Cleaning tip of the weekCooking on gas is still the most common, but nowadays many people also prepare their meals on induction or an electric hob. If you have spilled, one hob requires speed when cleaning, while the other can be left to cool down first. Cleaning expert Marja Middeldorp knows how to best clean the different hobs.
“I really enjoyed cooking on gas,” Marja muses. “Every now and then it’s nice to have that flame in the pan. Just think about that these days. Cleaning used to be easier than it is now. It was a separate room with well-arranged cupboards. The problem remained in the kitchen, just like the concerns you often expressed to each other in the kitchen.”
Like many Dutch people, Marja now has an open kitchen. “We are connected to the room and the people who are there. That’s nice, but the problem has also spread. For the environment, we now choose induction more often, but that does not make cleaning any easier. That plate must really shine at you and the countertop must be almost empty to show its beautiful character.”
Back to the stove. What is the best way to keep it clean?
Cleaning gas stove
A gas stove usually consists of several parts that can be removed. “You can put these in warm water with a handful of soda,” says Marja. “The grease and dirt then loosen. Then rinse them briefly. If there are still cooking residues on the parts, I prefer to clean them with a Brillo sponge. That’s fine steel with pink soap in it. This makes the parts as new again. I also remove the enamel with the same sponge. If the gas stove is only slightly dirty, I just use some mild soapy water to clean it.”
For those who sometimes cook very elaborately for guests, Marja has a golden tip, or more of a silver one in this case. “Put aluminum foil around your hobs. After the cooking party, you remove it again and all you need is a soapy cloth to get everything shiny again. This also works very well in student houses, where the dirt on the stove is sometimes higher than the burners.”
Clean electric hob
If you spill something on an electric hob, speed is required, says Marja. “Then you prevent it from burning. So remove the spill immediately. Be careful of course. Do not use any abrasives at all. Use lukewarm water with a little washing-up liquid for this. Then rub it dry with a clean cloth. This seems easy, but is ultimately difficult. Who always cleans the stove immediately when you spill?”
If you still have a burned-on stain on your electric stove, you can carefully remove it with a glass scraper.
Cleaning induction
“Induction looks super slick,” says Marja. “Smooth, sleek and shiny. You hardly dare put a pan on it. Let alone sliding that pan over the plate to sear your steak until nice and brown on all sides.”
This record also requires immediate action if spilled, Marja knows. “Rinse immediately with water containing a little bit of all-purpose cleaner or dishwashing liquid. No abrasive. After cleaning, immediately wipe it dry with a microfiber cloth. Then it shines beautifully again. The pan can then be returned to the plate to continue simmering. And if you do have a burned-on stain, you can try to remove it with a scraper.”
Although Marja has been cooking on induction for a while now, she is still homesick for the old gas stove. “Beautiful those flames and sometimes a flame in the pan.”
Do you also have a pressing cleaning issue that you would like to submit to Marja Middeldorp? Send an email to this adress ([email protected]) with your name.
On her YouTube channel ‘Cleaning with Marja’ cleaning videos can be found. See more cleaning tips below:
Free unlimited access to Showbytes? Which can!
Log in or create an account and never miss anything from the stars.