Keep Clean and Maintain your Hob
Repairs to appliances can be expensive, but not quite as expensive as having to buy new. However, there are plenty of ways to extend the life of your hob with regular cleaning and maintenance.
19/01/2020
Replacing appliances can be a costly exercise, but so is having to send them in for repairs. Even spare parts don't come cheap these days. Over the years, I have learned that keeping appliances clean and well-maintained can work in your favour, and in this article we look at how to extend the life of your hob - gas or electric - to extend the life and reduce the risk of damage.
The most important step to maintaining and extending the life of any appliance is to read the instruction manual. I know from doing the www.DIY-Divas.co.za workshops that many people don't bother to read the instruction manual, whether it's power tools or appliances. We know that most instruction manuals are boring to read, but sometimes, just sometimes, you come across information relating to operation, cleaning and maintenance.
Watch as you cook
Keeping your hob clean, whether gas or electric, is as easy as having some control as you cook. So often, pots and pans are left unattended to boil over, spilling food onto the hob which ends up burning. It is these spillovers that can cause damage if not cleaned up immediately. Keeping that in mind, when the hob is hot, it's not easy to clean anything up, but as soon as you're done cooking, make sure to clean up any spills or burnt food, especially if this clogs gas burners.
GOOD TO KNOW: Keep a roll of kitchen towels close to the hob or stovetop to mop up spills, especially where pots boil over and flood the hob with moisture.
Spilt foodstuffs left on a glass hob will burn and be hard to remove without scratching the glass.
Don't let burnt food accumulate
When I recently fitted a glass hob as part of my kitchen renovation, I was so disappointed that after a few weeks funny marks were starting to appear where the saucepans and pots would sit. This is a common problem and one that can lead to damaging the surface and spoiling the finish.
Loosen baked-on stains with white spirit vinegar and bicarbonate of soda.
First off, never try to clean off these marks with any type of scouring pad, and definitely not with steel wool. Even abrasive cleaners can scratch the glass surface. With any hob material, it is always best to use gentle cleaners and some hot water to loosen stubborn marks. I have had the best experience with white spirit vinegar and Bicarbonate of Soda, and it loosens burnt-on foodstuff and lets you wipe clean with a soft cloth.
TOP TIP: For stains and burnt foodstuffs, eco-friendly cleaners are safer and far cheaper than chemical cleaners. Use bicarbonate of Soda and white spirit vinegar for stubborn stains or burnt-on foodstuff.
I might love the idea of a gas hob, but I definitely don't love the idea of trying to keep it clean! always clean up any splashes or spills to prevent damaging the burners or clogging them.
Keeping a gas hob or stovetop clean is essential for ensuring that it works properly. It is so easy for foodstuff and grease to get into the burner components and block air or gas flow. Letting these parts get clogged up can reduce the life of a burner by allowing corrosion to occur or completely block of gas flow.
Regular cleaning will eliminate any possible future problems, but do take care not to damage any important parts. For cleaning, remove the burners and place these in soapy hot water to soften any hardened or burnt-on grease. That leaves you free to clean the hob or stovetop. Rinse and dry all the components thoroughly and then check the burners for any remaining residue. Blockages result in inefficient gas burning, sputtering or cut-out of flame, or even appliance explosion, so attend to this immediately should it occur.
TOP TIP: Use a pin or toothpick to gently remove any grease from gas and airflow on burners.
