How to Clean Stove Top Electric Coil Burners

Stoves that use an electric coil can be quite convenient in many ways. However, cleaning them can be a bit of a hassle. While stovetops are simple enough to wipe clean, removing any stains or spilled food from an electric burner is much trickier. But, it is possible to clean an electric stove's burners with only ordinary household supplies.

Step 1 - Remove the Burners

Before you touch any part of your electric stove, think back to the last time you used it. If it was recently, wait until the electric coils have cooled down completely before you touch anything.

Once they are cool, you can remove the burners and unplug them. You should be able to do this by simply lifting the burners up and exposing the wiring, which should detach easily. If this is not the case, consult your range's owner's manual. However, with the vast majority of electric stoves, removing the burners should be relatively simple.

Step 2 - Scrub Any Light Debris

Pour some water into a container and squirt a little bit of dish soap in. Then, mix it up thoroughly and soak your sponge in it. Scrubbing with this sponge should be enough to get your burners clean in most circumstances, as burners tend to not get very dirty, and burn off most things that get spilled on them. However, in certain rare cases, dish soap and water will not clean your electric coil.

Step 3 - Remove Difficult Spills

To clean tougher stains, you will need a tougher cleaning agent. Luckily, you can make your own out of ordinary household materials. Simply mix baking soda and water together. Your goal is to work the mixture into a paste, so if the mixture is too thick, add water, and if it is too runny, add baking soda. Once you have it right, allow it to sit for 30 minutes.

When the paste is ready, put some on your sponge or you could also use a non-abrasive scrubbing pad to scrub the electric coil with. Be sure to cover the entire burner, and then let the mixture sit for a few minutes. Finally, give the whole thing a good scrubbing, and then rinse off the burner and allow it to dry.

Step 4 - Finish Up

While you're cleaning your electric coils, you might as well clean your drip pans too. Chances are good that if your burners are dirty, something has spilled into the drip pans as well. Rinse your sponge well to remove any grime absorbed from the burner, then let it soak in warm water and dish soap. Go over your drip pans with the sponge until they are completely cleaned out.

Once both the coils and drip pans are clean, fit the drip pans back into their place on your stove. Then, plug the electric burners back into their proper areas.