great hint , never thought I could do the same thing with stove burners.
I tried this while cleaning rental property, I had tried just about everything else with no luck, This is amazing! It was so easy and everything wiped clean after years of grease! Thank you !
Yay!!! You are welcome!
I am going to try this . I have tried everything else I will lea u guy’s
know
Hope it works well for you!
Hi I just boght a Samsung stove got my first stain on the covers for the burners how can I take that stain out
Hi I just boght a Samsung stove got my first stain on the covers for the burners how can I take that stain out I put oven cleaner but still there and soap
Hi. I think I would give this ammonia method a try! But I am not familiar with Samsung stoves, so you should definitely check your owner’s manual and possibly call their customer service first if you would like some other ideas. 🙂
Wow! I am telling everyone about this amazing technique! My last burner covers (the flat ones) were so bad that I had to buy new ones – $40! I tried EVERYTHING to get that junk off of them.
The first time I put everything (covers and grills) into a garbage bag and put it in the driveway for about 12 hours. It leaked, but it worked a little. We were going away for the weekend so just for the heck of it, I put the flat covers in a ziploc and left them in the kitchen sink for 4 days. When I came home, I could see the brown liquid in the bag and all I had to do was rinse the covers and they were like new! I am so excited! Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!
Hooray! It really does work wonders when those fumes are put to work!
Do we really need 2 bags? I have my stove top grates in the sink with a sealed zip lock. No fumes.
We found that some of our Ziploc bags started to leak a little. And the more fumes you hold in there, the more effective it is. So, it isn’t necessary to double-bag it, just a recommendation.
I used gallon size regular plastic bags wasn’t really big enough so I put those inside plastic shop rite bags I double it only b cuz the amona will leak the bags but the fumes is wht does the job I’m telling u with all my hart it really works it’s amazen and I’m old school all I ever knew was to scrub stuff but thnx to google I was amazed to see if it was true and trust me I just got finish putting my grates on the stove couldn’t amagine the grates I had would ever be possible to clean but like brand new out the store angie
thanks Angela for your comments! So glad this worked for you!
Hi any ideas on grates that turned black due to using st moritz like easy off?
This is a really useful tip! While it’s often stated that ammonia fumes are quite pungent, and that people should put a mask and gloves on while working with it, I’ve never seen someone put said fumes to such great use! Thank you for sharing.
Yes, it is an awesome way to put those fumes to work!
Could you also do this with your racks from the oven?
I think it would work wonderfully on those!
Yes I did my grates as well worked like a charm like brand new just did it yesturday it’s July 28 2017 amazen the tips Tht people shared on Google to make life easier angie
This is awesome for really gunky grates, I inherited gross ones when I moved in and was never able to clean them in my dishwasher or using old fashioned elbow grease–it was that bad. This is my second time doing it and I went all in and put all 4 of the grates in a trash bag. Next time, I will just do two in a bag. The top two grates will need another round in the ammonia. I do have shiny ones and they haven’t lost that shine– I can actually SEE the shine now! Lastly, I can’t imagine what the smell of 100% ammonia would be if we only get a 5-10% now. Yikes. Thanks again for sharing.
Thanks for your comment, Valerie! So glad that it worked well for you. 🙂
I have the stove grills with no paint on them will it work the same?
Is it okay to put it outside while it is winter here?
I think so! I had to search to see if household ammonia freezes or not; looks like the freezing point of a 10% ammonia solution is 18 degrees Fahrenheit, 2% would be closer to 32 degrees. So just make sure it isn’t super cold outside!
Do you know if it works on cast iron grates?
I would give it a try, but I am not an expert on cast iron. You may want to consult the manufacturer first.
I have a Jenn Air gas range that has grates that look like cast iron but are in fact a flat black enamel on cast iron. I did this and it didn’t work as well as people are reporting here. The really bad black cooked on stuff didn’t come off. I may try another round, but it really didn’t make even a small improvement so I’m not hopeful. I think it works best on shiny surfaces. That said, the grates in general look better than they did before and it was worth the trouble/stink even though there’s still some spots.
Thanks for sharing your experience, Marilyn!
My grates were cast iron angie
Do you have to leave them for 12 hours???
You can certainly try leaving it for less time. If the grime doesn’t come off easily, you may need to do another treatment.
I set the burners in the backs around noon, and at 8 pm realized I needed one to make dinner. At 8 hours they still needed a bit of a scrub, but it worked pretty well all in all.
Would the ammonia work on a ceramic stove top? I am thinking of dousing a rag with ammonia, laying it over the baked on gunk and covering with plastic wrap taped to the clean surface surrounding the gunk. Are there better ways to get at the stove top?
