How to remove and clean electric stove burners
If you have an electric stove, you may have a cooktop with coil burners and chrome burner bowls, also referred to as drip bowls. The burner bowl is underneath the coil burner and is designed to catch any spills from cooking. Read on to learn how to remove, clean and put your coil burners and burner bowls back on your electric cooktop.
Refer to your owner’s manual for specific instructions on how to remove and clean electric stove burners. You’ll want to contact a service professional if your cooktop isn’t functioning properly.
Can you replace burners on an electric stove?
You can replace a coil element on your electric stove if you notice it’s not functioning properly. Be sure to consult your owner’s manual for instructions. Another reason to remove and replace a coil element would be to clean spills on a burner bowl. Keeping your chrome burner bowls clean allows the heat from the coil to reflect back to your cookware.
Guide to removing electric stove burners
The main reason you may want to remove your electric stove burners would be to clean the burner bowls underneath them. Always consult your owner’s manual for specific instructions. The following can help guide you in removing your coil elements and burner bowls, properly cleaning them and putting them back on.
If you’re in the market for a new kitchen range, you’ve probably discovered that there are more kinds of stoves than you thought. You can use this guide to learn more about the different types of stoves to help you find the one that works best for your kitchen and cooking style. To replace your stove, you can follow these general installation instructions.
Supplies
Dish soap
Ammonia (optional)
Tools
Plastic scrubber
Paper towels (optional)
Steel-wool pad (optional)
Step 1: Cool your coil elements
Before removing your electric coil elements, double check that the cooktop control knobs are in the OFF position and that the burners are cool to the touch.
Step 2: Wipe off any soil and debris (optional)
If your coil elements have any debris on them, use a damp cloth to wipe them clean either before or after removing them. Don’t use a cleaning solution or immerse them in water. Keep in mind that tougher, caked-on food particles can burn off when the coil is hot.
Step 3: Remove your coil elements
You can remove your coil element from the receptacle that it’s plugged into by gently pushing the edge of the coil towards it. Then lift the coil element up high enough to clear the burner bowl. Remove the coil element by pulling it away from the receptacle and lift the burner bowl out to clean it.
Step 4: Wash your burner bowls
Check your owner’s manual for model-specific instructions as burner bowls may vary by material. You can usually immerse burner bowls in warm, soapy water. Avoid washing them in your dishwasher. For stubborn stains, use a mild abrasive cleaner and a plastic scrubber. If your burner bowls are heavily soiled, soak a paper towel in ammonia and place it on the stain to allow it to soak for a short time. Then gently scrub it with a plastic scrubber.
Step 5: Clean the surface under your cooktop
You can clean up spills under the cooktop by lifting both front corner until the support locks into place. The locking mechanism will vary by model. Use warm, soapy water to clean the area. For stubborn stains, use a steel-wool pad. Close the cooktop after cleaning. Don’t remove the cooktop.
Step 6: Reinsert your coil elements
When you’re done washing the burner bowls and cooktop, put the bowls back into place on the cooktop. Reinsert the coil element prongs back into the receptacle.
How do you clean electric stove burners?
To clean your electric stove coil burners, simply use a damp cloth with water and gently wipe away any debris. Avoid using a cleanser or immersing them in water. Heating the coil elements can help remove burnt-on food particles. For a gas stove top, you can follow this guide on how to clean grates and burners.
Can you soak electric stove burners?
No, you shouldn't submerge or soak electric components. Clean the coil elements with a damp cloth. To remove any soil or caked-on food, turn the coil element on to burn off the residue.
How do you remove coils from an electric stove?
You can remove the coil element from your cooktop by gently pushing the prongs toward the receptacle. Lift the coil element high enough to clear the burner bowl and then pull it straight out to remove it.
How do you put electric stove burners back on?
To put your electric stove burners back on, slide the coil element prongs into the receptacle. Then lay the coil element into place on top of the burner bowl.
Explore Whirlpool® ranges
Whether you love to sear, saute or fry your family’s favorite recipes, Whirlpool® gas and electric ranges come with innovative features that can help you get the most out of mealtime. Select Whirlpool brand electric ranges feature FlexHeat™ Dual and Triple Radiant Elements that offer the flexibility of matching the size of the element to the size of your cookware.
Learn more about ranges with Whirlpool brand
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