How Do You Clean Burnt Grease?

Burnt grease is difficult to clean because it is baked onto your cookware, oven and stove top. Oil is commonly used to prevent foods from sticking to pans and cookware. It is also naturally released by cooking foods like dairy products and meat. As the oil and grease heats up, it turns brown and then black.

As this happens, it hardens and sticks to the cookware, stove top and oven. Scraping off the black stuff isn’t enough to clean the mess off. So, how do you clean burnt grease?

What Causes Burnt Grease?

Burnt grease is the result of oil’s chemical and physical properties when it is exposed to heat. The chemical reaction that occurs as oil heats up is visualized by darker oil. Both the cooking time and heat level impact the chemical reaction. When grease gets hot enough, it produces smoke. At this point in the reaction, the grease breaks down. This results in your foods having a bitter flavor.

On a molecular level, grease is made out of hydrogen and carbon molecules. Heat breaks the link between these molecules. The carbon elements turn black and are what sticks to the cookware and pots.

Why Burnt-on Grease Is Tough to Clean

Water and grease don’t mix, so water is ineffective at removing burnt-on grease regardless of how hard you scrub. Several store-bought commercial cleaning products are available that break through the grease and make the grease easier to scrub off.

In addition, grease-fighting dish soaps and even some ingredients that you may already have in your pantry are effective. These products break down the grease, making it easier to remove.

Cleaning Burnt-on Grease From Cookware

The easiest way to clean burnt-on grease from cookware is to place a dishwasher pod in the cookware and fill it with hot water. After several hours, rinse out the cookware. If any grease remains, it should be easy to scrub away with a dish scrubber.

An alternative is to use baking soda and aluminum foil, which produces a chemical reaction that fights grease stains. In your cookware, cover the bottom with baking soda. Add a small amount of hot water to create a thick baking soda paste. Use crumpled aluminum foil to scrub the pan. Rinse with water. If grease remains, simply repeat these steps. After the grease is gone, clean the cookware as usual with soap and water.

How to Remove Burnt-on Grease From Stove tops

When grease splatters and spills on a hot stove top, it can bake onto the burners, grates and stove top surface. Before attempting to clean the stove top, give it time to cool. Pull off the burner covers and grates. Immerse them in hot water with a grease-fighting liquid dish soap. After cleaning the stove top, you can scrub away the grime easily with a dish scrubber.

To tackle the stovetop, make a paste using baking soda and water. Apply it to the grease spots. Spray distilled white finger on the paste. Moisten a kitchen towel, and place it on top of the paste for at least 15 minutes. You can then scrub off the grease. To complete the job, wipe off the mess with a clean, damp towel or sponge.

Tackling Burnt-on Grease in the Oven

To remove burnt-on grease in the oven, remove all of the baking racks. Soak these in hot water with grease-fighting liquid dish soap. After 30 minutes, use a scrubber to wipe them clean. If the mess persists, you can apply a baking soda paste to the racks. Let this paste sit for at least 15 minutes before scrubbing it off.

Scrape off the big chunks of baked-on grime from the oven. Then, prepare a baking soda paste using water, and wipe it across the grease stains. Spritz the baking soda with distilled white vinegar. After at least eight hours, use a damp cloth to wipe off the paste and grease.

Pro Tips for Preventing Burnt-on Grease

Burnt-on grease is stubborn to remove, and you can dramatically reduce the grime stuck on your oven, cookware and stove top by following a few tips.

• Use a lid or splatter guard when cooking with oil or greasy foods.
• Wipe away grease splatters before they dry and harden.
• Improve ventilation over your cooking area.
• Use a grease-cutting agent, such as a commercial product or baking soda, to regularly clean your oven and stove top. This minimizes the buildup of burnt-on grease.

Removing baked-on grease from your cookware, stove top and oven is a dirty, difficult job, but you don’t need to do the scrubbing and scraping yourself. At Cleanzen, our professional cleaners know how to get the job done quickly. In fact, we can tackle all of your tough cleaning jobs and leave you with a perfectly spotless home. Learn more about Cleanzen cleaning services today.