Does the ammonia work on gas stove top burner covers in bags as well?
I used Weiman Glass Cook Top Cleaner and a razor blade to get it looking like new. You might also try baking soda and hot water…
I’m not sure about the cooktop, but it definitely works for gas stove grates/covers. It is amazing. Remember, it’s the fumes, not the liquid ammonia, so you have to trap those fumes.
Thanks, Lori!
I do something like that. I soak strips of paper towels in ammonia and wrap it around the burners where the stains seem to accumulate. Then I seal it over with foil and leave it overnight. This method has worked really well for me and my stove is always spotless.
Thanks, Kimberly!
I have a gas range, but my burners are gray (hate it!). I was going to purchase some new black ones, but I think i’ll give this is a go first. Thanks!
Worth a try! Let me know how it goes for you. 🙂
Got busy and cleaned my once beautiful gas range last night to get ready for fall – baking soda pastes and hot water and 2 plus hours of elbow work didn’t cut it ugh – knew there had to be a better way to clean those grates and I found the easy answer right here – God Bless You! The ammonia is on the shopping list for round 2 of end of summer cleaning, thank you!
I hope it works wonders for you too!
Great ideas! Thanks for sharing! I will try it now in the weekend! My grills are in horrible condition! Thanks! <3
Hope it works out well for you too, Bryony! Thanks for your comment.
WOW!! So glad I Google searched “cleaning stove burner grates”. This worked so well the grates look shiny and like they are new. So much better than replacements at $95 each!!
Yay! Thanks for your feedback, Suzie.
My stove top grills don’t have any paint on them just plain will the ammonia still work the same?
I think it will still help, but not sure how well it will work since mine are different. Let me know how it goes!
Lots of good comments about the gas stove burners, but what about the porcelain covers that fit over the burners? Will this wonderful tip work on them, too? Our stove is VERY old, and the area on these covers over the pilot lights are truly “gunked.” I’ll probably try it anyway, but wondered if anyone else had attempted it. Thanks for the tip!
I used this method with the black, round discs that are beneath the gas stove top grates, not sure what they are made of – I guess I should learn the correct names for the parts! Anyway, it worked great! Let me know how it goes!
I bought no fume Easy off. I just spray the grates in the sink, wipe and rinse. They come out great.
That’s a great way to do it!
You could also just put your burners in the oven the next time you run the self clean. Free.
That probably would work well. 🙂 I’ve heard some oven repair guys say not to use self-clean because it damages the oven. Not sure if it is really true, but it makes me a bit wary of doing it.
Then why do they make self-cleaning ovens? Maybe to make us replace them more often? We have a self-cleaning one but, at some point, someone used Easy-Off on it and it destroys the lining. I refuse to use it (even the ‘fumeless’) because of headaches. So what does housemate use? After I had scrubbed a bunch of stuff out of it. She did a good job of airing the house, but a lousy job of cleaning all the cleaner off. And when I turned it on again?
I’ll be using this method when I clean the shelves along with the burners.
I tried this method and nothing! The baked on grease is still there! Even elbow grease didn’t help. Now what? get new grates?
Hi, Joyce. I don’t know what to tell ya! It worked really well for me. Maybe give it one more try making sure the the vapors are totally contained with the grates and that they are left in there long enough? Sorry I’m not much more help! Wish I could come over and try to help troubleshoot more. 😉
We put gray grates from a gas range into the self clean cycle of the oven. They came out perfect. Once they cooled, I just used a little white vinegar to remove the ashes and shined them so well like they were brand new.
(One grate had to be put in again, for several more hours, but the other three came out perfect in about 3 hours.) This methods will not hurt either the oven or the grates. They both were designed to withstand high temperatures.
Good luck.
Be careful. Many of the grates are designed with small rubber feet that nestle into detents on your range top. Putting these kind of grills in the self-clean oven will surely melt/burn off the rubber feet. I can’t imagine the smell, or possible fire that results…
I have all the grates and upper rack from my grill soaking in amonia now will let you know
Great! Make sure those fumes are sealed in there. Good luck!
How did it turn out?
Any suggestions on how to clean the top part where EVERYTHING falls in(black porcelain) I’ve had scrubbed and scrubbed and I still see and feel a black burnt residue..I hate to see my gas stove like this it’s a 5 burner stainless steel front surrounding with a black porcelain top hate to see my kitchen sparkling clean and my stove well.. Horrible..by the way?.. I can’t wait to try this method with the grills..hope I get great results..
