The Expensive Stove Cleaning Mistake That's So Easy To Avoid

It doesn't matter how thorough you are or how diligent you are about cleaning the kitchen as you cook, it can be difficult to stay on top of things. Messes seem to happen overnight, and there's always a list of things that you should remember to clean... but can easily overlook. Cleaning can come with questions: When was the last time you looked under the fridge? Are you cleaning your microwave enough? What about all those water filters? While regularly wiping up little messes and new ones is much easier than waiting until it's unbearable and realizing you have a few hours of work ahead of you, there's a chance you might be making a massive cleaning mistake that can end up costing you a fortune.

Spray bottles are brilliant for making cleaning easy: You can spray, swipe, and move on with your busy life. That can be great for cleaning a stovetop and adjacent counter, but if you're using that spray bottle to spritz your stove's control panel and knobs, you should break yourself of this habit sooner than later.

Why? Look at it this way: Would you spray your laptop keyboard, wipe it down, and call it a day? Nope! Just like your laptop, there are electronic components behind those panels. Fortunately, while this might be an easy mistake to make, the better way to clean your stove is just as easy.

There are a few mistakes that you can make while you're cleaning your stove, including opting for ammonia-based cleaners for your stovetop. The good news here is that there's no need to get rid of your spray bottle, simply give your cloth a light spray with the cleaner, then wipe your control panels. 

This goes for not only your stove but for any other appliance that has control panels. Be sure to use non-abrasive cleaners (as they could wear away at the surface, numbers, and images), and if you're in a hurry and using a cloth that's already pretty wet, it's worth swapping out for one that's only gently damp — otherwise, you could end up with the same problems. A cloth will also allow you to target your cleaning in a more precise way: Instead of wiping down the whole panel every time, just wipe off the numbers and buttons you touch.

It's a small adjustment in your cleaning routine, but it can help you avoid a serious headache in the future. No one wants to have to replace their otherwise perfectly fine stove because a panel has stopped working: Make this simple adjustment, and you'll help prolong the life of your appliances.

That spray bottle can do some serious damage to knobs on your stove and oven, as well. While that's a bummer — we're all probably guilty of taking shortcuts with cleaning and not giving things a second thought — this is another time when you should use not the spray bottle, but a damp cloth to wipe the knobs clean. 

That's great for a simple, quick, nightly clean, but what happens when you need to do a deep clean? Most knobs pull off: Pull straight away from the surface at a 90-degree angle, wipe them with your damp cloth, and clean underneath. Replace, and done! Many appliance manufacturers also stress that you shouldn't soak appliance knobs, so it does make sense that you shouldn't expose them to the wet spray from a bottle, either.

There's one more thing to keep in mind here, too: When you're removing the knobs, remember which one goes where. Some manufacturers also stress that they're not interchangeable and you shouldn't put them back on different controls, and here's some more food for thought. Some appliances have cardboard behind the knobs. That's there on purpose to keep gunk from damaging the knobs, and yes, you should leave them there. Given that cardboard is also going to be damaged by that spray bottle, just grab a cloth, wipe, and save some peace of mind.