Let’s be honest, kitchens are pretty gross places. Don’t get us wrong, they have the ability to be rather clean and germ-free, but if you continue cleaning them the way you are, you’ll never get away from the constantly growing bacteria living in the crevices of your appliances.

If there’s one of your appliances that seems to do a lot of the work in your kitchen, it’s your range. From spills to grease splatters, this major appliance tends to get the most use, and the most messes.

However, instead of just focusing on the obvious cleanups, the experts at Fix Appliance Repair want to help you really sanitize the scum out, which means doing more than just spraying a simple solution inside your range oven and wiping it down.

It requires a little more detail work. Follow these steps to clean the most surprisingly dirty spots of your range, so your kitchen stays a hygienic place for cooking food.

If you are someone who tends to wash doorknobs and drawer pulls, we probably don’t need to lecture you about washing your range oven handle. But, it’s better to be safe than sorry! Can you count the amount of times you’ve opened your range oven when your hands were covered in food? It’s not at the top of most people’s priority list to wash our hands before opening the oven, but maybe it should be.

Door handles tend to harbor more harmful germs than most surfaces and if not washed off correctly, will create bacteria colonies! In any case, taking the time to at least clean off your oven’s handle after a meal will save you from spreading germs to other family members who also like to cook.

The racks inside your range oven may get immersed in an intense amount of heat, but that in no way means they are sanitized. Every month or so, fill your sink with hot water and soap and let your racks soak in them for 30 minutes to an hour. If your sink is too small to fit them, find an empty bin to fill with hot water and soap.

Once they are done soaking, the grime should just wipe off with a washcloth. Just like butter.

Just like the racks of your range’s oven, if you have a gas cooktop, the grates will need some lovin’ to keep them from bacteria’s reach. Lifting them up and cleaning under and around will not fix the issue – they may need a good soaking as well. Use Step 2 on your cooktop’s grates, and that will clear up most of the germs you’re trying to destroy.

Remember, hot water is key to the cleaning process. We also recommend using regular kitchen gloves to ensure your hands stay safe and clean.

Underneath your range is like a scary abyss. It’s a place where all the escaped leftovers go to die….which attract other unwelcome things. This is exactly why you must look under your appliance regularly and wipe everything up. We suggest either pulling your range all the way out so you can clean it, or using a duster that is thin enough to go under your range and wipe away the debris. It may seem spooky under there, but just remember, it’s more afraid of you than you are if it.

Of course, some ranges are beyond help, and you may just need to get a new one. If you’re in the market for a new range, give one of the specialists at Fix Appliance Repair a call and we can help you out! Once you have it, help it stay in good condition by cleaning it everywhere. That way it will be fresh, clean, and ready to take on your food endeavors while keeping you safe from harm’s way.