I think this method will work for those! I hope it works well for you too!
I’m going to give this a try, but instead of bags, I’m going to buy 2 home depot buckets with lids and put the grates in there. We’ll see how it goes….
Let us know! If you get a good seal to keep those fumes in there, it should work out!
Can you use this method to clean the gas grill component on a Jenn Air, The removeable part under the grates.
I’m sorry, I am not familiar with Jenn Air. You can check with Jenn Air customer service or you’ll have to use your best judgement! 🙂
Regarding using liquid cloudy ammonia to clean my oven.
I have a gas oven with an button ignition switch I do not know if that turns off. I would like to try this in my bell gas oven and do you know if it will remove the grime on the glass doors
Whoever came up with idea was a genius. My wife and I have been struggling to find a way to clean our porcelain cooking grates on a GE gas cook top. Ours are 2 double grates. I placed each grate into a full size dish pan (similar to those you would see in a restaurant when the tables are cleaned) I put a cup of ammonia into each dish pan and placed each pan into a white kitchen garbage can liner and rubber banded to seal.
The following day, after about 16 hours, I removed the grates. I placed the grates on a wire rack and used my pressure washer. The results were unbelievable – like brand new! I did need to touch up a few minor areas with a nylon scouring pad.
Awesome! Thanks for sharing your success story with us!
Do you think I could put the caps & drip pans in ammonia too?
Possibly! Kinda depends on what they are made of. If it seems to be the same material as the burners or grates, then I’d give it a try!
I think that would be fine as long as they are made out of the same material as the burners and grates!
I’ve done this before with my burner grates and it didn’t wipe easily or remove hardly any gunk. I actually had to scrub them with an sos pad after using this method just to get the gunk off. And I even left them for over a day. Any suggestion as to where I may have gone wrong.
Did you follow the measurements? Or what kind of bag did you put them in? So sorry that it didn’t work out!
Personally, I run my grates throught a Pots and Pans cycle in the dishwasher. Years of burnt on grease sodten nicely, then I just go over some stubborn spots with a stiff bush – and done!
Wow thanks for that tip Luba!
Can’t wait to try this. Going to the grocery now, getting my ammonia and bagging up those grates. Tomorrow morning they should be nice and shiny!! Grilling out tomorrow night for sure!! Thanks for the tip!
Hope it works wonderfully for you, Jeannie!
My 1950 gas stove came to me after it sat unused in my cousins basement for 10 years. She got it from her elderly neighbors, who’d bought it new. The outside was clean but the burners had 68 years of grease and gunk built up on the assembly. I fumigated them for 48 hours because the situation seemed dire. I really didn’t expect it to be so easy, but everything came right off.
That is sooo cool to hear Samantha! Thanks for coming back and letting us know!
Wow!! This worked PERFECTLY! I bought one of those jumbo ziploc bags, added the ammonia, sealed it, and put it in a trash bag for extra protection. I actually left it for about 36 hours because I got home late. I did have to scrub a little, but it is so pretty!
Can I use ammonia on the cooktop too? Would taping plastic over it for the fumes hurt anything? Or would I have to spray some directly on the spots? The areas about the burners are impossible to clean, even with every commercial product I’ve found.
I would be wary about pouring ammonia straight onto a cook top, but there are some great suggestions in the comments of this post about how to use this method on a stove top!
Kimberly said, “I soak strips of paper towels in ammonia and wrap it around the burners where the stains seem to accumulate. Then I seal it over with foil and leave it overnight. This method has worked really well for me and my stove is always spotless.”
And Ken, “In terms of the cook top – I assume it is glass – I just use windex, let it sit for a few minutes, then scrape off everything with a razor blade – it takes a few times -however, it does come out clean.”
Hope this helps!
Hi Debbie,
I was one of those who tried this and was amazed how well it worked – unlike you, I purchased a flat plastic storage bin with a clip on top. When removing the grates from the bin, I do it outside and wear rubber gloves. In terms of the cook top – I assume it is glass – I just use windex, let it sit for a few minutes, then scrape off everything with a razor blade – it takes a few times -however, it does come out clean. Hope this helps
Thank you, Ken!
Will the ammonia clean the drip pans from an electric stove?
I think this method would probably work well to clean the drip pans!
Put your stovetop grates and burner tops in the oven when you do your self clean function on the stove. They come out brand new again.
Great tip! Thanks for sharing, Stephanie.
I have a Wolf cook top with cast iron grates. they have years of baked on gunk. Will this work on them without discolouring? Tried everything to scrub it off .
You can also do this same process but with yellow cap oven cleaner.