Care and Cleaning, Burner Grates, Cooktop Surface, Oven Bottom

Burner Grates

Lift out when cool.

Grates should be washed regularly and, of course, after spillovers. Wash

them in hot, soapy water and rinse with clean water. After cleaning, dry them thoroughly by putting them in a warm oven for a few minutes. Don’t put the grates back on the range while they are wet. When replacing the grates, be sure they’re positioned securely over the burners.

To prevent rusting on cast iron grates, apply a light coating of cooking oil on the bottom of the grates.

To get rid of burned-on food, place the grates in a covered container (or plastic bag) with 62 ml (1/4 cup) ammonia, for approximately 12 hours or overnight, to loosen the soil. Let sit overnight (or approximately 12 hours), then scrub with a soap-filled scouring pad if necessary. Rinse grates thoroughly and dry completely before replacing them on the range top.

Although they’re durable, the grates will gradually lose their shine, regardless of the best care you can give them. This is due to their continual exposure to high temperatures. You will notice this sooner with lighter color grates.

Do not operate a burner for an extended period of time without cookware on the grate. The finish on the grate may chip without cookware to absorb the heat.

CAUTION: Do not clean the grates in a dishwasher or in a self-cleaning oven.

Cooktop Surface

To avoid damaging the porcelain enamel surface of the cooktop and to prevent it from becoming dull,

clean up spills right away. Foods with a

lot of acid (tomatoes,

sauerkraut, fruit juices, etc.) or foods with high sugar content could cause a dull spot if allowed to set.

When the surface has cooled, wash and rinse. For other spills such as fat spatterings, etc., wash with soap and water once the surface has cooled. Then rinse and polish with a dry cloth.

Do not store flammable materials in an oven or near the cooktop. Do not store or use combustible materials, gasoline or other flammable vapors and liquids in the vicinity of this or any other appliance.

Oven Bottom

The oven bottom has a porcelain enamel finish. To make cleaning easier, protect the oven bottom from excessive spillovers by placing a cookie sheet on the shelf below the shelf you are cooking on. This is particularly important when baking a fruit pie or other foods with a high acid content.

We don’t recommend using aluminum foil on the oven bottom. It can affect air flow if the holes are blocked and it can concentrate heat at the bottom of the oven, resulting in poor baking performance.

Hot fruit fillings or other foods that are highly acidic (such as tomatoes, sauerkraut, and sauces with vinegar or lemon juice) may cause pitting and damage to the porcelain enamel surface and should be wiped up immediately. To clean up spillovers, use soap and water, an abrasive cleaner or soap-filled steel wool pad. Rinse well to remove any soap before self-cleaning.