The Easiest Way to Clean Greasy, Grimy Stove Drip Pans
Updated: Dec. 22, 2022Here are the steps to follow when your stovetop drip pans have gone from shiny silver to coal black.
When your stew bubbles over, oil drips when pan-frying fish or you experience drips and spills when transferring ingredients to and from your pots, you wonder anew how to clean stove drip pans. Sure, not everyone is keen on cleaning immediately following cooking. But spills can add up, leaving you with a crusty mess.
Fortunately, there are plenty of kitchen tips for keeping your favorite room of the house spotless. There are homemade solutions that can clean grease off of practically anything (Learn how, here) But those stove drip pans can be extra fickle. Here’s the hassle-free way to make them shiny and like new:
Step 1: Remove burners
Lift out the drip pans and shake the loose crumbs into the sink or garbage bag. If your faucet has a powerful spray, you can use it to pressure-wash, if you will, any loose bits that didn’t immediately shake off but were on the verge.
Step 2: Make a homemade cleaner
Of course there are plenty of store-bought cleaners; many are very effective. But if you want to avoid harsh chemicals and potentially dizzying headaches, use equal amounts of dish soap and baking soda until you have a texture similar to frosting, with with a little foam. And voila! You have an effective natural cleaning solution.
Did you know you can clean your home with grapefruit? Learn how, here.
Step 3: Apply the ingredients generously to the drip pans
Use a sponge to scrub the ingredients into the pans. Gunk should start to loosen up a bit. This is when you’ll know you’ve scrubbed enough and can now let the mixture sit.
Step 4: Transfer the soapy drip pans to a plastic bag
This is the perfect use for those plastic grocery bags, or the ones you slipped your cilantro or green beans into at the market.
Step 5: Step awayÂ
After some time has passed—an hour or two is good—you can remove the drip pans from the bags and use the rough side of the sponge to get any remaining grit off.
Step 6: Rinse and relax.
Lastly, simply rinse the soapy mix off the pans with water. Dry, and you’re good to go!
Another option is to clean your drip pans by soaking them in filtered white apple cider vinegar. Its acidic properties work to eat away food debris. This is another great, toxic-free approach.
If the debris is too stubborn to remove with vinegar alone, follow the soaking process with baking soda and a toothbrush. You’ll want to mix the baking soda with a small amount of water to form a paste-like substance. Apply the paste to the drip pans with the toothbrush and scrub away. The vinegar should have loosened any remaining debris for easy cleaning.
